This isn't about this lockout, it's about the previous one in 2004-2005. You remember the one -- the one shortly before Brett Hull retired with the Phoenix Coyotes. No, no, no. Seriously. He was with the 'Yotes, remember? Here:
Told you he played for them. Anyways, Hullie made a stop over at Weekend Update to give Amy Poehler the inside scoop on the lockout. With another season looking almost like it's going to be a wash, there's really nothing else to do but laugh.
Now, as a disclaimer, I must say that this isn't a slam against the Columbus Blue Jackets. I've always wanted them to be successful (though not too much in the standings, for obvious reasons), but I've also always referred to them as "Atlanta North." Why? Well, a few years ago it was just mostly a reference to both franchises' futility, but over the last couple of years it's become more than that. Witness:
This was up on the Blues' Facebook page a few days ago:
Really? My favorite Jeff Brown memory is that I have his autograph somewhere and that he was good on NHL '94. Also, he had lots of assists. God, please let this Lockout end at some point or another so teams have something to freaking post about that happened more recently than 1994.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
I normally don't do things like this, but this is a dire situation. A member of the Atlanta Thrashers fan community, Tammy Adcock, has gone through immasurable tragedy the past several weeks. Her husband, Brandy, passed away on October 30th due to a stroke, and then the very next night their home burnt to the ground. The procedes from this fundraiser will go to help pay for medical and funeral expenses, as well as towards household items as she has lost all of her belongings, including reminders of her husband. A donations page at YouCaring.com has been established; the goal has been set at $25,000. As of right now, just $7600 has been raised. Every little bit helps, so if you can donate even just a little bit, it would be appreciated.
I went to a Gwinnett Gladiators game last night. Of course, it was fun -- anything involving tailgating around a tiny grill is fun -- but it's just not the same. The experience of ECHL hockey for the first time in a while got me thinking about the lockout and NHL hockey in general -- it just means more to a lot of fans. Let me explain.
When the Thrashers relocated to Winnipeg, a lot of fans here in Atlanta flung their support behind the ECHL's Gwinnett Gladiators. Now the affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes, the Glads have always been a good team and a fun team to watch. I am not taking anything away from them at all. But the experience at Philips Arena and the experience at the Gwinnett Arena are two different things. Size of the crowd, enthusiasm of the crowd, a lack of an actual scoreboard, a DJ that plays music that makes sense... it's not the same.
First off, and probably foremost, it's not what I'm used to as far as games go. I'm used to NHL arenas and the NHL experience. That's something that can be gotten over, though, I guess. What can't be gotten over is the absolute lack of attachment I feel towards these players. I felt a little more when they were the Thrashers' ECHL affiliate, but not by much. The team changes at the whim of the NHL/AHL clubs. People are called up. Random new guys are sent down. Very few players stay put. You think it's bad when a guy you like on your NHL team gets traded away after a couple seasons? How about your team's only potent scoring threat getting called up in the middle of a playoff push? It's frustrating.
I suppose that keeps fans from being loyal to individual players and focuses their attention more on the team, but there should be some affection for the actual people on the team. It helps build an affinity for the franchise.
Also building an affinity for the franchise: me not having to drive an hour and a half to get to a game. That's a personal situation, but with the Peoria Rivermen and Evansville Ice Men it holds true for most Blues fans as well. The allure in those two teams are Blues' prospects, so at least they have that going for them. Its always more fun watching your team's prospects play over someone else's. But boiling it down to the basics, it's still not NHL hockey. With no hockey games being played these days, what are you going to bet on? Maybe it's time to try out Betfair's online poker games for a chance to make a bit of extra cash. Right?
I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with people who say "I don't need the NHL! I'm going to follow this here ECHL/AHL/Junior/KHL team -- it's the same thing!" No, it's not, and this is someone who would probably watch kittens play hockey if you could get them into skates. There's a huge difference between a minor league team and the professional team that you've been cheering for your whole life. Sure, the lockout irritates me, but you'll never see me dumping the Blues for the Rivermen. Minor hockey's fun, but it's just a fun diversion from the real deal.
We all can agree that the lockout sucks. I miss watching the Blues and I'm unhappy that two roadtrips to Nashville to see them play the Preds are shot. But hey, at least I can watch St. Louis' prospects and Ian Cole play! Kind of.
Tonight I watched the Peoria Rivermen take on the Chicago Wolves. This is the quality I was looking at:
It's hard to tell, but that's completely not HD. I think that SD might be stretching it. And yes, that is the exact same image on my Macbook. No, I'm not going to mention the source I was using, but I will say this: the AHL's live package is overpriced. No, that's not right. It's INSANELY overpriced. For a full league pass it's $399. That's more than twice what GameCenter Live costs to see the NHL play. The quality of broadcast is much, much less, as is the quality of the feed. If I just wanted to watch the Rivs (which I don't only want to watch one team), it's $199. Heck, it's $6.99 to watch just one game.
Who developed this pricing plan? Was it their intent to not make an extra dime during the NHL Lockout? I would be more than willing to plunk down money for this product, but for the cost? No way. Absolutely no way. Sure, having to watch hockey on crappy feeds is something that I don't condone and I do NOT enjoy, and yes, this is less annoying than having to find a feed so I can watch the Blues play either the Predators or the Hurricanes since I live in both teams' markets (yay, Atlanta).
But come on, AHL. I implore you. Fix your business model. There are a lot of fans who'd love to watch their teams' prospects and young AHLers play, and you're making it hard for that to happen while shooting yourself in the foot.
As the NHL's lockout drags on, and as more and more CBA offers get shot down or dismissed as nothingness by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, you're going to see players in the press more. They all have their opinions regarding the lockout, the negotiations (or lack therof), the commish, and the whole situation. Some of them have been expressed eloquently, others over Twitter in 140 character bursts.
Hockey players have never been known for earth-shattering commentary. Post-game interviews are chock-full of stock statements like "we just really needed to come out skating the third period" or "[insert player's name]-ie was just absolutely clutch with his stickwork" or other gems like that. No one's expected anything much different from the players during the lockout. A lot of the players've obliged, sticking with stock comments or paraphrases of whatever the official NHLPA statement du jour is.
So, last night was opening night of the 2012-2013 NHL season, eh?
I admit, I'm not happy with the delay of the season. I was supposed to watch the Blues' opening game Thursday night, and instead I was in bed by 9:30. This is how I am when there's no hockey. I'm boring, and I'm bored. I (for the time being) have baseball to entertain myself with, and cooking, and books, and episodes of the Colbert Report.
All of that is such a poor substitute for watching the team and sport that I love, but I feel like I only have so much room to complain, as do fans in other NHL cities. You see, we still have a team.
Opening night last season in Atlanta was like taking a cold shower. It was a painful wake-up call to the fact that NHL hockey wasn't here any more. This year, it's still not here, but it's not anywhere else, either. Sucks, eh? At least fans of other teams have something to eventually look forward to. Atlanta hockey fans? Well, there's the start of the Gladiators' tenth anniversary this weekend, so there's that. Cold comfort.
While the rest of us fight the bile in our throats over Bettman and figure out how to watch our teams' AHL affiliates at a reasonable price, keep in mind that there are markets for which this is an annual thing. I hate to bust out the "it could be worse" excuse, but it really could be.
And for former Thrashers fans, it's just more ammo to despise how the league's run. Atlanta fans cried all offseason that the NHL was a clusterfuck. Do you believe us now that it applies to every team?
We're all upset that the NHL has cancelled the first two weeks of the season. It's no shock, but it still is a tough pill to swallow.
Here's your stress relief, folks. Print it out, attach it to something, and have fun. Potato gun? Darts? Spitballs? Use whatever you'd like.
And yes, I know this isn't entirely 110% on Bettman, but it's fun and easy. Like I said on Puck Drunk Love, he's the figurehead, and he's got to accept some of the blame. Accept away, Gary.
I'm a hockey fan, obviously. I'm also a Cardinals fan -- they're my first sports love, and while I might first and foremost consider hockey my favorite sport, the Cards are my favorite team. I've written here before how hockey's allowed me to appreciate the Cardinals' World Series wins. The Blues've never won the Cup, and the Cardinals have won the most World Series in the National League. The fact that the Blues can't seem to seal the deal makes me appreciate what the Cardinals have accomplished even more. It's not easy to win a sports championship, and it's not easy to make the playoffs.
This year in Major League Baseball, it's easier than usual to make the playoffs with the addition of a second wild card slot. If the Cardinals win their game tonight (they're winning 1-0 at the time of this writing), they'll be in and facing off against the Braves at Turner Field on Friday. The question swirling around tonight (or whenever they clinch) might not be who the starter needs to be Friday. It might be if they need to pop the bubbly. I hate to be a buzzkill, but I don't think that they do.
Hockey players wait until they win the Stanley Cup (or whatever their league trophy is) before they celebrate. Sure, the t-shirts come out when they win their divisions and their conferences, but teams have their eyes on one thing, and the only thing worth popping the bubbly over is that grand prize. Getting into the playoffs when in any other previous season you'd be at home? Maybe pop a Busch Light.
I know ballplayers love their celebrations, and there's nothing wrong with being happy. I'm just saying that maybe some restraint is in order. But hey, at least we're not the Reds, who apparently made up their own trophy to drink from upon winning the division. That's just wrong, regardless of where you stand on the celebratory rule.
Still, the Cardinals -- and other ball clubs -- could take a hint from hockey players. Get focused boys, and bring home a real reason to spray champagne.
