Badger Backer at Wisconsin Hockey Blog has returned from Xmas vacation in time to preview the UW-DU series. Which is a damn good thing since (our favorite blog swapper) DG over at LetsGoDU seems to have no idea DU is playing this week and is instead focused on the Gophers, reprinting an article from NHL.com about the Pioneers and wishing Matt Carle had been sent down to DU. Luckily Peter over at CO14er's LetsgoDU.com has a series preview.
Down in Garden of The God's land the CC Hockey Blog has a review of CC's series split with Bemidji St. and how the suspensions from the fight with the Seawolves probably cost them a game. Yeah. I know that feeling.
Over at MTU's Blog there is a review of the GLI and Tech's participation. I'm not big on the multi-colored text. But then again I had the hard to read green background.
Over at College Hockey New's Adam Wodon had this piece expressing his rightful disgust with shootouts deciding hockey games. Then their Blog chimed in and if you read the comments you'll see what I said. Mike Machnik at CHN provides a rundown of how the wretched deed might come to be as well as decrying it. And over at Goon's World our favorite UND Blogger is scratching his head about and thumbing his nose at hockey "purists" who don't want to sully the game with horseshit gimmickry designed to mollify "the mob".
Chris over at Western College Hockey went to Detroit and watched the GLI and provided his summary.
And honored with my last Linkage is RWD with her most recent Gauntlet with Bulldog's radio guy Bruce Ciskie. How awesome would it be to have an interview with the radio guy. I wish I'd thought of that. During the interview Bruce gave me a big raspberry for not stopping by and meeting him when UMD was here and well ... I deserved it. I promised to meet him twice next time.
Down in Garden of The God's land the CC Hockey Blog has a review of CC's series split with Bemidji St. and how the suspensions from the fight with the Seawolves probably cost them a game. Yeah. I know that feeling.
Over at MTU's Blog there is a review of the GLI and Tech's participation. I'm not big on the multi-colored text. But then again I had the hard to read green background.
Over at College Hockey New's Adam Wodon had this piece expressing his rightful disgust with shootouts deciding hockey games. Then their Blog chimed in and if you read the comments you'll see what I said. Mike Machnik at CHN provides a rundown of how the wretched deed might come to be as well as decrying it. And over at Goon's World our favorite UND Blogger is scratching his head about and thumbing his nose at hockey "purists" who don't want to sully the game with horseshit gimmickry designed to mollify "the mob".
begin rantThe only way to follow that little rant is to welcome a new Blogger to the world. NMU fan and school paper sports writer Kyle Whitney has began Sports Thoughts to express his. I've linked to him in my "Other Hockey Blogs" section as well as updated the existing link for NMU.
Deciding any team sporting event by using a single element of the game in some sort of last resort attempt to appease "the mob" is an affront on many levels. A tie is a valid result. It says two teams were equal. I'm well aware there are players that like it. I'm already well aware that "the mob" likes it. Implementing shootouts may be inevitable with the prevailing fan attitude much more akin to Goon's than mine but that doesn't mean it won't lessen the game. Lessen? No ... It invalidates the rest of the game. You take 65 minutes of hockey where neither team deserves to lose and condense it to 10 one-on-ones? There's no reason for the actual game at all. Let's just have 2 hours of shootouts. Let's eliminate the teams who played one game 150% better than they've ever played from going home with a well-earned tie against a 43 time National Champion with 5 future NHL snipers. Those programs should just all fold. That'll leave the NCAA with about 15 - 20 teams full of shootout experts.
I'm so far beyond disgust with the prospect that ultimately it could affect my status as a fan of the game. College Hockey is the last sport that I follow regularly (English Premerie League intermittently). I gave up on Baseball as a teen, I stopped watching all Basketball in the mid 80's, and pro Football is a steriod-ridden joke. I guess I could start a Fulham FC Blog? At least the EPL understands the relevance of ties. I honestly don't know how enthusiastic I could be about being a fan when/if that crap comes to be. It's time for a last stand I say. Whoever is in charge of drawing a line and saying, "NO! we will not let you cross this line!" ... needs to get to drawing the damn line and rallying the troops with a stirring "But it will not be this day ..." battle speech. No to the Shootout? Not just No ... fuck no. There must be someone in a position of authority somewhere who can at least be given the opportunity to express that "purists" don't want this crap in the game they love. Adam Wodon better be right when he thinks they'll be an outcry.
Chris over at Western College Hockey went to Detroit and watched the GLI and provided his summary.
And honored with my last Linkage is RWD with her most recent Gauntlet with Bulldog's radio guy Bruce Ciskie. How awesome would it be to have an interview with the radio guy. I wish I'd thought of that. During the interview Bruce gave me a big raspberry for not stopping by and meeting him when UMD was here and well ... I deserved it. I promised to meet him twice next time.
8 comments:
Holy Cow Donald, I didn't know you felt so passonate about not having a shoot-out. I guess we can agree to disagree. Besides, it your blog. I would recommend you not have an anneurism about it or lose any sleep over the manner, the NCAA is probably going to settle ties with the shoot out in 2008-2009.
First shootout in the NCAA regular season = My last Blog entry.
I want to interview your PA guy. He is intense. He might kill me just by typing.
So your saying that in 2008-2009 when the first game in Sulliven Arena that is settled with a shoot out your not going to write anymore blog article. Man I am really going to miss your work.
RWD:
I can easily arrange that for you if you'd like. His name is Lyle Woods. I talk with him every weekend.
Goon:
I really don't see me continuing to go to games that could end with a shootout. As I said ... I think ties are meaningful. I think they're relevant.
To explain:
I was raised in the U.S. but have never embraced the "win" culture. Possibly the biggest shaper of my attitudes about sports come from the Olympics (of old) when amatuer athletes competed only for pride and medals. My all time sports hero is a guy named John Stephen Akwari from Tanzania who completed the 1968 Mexico City marathon more than 2 hours after the winner ... limping in on a dislocated knee. I tell that story because it is indicative of the sort of thing that only happens in amatuer sports. Putting in gimmicks from the professional side of sports to "enhance" the experience for goomba's that don't understand the real point of sports competition is beyond my comprehension and quite honestly leaves me a bit sullen as to the future of NCAA hockey. Put me squarely in the "traditionalist" or "purist" category. I didn't even like when the "Gretzky culture" moved the NHL out of the "Broad Street Bully" days and seemed to threaten the physical nature of the sport with too much figure skating.
I wish the NHL was still more like the Broad Street Bullies still.
Even the Boogey Man can't find anyone to fight him anymore. I just wish the NCAA would call the games like the NHL ref do.
Donald, I agree with you about shootouts. Shootouts don't decide a TEAM'S talent over the other, it just shows certain talent of certain players. While it is entertaining (no doubt), it should not decide a game.
Count me as another that would have a hard time sticking with the college game if they go to shootouts. No different than having a long drive contest or a putting contest decide a golf tournement.
Nothing but a bogus contrivance that as you say makes the preceding 65 minutes irrellevant.
Nothing more exciting than an overtime game, no matter how long it takes to be decided. Even if your favorite team gets beat by Holy Cross. Pretty cool for them.
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