Hockey: Not just for Canadians
December 7, 2011
The NBA is coming back, the NFL’s playoffs are
right around the corner and MLB’s off-season – highlighted by the
Albert Pujols sweepstakes – are just warming up.
There is a lot for sports fans to be excited
about this winter. A fully-loaded buffet of storylines, drama and
intrigue is at everyone’s disposal.
But sadly, many fans are going to fill up
without even trying one of the sweetest dishes around: the National
Hockey League.
I can feel your eyes rolling, but give us –
hockey and its die-hard fans – a chance.
I know what you think you’re avoiding, but I
don’t think you know what you’re missing.
Hockey is too often portrayed
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for big toothless Canadian goons who care more about fighting than
the location of the puck.
It’s funny, sure, but it doesn’t do the sport
justice.
Let’s dispel some of the negative stereotypes
about hockey and shed some light on one of the most exciting sports
there is.
Stereotype No. 1: Hockey players are goons
first, athletes second.
If you’ve ever attempted to ice skate for any
purpose besides to hold a cute girl’s hand, then you know of the
athleticism needed to play hockey. Hockey players possess skill
sets not found in any other sport. Where else will you find 10
players moving with such a deft balance of speed, grace and
power?
Hockey players have to be able to stop on a
dime, turn tight corners and quickly change directions. On ice
skates.
This is on top of controlling a puck with a
stick, being aware of other athletes skating with the purpose of
knocking you on your butt and communicating with your five
teammates.
Stereotype No. 2: Hockey is too hard to
follow.
Granted, for a new fan, hockey is a little
harder to follow on TV than sports like football and baseball. The
action doesn’t stop as often and there are rules that aren’t
intuitive. Football’s version of offsides, for instance, is much
easier to explain than hockey’s.
(Side note to soccer fans: Hockey’s offsides
rule doesn’t even come close to the ridiculousness of soccer’s
offsides rule.)
But like with anything else, hockey becomes
easier to understand over time. I started watching a lot of hockey
when I was 11 years old. I didn’t understand a lot of things when I
was 11, but I was still able to grasp the concept of icing and
playing short-handed. Like with sex, hockey can become one of your
favorite past times once you understand when it is and isn’t legal
to penetrate the zone.
Stereotype No. 3: Hockey is low-scoring and
therefore boring.
This couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Hockey is the sport most able to keep fans on the edge of their
seats without constant scoring.
Regular season hockey games average
five-to-six total goals. That may not seem like a lot, but the
excitement and release that comes with each goal is far superior
than that of your average touchdown, 3-pointer or run scored.
Which brings me to my last point.
Stereotype No. 4: Hockey is a great live
experience.
Absolutely 100 percent true. High definition
TVs are making hockey easier to follow and enjoy from home, but
nothing compares to a live-action hockey game.
Every seat in a hockey rink is a good one. In
fact, there are times where I’d actually prefer to sit in the
second level. The vantage point you get of the ice is amazing. You
can see passing lanes open and close, the start of potential
breakaways and best of all, you don’t have to wait for the
broadcast crew to switch cameras to see the fight that started
behind the play.
And yes, the fights are exciting. But they
aren’t what define the sport nor what keep fans coming back.
So do yourself a favor and treat yourself to
some nice, warm NHL hockey this winter.
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