...and thank God for that.
October is approaching, which means a number of things. Most notably, October brings about the baseball post-season, though one can't help but wonder how much publicity it'll get without the precious Yankees. We also get basketball training camps, which will surely get more airtime than the start of the NHL season. We'll also have football, both pro and college, in full swing, and for those soccer fans among us, the MLS playoffs, World Cup qualifying, and a critical portion of the European schedule.
Of course, we all know the real signifcance of October. Finally, it's hockey time. So, as you bide your time until hockey begins, watch the other sports and notice the things that make our game different.
As you watch the baseball regular season wind down, watch the elaborate celebrations that ensue after a team clinches a Wild Card or a Division Series win. Watch managers play certain players solely so that they can hit certain statistical milestones. Watch managers bench certain players solely so that they won't set dubious records such as most strikeouts in a season. Watch entire post-season schedules be turned upside down - and games end well after midnight - just so Fox can show its most ratings-friendly game in prime time.
As you watch the NFL with a group of fans who only care about the games for their impact on their fantasy teams, watch coaches punt from the 40 yard line because they don't want the media to criticize their playcalling. Watch defenders celebrate after the most routine of tackles and watch receivers celebrate before even reaching the end zone. Watch the two teams gather at midfield, shake hands, and chat and laugh like old college buddies, even though one of the teams just lost a huge game.
As you watch college football, watch top-ranked teams beat creampuff after creampuff, being tested only a handful of times per year. Watch the administrators continually refuse a playoff system because there's too much money in the meaningless bowl games that advertisers ogle over each year. Watch amateur athletes risk their physical well-being for an association that doesn't pay these players a dime, yet allows coaches to walk out on multi-million dollar contracts anytime a better offer comes along.
And then there's hockey.
In hockey, there's no niceties between opposing players. Each game is a war. And the only acceptable time to celebrate is after an overtime win or a Stanley Cup victory. Hockey fans gag at the thought of a team having a champagne celebration after a first-round series win. And yet, this is what baseball values - a made-for-TV event so that local Fox affiliates have something to show after the national TV broadcast is done. Baseball isn't alone, though; just about every sport out there is mostly concerned with television and advertising. And maybe it's only because nobody watches hockey, but hockey is all about the game. Always has been, always will be. So while the big names dominate the sports world over the coming month, realize that while hockey isn't the most popular sport, it's the most pure out there. We are all lucky to have it in our lives.
One last thing: After the media is done fellating itself over Yankee Stadium, they're finally going to tear that dump down. I can't wait to be the first to piss on the ashes. The Mets aren't much better, though; between the time they close up Shea Stadium and demolish it, they're going to sell every last thing in that stadium to the highest bidder. If that doesn't accurately describe the state of baseball, I don't know what does. Could you imagine the Islanders selling Coliseum seats or sheets of plexiglass? The thought makes me nauseous
October is approaching, which means a number of things. Most notably, October brings about the baseball post-season, though one can't help but wonder how much publicity it'll get without the precious Yankees. We also get basketball training camps, which will surely get more airtime than the start of the NHL season. We'll also have football, both pro and college, in full swing, and for those soccer fans among us, the MLS playoffs, World Cup qualifying, and a critical portion of the European schedule.
Of course, we all know the real signifcance of October. Finally, it's hockey time. So, as you bide your time until hockey begins, watch the other sports and notice the things that make our game different.
As you watch the baseball regular season wind down, watch the elaborate celebrations that ensue after a team clinches a Wild Card or a Division Series win. Watch managers play certain players solely so that they can hit certain statistical milestones. Watch managers bench certain players solely so that they won't set dubious records such as most strikeouts in a season. Watch entire post-season schedules be turned upside down - and games end well after midnight - just so Fox can show its most ratings-friendly game in prime time.
As you watch the NFL with a group of fans who only care about the games for their impact on their fantasy teams, watch coaches punt from the 40 yard line because they don't want the media to criticize their playcalling. Watch defenders celebrate after the most routine of tackles and watch receivers celebrate before even reaching the end zone. Watch the two teams gather at midfield, shake hands, and chat and laugh like old college buddies, even though one of the teams just lost a huge game.
As you watch college football, watch top-ranked teams beat creampuff after creampuff, being tested only a handful of times per year. Watch the administrators continually refuse a playoff system because there's too much money in the meaningless bowl games that advertisers ogle over each year. Watch amateur athletes risk their physical well-being for an association that doesn't pay these players a dime, yet allows coaches to walk out on multi-million dollar contracts anytime a better offer comes along.
And then there's hockey.
In hockey, there's no niceties between opposing players. Each game is a war. And the only acceptable time to celebrate is after an overtime win or a Stanley Cup victory. Hockey fans gag at the thought of a team having a champagne celebration after a first-round series win. And yet, this is what baseball values - a made-for-TV event so that local Fox affiliates have something to show after the national TV broadcast is done. Baseball isn't alone, though; just about every sport out there is mostly concerned with television and advertising. And maybe it's only because nobody watches hockey, but hockey is all about the game. Always has been, always will be. So while the big names dominate the sports world over the coming month, realize that while hockey isn't the most popular sport, it's the most pure out there. We are all lucky to have it in our lives.
One last thing: After the media is done fellating itself over Yankee Stadium, they're finally going to tear that dump down. I can't wait to be the first to piss on the ashes. The Mets aren't much better, though; between the time they close up Shea Stadium and demolish it, they're going to sell every last thing in that stadium to the highest bidder. If that doesn't accurately describe the state of baseball, I don't know what does. Could you imagine the Islanders selling Coliseum seats or sheets of plexiglass? The thought makes me nauseous
No comments:
Post a Comment