Why don't you like hockey?

Freak

You, Americans. Why not?

Canadians obsess over this question.

Jayman

Super Moderator

I'm from Michigan, so I love hockey and am a big Red Wings fan. Everyone around here gets pretty jacked up about it come playoff time, actually. However, I can see that the rest of the country (with some exceptions) could care less about the sport.

But as one of the original 6 in hockey, Detroit is still very much a hockey town, or "HockeyTown" if you will.

I'm interested in seeing others answer this though.

Dakstang

MMA Moderator

It just never got much attention around here so I don't really know the rules of the game and how it is played really.

Around here we have Football, Basketball, & Baseball. That is it. That is the only sports you can play in school. So naturally that is what everyone learns the rules of and are therefore drawn to because they know what is going on.

For someone like me it would take effort now to go back and learn what is going on in hockey. With the other sports mentioned above I learned the rules starting in childhood by playing those sports.

Stop talkin' bout stayin' the course
You keep on beatin' that old dead horse
You know they lied about why we went to War
I can't take it no more

chops

I'm from beantown, and hockey is huge here. The only problem is the bruins suck, however college and highschool hockey are huge draws. In our highschool hockey was the biggest sport. The problem is the NHL expanded to quickly, and put teams where they don't belong. Why move a hockey team from Minn to Dallas? Also the bruins the rangers, the blackhawks, and the flyers have sucked of recent years and they are all big hockey towns!

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

I'm from Wisconsin but lived in Minnesota and I'm a huge Hockey fan. Albeit not so much at the pro level but I LOVE WCHA Hockey. As a kid I remember lacing up skates and wanting to be a Golden Gopher. I just never post anything because the few things that have been posted no one has ever seemed to be interested in. But if anyone out there likes College Hockey as well... HOW THE HELL DID WISCONSIN GET IN THE NCAA HOCKEY TOURNEY?! I may be a Wisconsin fan, but oh my that's just semi-ridiculous. Pair-wise or not, I'm trying to figure out the formula that had them ahead of Minnesota State or Vermont even.

Freak

Well that's not such a great example, since hockey has thrived in Dallas as well (probably due to their having a consistently good team, their Stanley Cup victory, an American-born superstar in Modano, etc.).

But it seems that when analysts get to work talking about what needs to be done in order to "fix" hockey, it all boils down to selling it to Americans. That's why they added the shootout, that's why they've considered a million ways to possibly increase scoring, that's why they wouldn't allow the Predators to move from Nashville to Hamilton. And still it's impossible to find on TV if you live in America.

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

Sure you can it's on VS.

With Bill Clement!

Dakstang

MMA Moderator

The only way Americans are going to accept hockey is for them to be exposed to it more. That begins young when kids get the opportunity to be involved in sports. Hockey is much more available to kids today so there have been some strides made. But like I said, there are still parts of the U.S. where schools don't have hockey teams. People rarely take an interest in a sport they know nothing about.

Stop talkin' bout stayin' the course
You keep on beatin' that old dead horse
You know they lied about why we went to War
I can't take it no more

Suntan Superman

WC's Resident Samoan

unless it's in the North/Northeast I rarely hear of anybody talk about hockey.

Freak

How prevalent are hockey rinks where you guys live? SS, I'd expect they're pretty easy to find for you, but what about Dak?

Every few weeks, PTI will talk hockey for a minute or so, but usually only when there's been a brawl or vicious incident.