The Program  

Show Notes

• Archived Blog Post

  Date / Time: 8/16/2008 9:01 AM UTC

  Pour Me A Cold One!
  

  The NHL Arena Radio conglomerate expanded a bit last night with the debut of The Sutherland Show. An interesting first show to say the least complete with brownouts and much, much more. It never hurts to see someone taking their first foray into the podcast pond so to speak.
  
  Many times the shootout has been broken down, dissected, and otherwise dismembered. The shootout is sadly here to stay but it doesn't mean I can't bash it all to Hades with a 2 x 4!  Because I freely will pretty much until the day I die. The day this decision was made by the NHL...I honestly cried in my beer. Teams now play for the shootout worse than the teams used to play for a tie. When you have guys like Viktor Kozlov and Jussi Jokinen on your team because essentially they specialize in a part of the game that is pure chance....it just ticks me off to no end and makes me wonder why in the hell Gary Bettman can't see this.
  
  Sure the shootout is exciting....there is no disputing that. But a point system that rewards a team for winning 15 of 20 shootouts in a season is just plain bull. Going to a 3-2-1 system would probably just make matters much worse and just confuse the casual fan that much more. Remember when it was just 2 points for a win and 1 point for a tie (if the game ended in OT tied)? Yes I surely do. Frankly, I still do miss it. Yes those simpler days are not coming back but I wish they were. So I guess it doesn't matter.
  
  Am I done here? NO! How can some keep throwing rumors out there on a dartboard if they are not even worth the paper they are printed on. Too many times in the rush to get the story out...the homework never gets done! It is a lot like a person who goes to take a multiple choice test and thinks they passed it because they finished the test so fast. They later find out that they tanked it and wonder why.
  
  I get so sick of hearing the same paltry rumors on a daily basis. Now I do understand it is late August and training camp is weeks away...but let's try to come up with something a little more original here. This isn't too difficult. Do a little research, think outside the box, and before you know it there is a nice neat post that goes up on your site. Just like that!
  
  Anyone else think a team like Anaheim got the shaft by Versus? Maybe just a little. How can a team like Minnesota get on Versus 8 times to Anaheim's 1? Maybe the folks at the channel got out their space-time continuum matrix and figured out the best thing is to show Anaheim Vs. Buffalo so they can cover the Miller Brothers for 2 1/2 hours. Next time would it be so hard to ask for them to get an Anaheim-San Jose matchup? Come on Gary, next time....try harder! Cup winners should get a little love even if you hate their style...hell we know Detroit does. What makes this a little more of a gray issue is that Bettman has brought teams into markets that were considered a little off the beaten hockey paths and yet most of the same hockey markets are still catered to...go figure!
  
  So as I chug down yet another beer in this early part of a Saturday morn...I think to myself for as good as the game is....it sure could be improved some more. Maybe another drink will make it that much more clear for me and maybe it won't. One thing is for sure, the NHL has come quite a ways since the lockout but it has an even tougher road ahead before it can compete with the other three professional sports. Now I will take that next drink...thanks!
  • Tags:
  • Hockey
  • NHL
  • Rants
  • Hard Hitting
  • Sports
  • Permalink