WTF!!!

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » June 5, 2006, 10:10 am

The Outdoor Living Network??

The NHL is on The Outdoor Living Network?

Hell even the WWE is on TNT.

Post by **Sylvus** » June 5, 2006, 11:08 am

You act as if this is new news. Apparently you didn't watch much regular season hockey!

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » June 5, 2006, 11:10 am

Sylvus wrote:You act as if this is new news. Apparently you didn't watch much regular season hockey!

No I didnt but I was going to attempt to watch some of the finals, seeing I live in Minnesota I guess I should learn a little about this sport.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 5, 2006, 11:31 am

Cart, no one watches Hockey. More people watch WWE. That is why they are on better networks. I'm sure a bigger network will take on hockey again next year or the year after assuming hockey will become popular again.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » June 5, 2006, 12:19 pm

Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:Cart, no one watches Hockey. More people watch WWE. That is why they are on better networks. I'm sure a bigger network will take on hockey again next year or the year after assuming hockey will become popular again.

Not to mention that not having a season at all kind of hurt the league's marketing power.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 5, 2006, 12:39 pm

Boogahz wrote:
Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:Cart, no one watches Hockey. More people watch WWE. That is why they are on better networks. I'm sure a bigger network will take on hockey again next year or the year after assuming hockey will become popular again.
Not to mention that not having a season at all kind of hurt the league's marketing power.

Aye. They didn't have much before they did that shit. The TV stations had little faith in them after that shit. I'm still shocked that these millionaires did that to their sport. That's almost as absurd as the WNBA holding out for bigger contracts.

miir · Post by **miir** » June 5, 2006, 2:06 pm

In original 6 markets and everywhere in Canada, the NHL has loads of support.

If you want to see good hockey coverage check CBC.

Sueven · Post by **Sueven** » June 5, 2006, 3:24 pm

Actually, the WWE is on UPN. You don't even need cable to watch it.

Post by **Xouqoa** » June 5, 2006, 4:05 pm

Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:Cart, no one watches Hockey. More people watch WWE. That is why they are on better networks. I'm sure a bigger network will take on hockey again next year or the year after assuming hockey will become popular again.

I don't really think that's a valid comparison.

Hockey is a pretty cerebral sport. And by cerebral sport I mean not many rednecks in trailer parks watch it like they do raslin'.

I also think that hockey is similar to soccer in that you either a) have to watch it a lot or b) need to have played it in the past in order to truly understand the game and appreciate the skill it takes to do so.

But that's just my biased opinion.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 5, 2006, 4:19 pm

/shrug

I don't know about how much brain is required to watch and understand Hockey. If you really need to crank up the ole brain power to comprehend Hockey, maybe you got bigger problems than worrying what channel it's on.

Gonzoie - Luclin · Post by **Gonzoie - Luclin** » June 5, 2006, 4:22 pm

I also think that hockey is similar to soccer in that you either a) have to watch it a lot or b) need to have played it in the past in order to truly understand the game and appreciate the skill it takes to do so.

Probably one of the smartest statements ive read in a short time.

Hockey is both a compilation of A and B. You come to philly or jersey area, including some north Jersey, and you can count more hockey jerseys/shirts worn around than football, wrestling, and baseball clothing. Hockey is big in the right places, and thats all that matters. So what if hockey isn't your cup of tea, it takes knowledge and understanding to follow that sport.

Being as i used to play hockey i can completely grasp the concept of the second part of that statement. Hockey takes a lot more talent than what is known. I often forget that while they play they are on ice, skating blue to blue, it takes a lot of stamina to do that for 3 periods of 20 minutes. Hockey is an under-appreciated sport, but i find it to be the most entertaining sport out there, but thats also a biased opinion.

Edit: I don't want to include all of Philly in my statement about the clothing, so ill restrict it to the immediate tri-state area including northern DE.

noel · Post by **noel** » June 5, 2006, 4:23 pm

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the NHL hurt itself in the American television market by taking a year off. It has nothing to do with whether or not it's more popular than the WWE and everything to do with a 'cooling off period' between the advertising dollars and the sport.

I have no doubt that it will be back on ESPN within the next couple years. They'll lose some advertising dollars for a year or two, but they'll get back to where they were, and hopefully they've learned something and will never let it get to the point they did again.

Newsflash for Midnyte: WWE is NOT a sport and is therefore not a valid comparison. I'm sure other TV soap opera's like get more viewership than MLB, NFL or NBA, but that just means that they appeal to a wider audience.

This is the fucking 'Sports' forum. The next idiot that brings up WWE in the context that it's a sport should get a fucking two week ban.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 5, 2006, 4:28 pm

noel wrote:It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the NHL hurt itself in the American television market by taking a year off. It has nothing to do with whether or not it's more popular than the WWE and everything to do with a 'cooling off period' between the advertising dollars and the sport.

I have no doubt that it will be back on ESPN within the next couple years. They'll lose some advertising dollars for a year or two, but they'll get back to where they were, and hopefully they've learned something and will never let it get to the point they did again.

Newsflash for Midnyte: WWE is NOT a sport and is therefore not a valid comparison. I'm sure other TV soap opera's like get more viewership than MLB, NFL or NBA, but that just means that they appeal to a wider audience.

This is the fucking 'Sports' forum. The next idiot that brings up WWE in the context that it's a sport should get a fucking two week ban.

I didn't bring up the WWE thing. Cart did when he started this thread. WWE is not sport, it is a TV show.

NHL will probably be back on ESPN again, but it will also fail again. There is not enough support in the US for Hockey, soccer, etc. Kids in America grow up playing Baseball, Basketball and Football. ESPN Canada should focus around NHL Hockey, because that is a big deal in that country where kids grow up playing it. Just like Soccer. As much as I love soccer and wish more people would enjoy watching it in America, they just don't and won't. It's too slow for our society I guess.

miir · Post by **miir** » June 5, 2006, 4:29 pm

noel wrote:This is the fucking 'Sports' forum. The next idiot that brings up WWE in the context that it's a sport should get a fucking two week ban.

Can we do the same for poker?

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » June 5, 2006, 4:34 pm

Wait a sec, My original question was not a slam on NHL or the WWE just making a comparison.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 5, 2006, 4:41 pm

miir wrote:
noel wrote:This is the fucking 'Sports' forum. The next idiot that brings up WWE in the context that it's a sport should get a fucking two week ban.
Can we do the same for poker?

Poker is a game. Not a sport. I consider a sport, an athletic event.

noel · Post by **noel** » June 5, 2006, 5:24 pm

miir wrote:
noel wrote:This is the fucking 'Sports' forum. The next idiot that brings up WWE in the context that it's a sport should get a fucking two week ban.
Can we do the same for poker?

Works for me.

Also Mid, I have no idea how you can claim that hockey will 'fail again'. Until the latest round of Athlete vs. Owner: Hockey Edition hockey was doing quite well in the US. They'd worked their way up from ESPN 2 and local channels to a few network television appearances.

I'm personally really glad that hockey has been relegated to the OLN for a year or whatever... I don't hate hockey, and I don't love it, but there should be a penalty of some kind for taking a year off because you're a few million dollars apart and no one will compromise. The only sad thing is that the MLB, NBA and NFL wouldn't have the same uphill battle if they were to take a year off.

Post by **Sylvus** » June 5, 2006, 5:39 pm

Unfortunately, showing a Carolina vs. Edmonton Stanley Cup Finals on OLN is going to do little to ameliorate the sagging ratings that hockey has endured the last few seasons played.

I'm not certain, but I believe that ESPN was on its way out of broadcasting NHL even before the lockout.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 5, 2006, 6:31 pm

Sylvus wrote:
I'm not certain, but I believe that ESPN was on its way out of broadcasting NHL even before the lockout.

That's how I remember it Syl.

retiredwikit · Post by **retiredwikit** » June 5, 2006, 6:42 pm

Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:NHL will probably be back on ESPN again, but it will also fail again. There is not enough support in the US for Hockey, soccer, etc. Kids in America grow up playing Baseball, Basketball and Football. ESPN Canada should focus around NHL Hockey, because that is a big deal in that country where kids grow up playing it. Just like Soccer. As much as I love soccer and wish more people would enjoy watching it in America, they just don't and won't. It's too slow for our society I guess.

Soccer is coming along quite nicely in the US. Where a few years ago MLS was getting next to 0 ratings, they are now adding expansion teams, and bringing in more fans then ever. Football / Baseball and the other sports you mentioned have been around in the US a hell of a lot longer then Soccer. Give it some time, as we continue to send some of our better talent overseas, and some of the overseas talent comes to the US, you will see that soccer has quite a base here in the US.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » June 5, 2006, 6:45 pm

retiredwikit wrote:
Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:NHL will probably be back on ESPN again, but it will also fail again. There is not enough support in the US for Hockey, soccer, etc. Kids in America grow up playing Baseball, Basketball and Football. ESPN Canada should focus around NHL Hockey, because that is a big deal in that country where kids grow up playing it. Just like Soccer. As much as I love soccer and wish more people would enjoy watching it in America, they just don't and won't. It's too slow for our society I guess.
Soccer is coming along quite nicely in the US. Where a few years ago MLS was getting next to 0 ratings, they are now adding expansion teams, and bringing in more fans then ever. Football / Baseball and the other sports you mentioned have been around in the US a hell of a lot longer then Soccer. Give it some time, as we continue to send some of our better talent overseas, and some of the overseas talent comes to the US, you will see that soccer has quite a base here in the US.

I was happy to see that the new channel lineup I got when I upgraded a couple services had more Soccer channels. I also got the DVR just in time to save World Cup matches, yay! Now I just have to figure out how many to get from the HD channels and how many to get from the others so I don't duplicate games.

Wulfran · Post by **Wulfran** » June 5, 2006, 8:46 pm

Sylvus wrote:Unfortunately, showing a Carolina vs. Edmonton Stanley Cup Finals on OLN is going to do little to ameliorate the sagging ratings that hockey has endured the last few seasons played.

I'm not certain, but I believe that ESPN was on its way out of broadcasting NHL even before the lockout.

What was killing the ratings of hockey was the fact that teams like the New Jersey Devils were able to exploit the existing rules and officiating policies to take the most exciting aspect out of the game: the speed. They used what hockey insiders/fans called the "Neutral Zone Trap" which employed a variety of stick and body fouls (such as small hooks, holds and pick plays) that became so common place that they weren't called to create a stifling defense. The result was more akin to the WWE than a lot of people like to admit.

The game on the ice now is more like "old time" hockey, in that the stick and holding penalties are called more. This has brought more speed back into the game... and may help return the NHL to the popularity it enjoyed in the US in the early 90s when Gretzky was selling the game in LA.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » June 5, 2006, 9:00 pm

Wulfran wrote:The game on the ice now is more like "old time" hockey, in that the stick and holding penalties are called more. This has brought more speed back into the game... and may help return the NHL to the popularity it enjoyed in the US in the early 90s when Gretzky was selling the game in LA.

Gretzsky might have been the faceman, but it was guys like Mario Lemieux, Jagr, Stevens, and Francis who were actually delivering mercury on ice in the early 90's. I used to love watching the Pens play.

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 5, 2006, 9:11 pm

masteen wrote:
Wulfran wrote:The game on the ice now is more like "old time" hockey, in that the stick and holding penalties are called more. This has brought more speed back into the game... and may help return the NHL to the popularity it enjoyed in the US in the early 90s when Gretzky was selling the game in LA.
Gretzsky might have been the faceman, but it was guys like Mario Lemieux, Jagr, Stevens, and Francis who were actually delivering mercury on ice in the early 90's. I used to love watching the Pens play.

That depends what side of the country you live on. I was under the impression that Gretzky pretty much brought hockey to the west coast.....I could be wrong tho

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 5, 2006, 9:12 pm

masteen wrote:
Wulfran wrote:The game on the ice now is more like "old time" hockey, in that the stick and holding penalties are called more. This has brought more speed back into the game... and may help return the NHL to the popularity it enjoyed in the US in the early 90s when Gretzky was selling the game in LA.
Gretzsky might have been the faceman, but it was guys like Mario Lemieux, Jagr, Stevens, and Francis who were actually delivering mercury on ice in the early 90's. I used to love watching the Pens play.

That depends what side of the country you live on. I was under the impression that Gretzky pretty much brought hockey to the west coast.....I could be wrong tho

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 5, 2006, 9:16 pm

On a side note I was glad to hear some cheers by the Canes fans after Oh Canada.

Canes in 6!

I personally am a fan of hockey and even tho Edmonton/Carolina isnt a huge draw, these 2 teams have been very fun to watch and I would say this whole post season was entertaining for me.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » June 5, 2006, 9:20 pm

T-T-T-Triple post combo!

He did sell it in LA. Amazing, considering how bad the Kings were.

Post by **Sylvus** » June 8, 2006, 2:05 pm

Game 1 of the NHL Finals was watched by 611,000 households, ranking lower than the Arizona-Northwestern women's softball game on the same night.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » June 8, 2006, 2:19 pm

Sylvus wrote:
Game 1 of the NHL Finals was watched by 611,000 households, ranking lower than the Arizona-Northwestern women's softball game on the same night.

Not surprising at all.

miir · Post by **miir** » June 8, 2006, 2:24 pm

Sylvus wrote:
Game 1 of the NHL Finals was watched by 611,000 households, ranking lower than the Arizona-Northwestern women's softball game on the same night.

Limited exposure (OLN haha) and one of the smallest NHL markets in the US are the main reasons. CBC and TSN were getting bigger numbers than that for earlier rounds. The Oliers/Ducks series averaged 2 million.

Post by **Sylvus** » June 14, 2006, 4:07 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/playoffs2 ... id=2483918

espn wrote:Oilers' Smyth removes coin from center ice

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Hours before Wednesday's Game 5, a do-or-die game for the Edmonton Oilers, there was a bit of intrigue after the team's morning skate.

Forward Ryan Smyth started chipping away at center ice and removed something from the ice.

"I don't know what it was, obviously it was a coin," Smyth told reporters after practice. "I guess it was an American loonie or an American dollar. I don't know if it was good luck for them or what, but it wasn't in very deep so I was scared the boys were going to trip over it. So … got it out."

It was not immediately known what kind of coin it was. It is also unknown whether the coin had been under the ice since the start of the Stanley Cup finals or whether it had been placed there in between the series appearances in Raleigh.

But when word got out that the coin was removed from the ice, RBC equipment workers went out to center ice, drilled a hole and placed the coin back into the ice.

The Hurricanes players and coaches were not available for comment as they practiced first Wednesday since they are the home team. The Canes lead the best-of-seven series, 3-1, and could win their first Cup tonight.

Oilers coach Craig MacTavish didn't offer up much on Smyth and the coin.

"I don't know, I am not going to get into that right now," MacTavish said. "As Ryan is prone to do, he doesn't miss a lot out there. He surveys every inch of the ice and he did that today.

"Whether he found a nickel or a loonie or whatever, I don't know."

The coin karma began at the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, where Canadian icemaker Trent Evans planted a one-dollar coin at center ice of the E-Center. Both the men's and women's Canadian hockey teams went on to win the gold medal. The loonie is now displayed at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

The Tampa Bay Lightning created their own version of the good luck charm as then-Zamboni operator Ryan Welty took a miniature pewter Zamboni key chain charm and buried it at center ice in the St. Pete Times Forum in January 2004. The Lightning went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Whether or not the charm was placed there for luck or not, Smyth was asked if he thought he was trying to get luck back on the Oilers' side.

"That would be nice," Smyth said. "We want to get ourselves back in the series and the only way we can do that is if we win tonight and go on from there."

I just think that's precious how Canadians refer to the US dollar coin as a Loonie. Please note: there are no loons on our coins.

Is "Two-nie" as pervasive over there for the 2 dollar coins? Are "Loonie" and "Two-nie" the official names for them, or just nicknames?

Wulfran · Post by **Wulfran** » June 14, 2006, 4:14 pm

Sylvus wrote:[I just think that's precious how Canadians refer to the US dollar coin as a Loonie. Please note: there are no loons on our coins.

Is "Two-nie" as pervasive over there for the 2 dollar coins? Are "Loonie" and "Two-nie" the official names for them, or just nicknames?

Its just a nickname... the way a lot of Americans refer to $1 bills as "singles". And yes Two-nie is a very common nickname for our $2 coin.
Must suck not to have any wildlife down there to use as models for your coins...

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » June 14, 2006, 4:15 pm

Sylvus wrote:I just think that's precious how Canadians refer to the US dollar coin as a Loonie. Please note: there are no loons on our coins.

Is "Two-nie" as pervasive over there for the 2 dollar coins? Are "Loonie" and "Two-nie" the official names for them, or just nicknames?

So, is it the Susan B Anthony dollar coin which is referred to that?

Post by **Sylvus** » June 14, 2006, 4:46 pm

I believe there's a newer, gold-colored $1 coin that has Sacajawea or Pocahontas or something on it. I'm assuming that's what they're referring to, it looks relatively similar to the Canadian Loonie.

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » June 14, 2006, 6:44 pm

Sylvus wrote:I believe there's a newer, gold-colored $1 coin that has Sacajawea or Pocahontas or something on it. I'm assuming that's what they're referring to, it looks relatively similar to the Canadian Loonie.

ah, I have a few of those dated 2000 and 2001. I thought that it had switched back to the silver Susan B Anthony image afterwards, but I don't have one to check on after grabbing a Red Bull out of the machine!

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » June 14, 2006, 9:49 pm

Sylvus wrote:
Game 1 of the NHL Finals was watched by 611,000 households, ranking lower than the Arizona-Northwestern women's softball game on the same night.

Hockey got what they deserved.

They were greedy fucking bastards on all sides that were too stupid to understand their sport was already hanging on by a thread.

I used to watch a few games during the season and then most of the playoffs. This year I didn't watch a single game. I hope the league folds and I don't want to see any poor boy sob stories from the players aftewards.

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » June 15, 2006, 7:50 am

Trek wrote: Canes in 6!

You might look like a genius after the coming Saturday night.

I'm still firmly in the GO OILERS! camp and really happy this morning =)

miir · Post by **miir** » June 15, 2006, 10:52 am

Animalor wrote:
Trek wrote: Canes in 6!
You might look like a genius after the coming Saturday night.

I'm still firmly in the GO OILERS! camp and really happy this morning =)

That Pisani goal was awesome.

Leonaerd · Post by **Leonaerd** » June 15, 2006, 2:08 pm

Boogahz wrote:
Sylvus wrote:I believe there's a newer, gold-colored $1 coin that has Sacajawea or Pocahontas or something on it. I'm assuming that's what they're referring to, it looks relatively similar to the Canadian Loonie.
ah, I have a few of those dated 2000 and 2001. I thought that it had switched back to the silver Susan B Anthony image afterwards, but I don't have one to check on after grabbing a Red Bull out of the machine!

You got a Red Bull for a dollar? Where??

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 15, 2006, 7:46 pm

This has been a great series so far. If people arent watching they dont like hockey......so who cares!

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » June 15, 2006, 8:23 pm

Leonaerd wrote:
Boogahz wrote:
Sylvus wrote:I believe there's a newer, gold-colored $1 coin that has Sacajawea or Pocahontas or something on it. I'm assuming that's what they're referring to, it looks relatively similar to the Canadian Loonie.
ah, I have a few of those dated 2000 and 2001. I thought that it had switched back to the silver Susan B Anthony image afterwards, but I don't have one to check on after grabbing a Red Bull out of the machine!
You got a Red Bull for a dollar? Where??

haha, no. I broke a 5 at work and got 5 $1 coins. I used two of those coins which happened to be the silver Susan B. Anthony dollars in the machine for the Red Bull, and the three I had left were all of the golden variety. I broke another 5 today though and the silver coins were all from 1979.

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 17, 2006, 11:56 pm

Animalor wrote:
Trek wrote: Canes in 7!
You might look like a genius after the coming Saturday night.

I'm still firmly in the GO OILERS! camp and really happy this morning =)

You meant Monday!

I am still a genious tho

Animalor · Post by **Animalor** » June 18, 2006, 12:26 am

Trek wrote:
Animalor wrote:
Trek wrote: Canes in 7!
You might look like a genius after the coming Saturday night.

I'm still firmly in the GO OILERS! camp and really happy this morning =)
You meant Monday!

I am still a genious tho

Oilers got the momentum and the drive. The Oil in 7! =)

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » June 18, 2006, 12:43 am

Cartalas wrote:The Outdoor Living Network??

The NHL is on The Outdoor Living Network?

Hell even the WWE is on TNT.

my brother-in-law works for NBC

it is basically like this....OLN is the best the NHL can do in the American market right now. Turner South, which the company i work for recently sold to Fox, was financially better off due to the NHL lockout (they had the local market Atlanta Thrashers contract) because nobody wants to buy ads in the NHL.

NBC paid ZERO dollars for the NHL playoffs. NHL is in some huge trouble, as if this continues they will start slipping behind MLS (already behind NFL, MLB, NBA, NASCAR, PGA, probably celebrity loser poker tour) ... actually i think they already have in terms of TV dollars....

which is the life blood of a professional league. too bad too, i like hockey, and the last couple of cup games have been entertaining. This series going 7 has at least saved the NHLs ass. if it was a 5 game series, so that NBC only got a couple games, that would have been terrible.

THough 2 monster markets like Edmonton and Raleigh don't help matters either...

Trek · Post by **Trek** » June 18, 2006, 1:34 am

The Canes looked pretty horrible tonight, they looked like they were the club down 3 games to 2. If they dont start off quick the Oilers will probably end up with the cup.

As far as the NHL in general goes, I am sure they arent folding up anytime soon and will start to regain viewers and become profitable again within a couple seasons

VeeshanVault

WTF!!!

WTF!!!

Re: WTF!!!