NHL will be back for 2005-06 season!!! :)

[bazooka]

There is always espn classics.

You can watch hockey on that channel.

[indolikaa]

There is always espn classics.

You can watch hockey on that channel.

ESPN Classic. Where men are men, and helmets are gay.

[yoda313]

Hello,

Hockey will probably be gone from all the expansion cities. Bluejackets, Hurricanes, Panthers, Predators, Mighty Ducks????. That's just to name a few. They might be able to keep the Senators in Canada, though that's been harry for the last several years. It's a shame.

Hockey will NEVER leave Detroit. They'd have to RAZE the JOE and burn EVERY hockey stick in the state of Michigan before Hockey dies here! (notice I captilized Hockey???).

Kevin

[shoozleboy]

Hurricanes were not an expansion team - they were the Hartford Whalers who moved to North Carolina and renamed the Hurricanes..... not that it will help them any - they are probably one of almost a dozen teams that will fold if they don't have a season.... or control the skyrocketing salarys...

Pittsburgh Penguins
Columbus BlueJackets
Florida Panthers
Nashville Predators
Washington Capitals
Anaheim Mighty Ducks
LA Kings
Buffalo Sabres
Phoenix Coyotes (sorry Indo)
(not quite a dozen - but close)

These teams have been bitching about money troubles for years in the Hockey News.... some are in more dire straits than others... but they could all be lost in the long run by missing one season.

Oh, and the $75 tickets are nothing compared to the $85 tickets that are a few steps away from nose bleed in the Wachovia Center (Philadelphia Flyers).... Hell, to even sniff the ice, it will set you back $150 - $300 a seat in there.

That's why I stick to the AHL.... $1140.00 gets me 2 seats three rows back of the players bench and prepaid parking for the Hershey Bears for 40 games a season. The arena is turning 3 years old this year, so it's pretty new and high tech as far as amenities go. It seats 10,400 for hockey and more for basketball and concerts.... has the 4 sided Jumbotron and a nice sound system.... plenty of restrooms and food joints... and even a "Champions Club" for beers, food, and television.

I've pretty much given up on seeing the Flyers in person anymore. Why spend the money for poor seats, drive 2 hours to fight traffic on I-76, drive around the parking lot looking for a parking spot, walk a mile to get inside, spend $7 on a small beer.....etc... I drive 15 minutes to the Giant Center and 15 minutes home in virtually no traffic and no parking issues.

besides, the players at this level are more fan friendly and accessible for autographs and such.... great group of guys. It's when they get to the overpriced NHL that they become snobs....

[Reaper88]

One team everyone seems to be forgetting about is the oilers. They are in big time financial trouble. They have something like 28 owners. Always trading there stars because they can’t afford them. Sad thing is they are one of the most exciting teams to watch.

[indolikaa]

Phoenix Coyotes (sorry Indo)

No apologies necessary. I live here, I know exactly what kind of difficulties they are having. Shit, they just built a brand-new arena last year! If this work stoppage is protracted, they're history. Not even Gretzky (one of their owners) can save them.


Same thing with the Diamondbacks, except owners' management is doing a fine job of destroying that organization. They might as well be on strike, it would keep management from making the situation worse than it already is.

[shoozleboy]

Let me update my list:

Pittsburgh Penguins - bankrupt

Columbus BlueJackets - small market/limited fan base

Florida Panthers - small market/limited fan base/can't keep the ice cold

Nashville Predators - small market/limited fan base

Washington Capitals - can't put butts in the seats, even when they are good

Anaheim Mighty Ducks - If the LA area can't/won't support an NFL team, how in the hell is the NHL going to survive there?

LA Kings - see Anaheim

Buffalo Sabres - bankrupt

Phoenix Coyotes - small market?? Limited fan base, too many bills with new arena and now no season

Ottawa Senators - bankrupt (shame, because they have a powerhouse team)

Edmonton Oilers - mentioned above, too many owners to keep afloat (everyone has to have their share of the pie), and small market

Carolina Hurricanes - small market/limited fan base

There - now it's an even dozen.

The effect of these guys folding, creates less jobs in the NHL and could force players to take less and less money because there will be plenty of unemployed players out there just waiting to take their jobs...... I wish I could find the article I read months ago about this situation - it mentions just this scenerio. Most of these teams, if they are losing money, are only kept going for the owners to have an outlet to right off the losses for taxes. The owners usually have other, more lucrative investments that make them money, and they invest in a team (part or whole) to use the losses to neutralize their tax liability....

I'm no tax expert, but the logic makes some sense. I don't think they are all like that, some teams make a good faith effort to operate within a budget and attempt to make money - but I'm sure some of that article was true. Some owners don't give a shit if they lose this season and fold. Hell, ESPN reported that some owners will actually lose LESS money by locking out for a year or two then if they operated and had to pay overpriced players.

Somebody said it best when they mentioned it this way -

The players make money because the teams exist and gives them exposure to the money.

The teams exist because the names in the game draw in the fans who spend their money.

So both sides are asses for letting this happen...for different reasons, but they are both asses in this situation.

I agree. I take neither side. I just want to watch some hockey.....

[yoda313]

Hello,

I remember when the NBA had their lockout a few years ago our local stations here did a cute thing. For their "highlights" they would show a matchup on the playstation! It was great! They'd show the teams that would have been playing and did it on the game. I think they only did it for the first week or so of the strike but it was cute.

Also, the winter olympics had the local tv stations doing some inovative reporting. Since NBC wouldn't allow replays until the next day they would "play out" the action. One time they had four of their anchors play "human curling". It was hilarious. They had two of them sit in chairs with wheels. Then they were pushed down the studio and two others "swept" to try to score down at the other end! . It just goes to show you how creative local news stations can be when faced with an obstacle.

Kevin

[yoda313]

Hello,

DAY 22 of the lockout.

Kevin

----I WANT MY NHL!!!!!-----

[yoda313]

Hello,

Well the regular season SHOULD have started today!!

I WANT MY NHL!!!!

Kevin

[lordsmurf]

Oh no.
No Hockey.

....

[yoda313]

Oh no.
No Hockey.

....

Hello,

:P :P :P

Kevin

[BobV]

All will be well in Hershey, PA..... home of the oldest AHL franchise - The Hershey Bears.

I thought it was the Hershey Bars??

[bazooka]

There was an article in the Dallas Morning News this morning about how the lockout freezing the openers.

I want to watch my dallas stars.

[wolv6769]

What's Hockey??

[shoozleboy]

All will be well in Hershey, PA..... home of the oldest AHL franchise - The Hershey Bears.

I thought it was the Hershey Bars??

LOL! They changed that name back in the 1930's when the owners of other teams complained to the league that Hershey was using it's hockey team to promote Hershey bars and chocolate.... They used the name "B'ars" to mean "Bears" but with the pronunciation closer to the word bars.... Yes, it was a cheap attempt at their part to advertise - which was against league rules back then.... The team claimed it was the word bears, written as it was pronounced by many residents of the Hershey area.... "The B'ars from Penns Woods" was the name at one point, then they just gave in and called them the Bears - which is still their name today.

Oldest team in the AHL.... and up until a few years ago, they claimed to have the oldest active hockey arena in North America, if not the world.. HersheyPark Arena.... they moved into the new Giant Center 2 years ago... now starting their 3rd season in the 'new home' of Hershey Bears Hockey !!!!!

WOO HOO!!! Opening night is this Saturday..... can't wait !!!! :P

[yoda313]

Hello,

[quote="wolv6769"]
What's Hockey??[/qoute]


THIS is hockey:





Kevin

[bazooka]

Yoda,

your pic is not showing up.

[yoda313]

Yoda,

your pic is not showing up.

Hello,

Just got it. I ended up saving the pic wrong! doh!

It's not that good of a pic. Just one off the net.

Kevin

[indolikaa]

Well, at least we have the St. Louis Cardinals to root for...

[yoda313]

Hello,

Well they said on the radio a guy in Canada bought the defunct WHA and is going to try to have them up and running in January or February!

Also, they're now saying if an agreement isn't reached by early december they'll probably scrap the whole season!!!

Kevin

[yoda313]

Hello,

So the Red Sox came back to win a 7 game series after being down 3-0. Big deal! It may have been the first time for Baseball playoffs but it's been done before in hockey.

Wasn't it in the 50s between Red Wings and Maple Leafs???? I think the Wings choked after being up 3 games.

I think it's happened a few more times in the NHL. Anyone know about the NBA??????

NFL doesn't count since they don't have 7 game series

Kevin

[shoozleboy]

Happened twice in Hockey - Wings in the 50's choked, and the Islanders came back to beat someone in the 70's.... don't remember the exact matchups...

Has happened once in Baseball - last night.

Has never happened in NBA.

Something like 3 times total in over 300 or 400 total times in all three sports combined. They showed this stat last night on Sportsvision in Canada.... that's the only reason I know...

[yoda313]

Hello,

Shoozelboy - Thanks! I remembered the Wings since I'm here in Hockeytown Forgot about the islanders.

That is a pretty rare stat isn't it????

Kevin

Edit - Cute location! Is that your section for minor league hockey????

[bazooka]

Well, at least we have the St. Louis Cardinals to root for...

Tony LaRussa can take his pencil and shove it.

I dislike LaRussa and the cardinals.

Go Astros.

[yoda313]

Hello,

LaRussa - Didn't he have a Slim Fast commercial with the dodgers several years ago???? Or am I thinking of a different GM????

Kevin

--BESIDES BACK TO HOCKEY! Enough threadjacking! I want my NHL! --

[bazooka]

Hello,

LaRussa - Didn't he have a Slim Fast commercial with the dodgers several years ago???? Or am I thinking of a different GM????

Kevin

--BESIDES BACK TO HOCKEY! Enough threadjacking! I want my NHL! --

LaRussa is the manager of the Cardinals not a GM.

I miss the Dallas Stars as well.

[Capmaster]

Hello,

LaRussa - Didn't he have a Slim Fast commercial with the dodgers several years ago???? Or am I thinking of a different GM????

Kevin

--BESIDES BACK TO HOCKEY! Enough threadjacking! I want my NHL! --

You're thinking of Tommy LaSorda. He was the Dodger's manager, not GM

[yoda313]

Hello,

LaRussa - Didn't he have a Slim Fast commercial with the dodgers several years ago???? Or am I thinking of a different GM????

Kevin

--BESIDES BACK TO HOCKEY! Enough threadjacking! I want my NHL! --

You're thinking of Tommy LaSorda. He was the Dodger's manager, not GM

Hello,

Thanks Cap! I knew it sounded familiar.

Kevin

[shoozleboy]

Edit - Cute location! Is that your section for minor league hockey????

Yepper..... season started last Friday and Saturday for the Bears.... a little rough start, but it's always rough in the beginning.... they've only had 2 weeks of training camp this year, unlike previous years....

www.giantcenter.net

www.hersheybears.com

They play in the Giant center...