Letters to the Editor
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speaking of niche.. formula one...
speaking of niche.. formula one is putting together a fantastic year. Thank god for tivo.
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ChillyDog, from way back in letter #1:
It's funny you mention lacrosse. I have tried to like lacrosse for a long time. I saw that the College playoffs were on ESPNU and I switched over to give it chance #1562. If you like it, awesome. More power to you. But god, what a snore fest for me. Those guys whack each other with their sticks so hard that I can't believe that there's not a brawl every 30 seconds. If I were playing and I ran past someone and he turned around and smashed me in the back with his stick, I would want to beat his ass. But I digress. When I switched back to the hockey game it was like turning a 33 1/3 record up to 78.
A few more random thoughts, responses to other letters:
I still don't understand why people have a hard time following the puck. Icing is not hard to understand, nor is offsides. An icing rule does NOT in any way take away scoring opportunities. If anything, it makes more of them.
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who says white men can't jump...
...to conclusions ? ? ?
*hop*hop*hop*
1. you say hockey is niche, i agree in spades; as an ugly amerikan who doesn't know a whole lot about hockey (i've tried a couple times), i give a couple reasons *why* it is nichey (if not irrelevant) to joe/jane sixpack...
i am neither atypical, nor 'wrong' in that regard; especially inasmuch as you, your ownself, go to great pains to allow others to not like what you/others like... c'est la vie...
yet, you then feel compelled to 'prove' i am 'wrong' by citing some NFL stats (assuming that is *my* gold standard, i guess), as well as to passively-aggressively insult me as a dullard... wtf?
2. ...but since you brought it up: yes, that 2nd and 6 from the 16 handoff up the middle sometimes *does* end up going for a td; *or* -even better- a fumble, and/or score the other way... (or perhaps just a boring 17 yard run to pick up the first...) in fact, one of the great aspects of football, is how frequently offensive/defensive fortunes can/do reverse on a single play, so quickly and dramatically, if not decisively...
*now*, if i knew much of anything about hockey, do you think i could make a similar analogy to unlikely scoring opportunities in that sport ? ? ? hmmm
c'mon, queen k, you *say* it is a matter of personal choice, then berate me (and all other fellow dullards?) for not liking hockey...
3. as another writer agreed with me (and is an obvious point): we *don't* (and won't) have the widespread playing of hockey in schools for a lot of reasons... (not the least of which is, it sux) it is also a relatively expensive sport to play, as well as not naturally suited to most of the country (particularly as this non-global warming stuff that doesn't exist starts to, well, you know, heat up...) that is simply a core reason why it won't catch on; not like i made that shit up, kk...
4. iceskating is an inherently graceful activity, and i'm certain that talented men on skates whacking a baby harp seal would involve a certain 'artistry', too; please explain the artistry in 'the enforcer' smashing a player into the glass, in the context of the skill and beauty of hockey...
5. again, another poster referred to the -seemingly, at least to the 'unschooled' eye- inconsistent and confusing hits, trips, tackles, blocks, smashings, stickings, and general mayhem which *is* allowed, versus that which is against the rules... i don't understand the 'point' of the -what seems to me- stupid 'icing' calls... why *can't* this or that player just go over any fucking line, or *whatever* the stupid fucking rule is... shit, maybe it would be like a fast break in b'ball ! saints preserve us! that might be fun to watch ! ! !
6. personally, there are *many* other sports (and 'sports') i would rather see than hockey: table tennis, volleyball, guts frisbee, spelling bees, dog competitions of just about any sort, badminton, track and field, *real* wrestling, windsurfing, strongman contests, caber tossing, and tiddlywinks... (i could go on, but i can't, i'm a dullard...)
the sports i could do without are: just about anything that involves an internal combustion engine (i might make an exception for powered hanggliders), hockey, soccer, fishing, and golf...
(i like to fish okay, i just think fishing shows are stupid... i have golfed on occasion, it is a pleasant way to pass the time drinking; but i am forced to watch golf, because she-who-must-be-obeyed likes tiger, so we watch golf... the horror, the horror ! ! !)
art guerrilla
aka ann archy
eof
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art guerrilla...
You hate hockey? Good for you. Here's a lollipop.
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Scratching my niche(s)
I'm willing to concede Hockey has probably fallen behind NASCAR and golf in all but the most rabid American NHL markets (Buffalo, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Boston) but to lump it in with women's softball and Arena League Football...that's a low blow.
Where are your numbers to back up your assertion that playoff hockey is outdrawn by pre-race horseracing? Anyway I didn't watch either...see below...
Your point in general about niche fans...whenever I see someone wearing an Arsenal shirt here I feel oddly compelled to commisserate about the fate of Henry and lack of punch from this year's side. Funny how I walk right by any number of good citizens sporting SUPERBOWL CHAMPION COLTS t-shirt/sweats/caps.
CL final on ESPN2 @ 230 ET. They may do a replay on ESPN Classic later on. This year's FA Cup Final a result of what happens when the same two teams are competing for everything - each contest is devalued and the players lose their energy and edge. The EPL was a real disappointment this year. I am loving the title race in La Liga. GOL TV had three fantastic matches on Sat pm, the topper a thrilling comeback by Real created by glue-factory candidates Beckham and Roberto Carlos.
Lastly kudos to Blue Devil Lax, down 6-1 in Q2, end up crushing Carolina 19-11 in a rout. This could be the greatest story in sports collegiate or pro this year if they can win it all. Cornell and Hopkins will have their say. Check out Danowski's behind-the-back goal if you can find it on U-tube.