Wow. Touchy lot, the NHL.
Comfort clothes Page 7
Quote: Curt @ January 30 2009, 1:50 AM GMTI also don't agree with the expansion into the south of the United States like Florida.
Where do you think Canadians and people from New York, Michigan, Ohio, etc. spend their winters? I grew up 2 miles away from a development called Maple Leaf Estates.
Quote: Curt @ January 30 2009, 1:50 AM GMTBecause it's Donald Duck's face shaped into a mask.
I also don't agree with the expansion into the south of the United States like Florida.
I concur 
Quote: DaButt @ January 30 2009, 2:39 AM GMTWhere do you think Canadians and people from New York, Michigan, Ohio, etc. spend their winters? I grew up 2 miles away from a development called Maple Leaf Estates.
Oh how common. 
Quote: DaButt @ January 30 2009, 2:39 AM GMTWhere do you think Canadians and people from New York, Michigan, Ohio, etc. spend their winters? I grew up 2 miles away from a development called Maple Leaf Estates.
You might like hockey but most don't care. Their stadiums are half the price of any norther State or Canadian team and yet their stadiums are still empty, they don't know when playoffs are when their own team is about to win the cup. Or Nashville where (I'm not kidding here) woman's bowling ranked higher in the television ratings than The Nashville Predators.
Meanwhile there are so many other Northern States and Canadian cities that would fill the stadiums if they got a team. But no stupid Gary Bettman (Commissionaire of the NHL) and Wayne Gretsky (with all his money in southern teams) fight to keep those teams alive in the hopes of grabbing new audiences.
It's nothing against the people of those states, if they were as enthusiastic as anyone else north of them about NHL team then fine. But they are not.
Quote: Curt @ January 30 2009, 11:36 AM GMTYou might like hockey but most don't care. Their stadiums are half the price of any norther State or Canadian team and yet their stadiums are still empty, they don't know when playoffs are when their own team is about to win the cup. Or Nashville where (I'm not kidding here) woman's bowling ranked higher in the television ratings than The Nashville Predators.
Meanwhile there are so many other Northern States and Canadian cities that would fill the stadiums if they got a team. But no stupid Gary Bettman (Commissionaire of the NHL) and Wayne Gretsky (with all his money in southern teams) fight to keep those teams alive in the hopes of grabbing new audiences.
It's nothing against the people of those states, if they were as enthusiastic as anyone else north of them about NHL team then fine. But they are not.
Is what that big dispute was about couple of years back when half the teams wouldn't play?
Quote: Gavin @ January 30 2009, 11:39 AM GMTIs what that big dispute was about couple of years back when half the teams wouldn't play?
Close yea. They wanted to link players salaries to how well a team was doing monetary wise so they could keep these franchises open that really shouldn't be open. It was all very stupid.
Quote: Curt @ January 30 2009, 11:36 AM GMTYou might like hockey but most don't care.
I've watched one hockey game in my life. I was 7.
I lived in Canada for a year in the 80s - went to as many hockey games as I could. I used to wear one of these whenever possible:
Canada Cup jersey. Mine was no. 27. The year after I left Canada beat the Soviets 2-1 in the most amazing three-game series you can imagine, all three games ending 6-5.
There is something wrong with hockey and palm trees. It just is wrong. Wrong on all levels. No matter how you justify it............wrong wrong wrong.
Quote: Dr Mato @ January 30 2009, 12:14 PM GMTThere is something wrong with hockey and palm trees. It just is wrong. Wrong on all levels. No matter how you justify it............wrong wrong wrong.
Very true. When Gretzky started playing for LA I could never get my head round it.
Quote: Huge Bear @ January 30 2009, 12:16 PM GMTVery true. When Gretzky started playing for LA I could never get my head round it.
Thank you, a true hockey one at heart you are there Huge Bear.
Quote: DaButt @ January 30 2009, 11:48 AM GMTI've watched one hockey game in my life. I was 7.
oh...well then I guess that just strengthens my point...southerners don't go to hockey games. 
Quote: Huge Bear @ January 30 2009, 11:55 AM GMTI lived in Canada for a year in the 80s - went to as many hockey games as I could. I used to wear one of these whenever possible:
Canada Cup jersey. Mine was no. 27. The year after I left Canada beat the Soviets 2-1 in the most amazing three-game series you can imagine, all three games ending 6-5.
YEA! I love the classic Jerseys.
Awesome game! Anytime Canada beats Russia/Soviets or the US is a fun time to be in the streets of a Canadian city.
It's always the same thing. Dead silence outside on the streets. Everyone is indoors watching right until Canada wins and the streets are filled with noise. The only time Canada ever gets excited about anything as a country. A little on the sad side actually. 
Quote: Curt @ January 30 2009, 1:13 PM GMTI guess that just strengthens my point...southerners don't go to hockey games.
According to figures from last season, Tampa Bay ranked 7th in the league in attendance, topping a couple of Canadian teams and several "northern" teams.
Montreal Canadiens 21,273
Buffalo Sabres 19,950
Ottawa Senators 19,821
Philadelphia Flyers 19,556
Toronto Maple Leafs 19,434
Calgary Flames 19,289
Detroit Red Wings 18,912
Tampa Bay Lightning 18,692
Vancouver Canucks 18,630
Minnesota Wild 18,568
New York Rangers 18,200
Dallas Stars 18,038
St. Louis Blues 17,610
San Jose Sharks 17,411
Anaheim Mighty Ducks 17,193
Pittsburgh Penguins 17,076
Colorado Avalanche 16,842
Edmonton Oilers 16,828
Chicago Blackhawks 16,814
Carolina Hurricanes 16,663
Los Angeles Kings 16,606
Atlanta Thrashers 15,824
New Jersey Devils 15,564
Washington Capitals 15,472
Florida Panthers 15,436
Boston Bruins 15,384
Nashville Predators 14,910
Columbus Blue Jackets 14,823
Phoenix Coyotes 14,820
New York Islanders 13,640
Do you remember the 2002 Winter Olympics final, Canada beating the US? I was sitting in front of the TV in a cottage in northern England yelling my head off every time Canada scored and frightening my girlfriend silly.
It is a bit sad I suppose. I was in Vancouver during the summer of the Atlanta Olympics, and when the Canadian 4 x 100m men's relay team (Donovan Bailey etc) beat the US the whole place went mad. Probably the only athletics medal they won.
Damn some of them were even celebrating when the Americans had all those hostages in Iran back in 1980... 
Quote: DaButt @ January 30 2009, 1:23 PM GMTAccording to figures from last season, Tampa Bay ranked 7th in the league in attendance, topping a couple of Canadian teams and several "northern" teams.
Good points. But you also have to take into consideration an NHL game in those southern cities are a fraction of the price of what northern teams are paying.