You also have much easier access to basketball - whether it's courts indoor or outdoor.

There's definitely a generational thing though - my son is pretty tall and pretty good at basketball so obviously he's into it, but no matter how much I try . . .I can't get into it. I actually hate it. I can watch the occasional play and think, "That was nice." but for the most part it's just another sport in a litany of modern sports where the rules of the game sporadically apply and the refs seem to control the flow of the game rather than the game being played fairly.

I say that knowing that if I tried to pick up hockey now I don't think I could.

I have lacrosse season tickets (well, to be honest we paused them this year while the Rock play in Mississauga), but I still struggle with the rules of THAT game.

Because unless you grow up with the game and are immersed enough to know fouls/penalties/infractions, you don't pick them up anymore. You don't know what's supposed do be a rule . . .and if you can't afford to play hockey, you won't know the rules, and if you don't know the rules, you won't really love the sport. But to your point - most kids know the rules of basketball as a result.

In some ways, to me, it's the silliest thing in the world - but when I was little and Peter Puck taught me the rules of hockey, it helped a LOT. Hockey could use more of that now - because the biased local commentators aren't helping. In fact they are lying to the audience regularly which just adds to the frustration of watching a game.
- Monkeypunk

Very good point and exceptionally true. I mean how often when you are watching a game of hockey on tv do you hear a blatant penalty that isn't called be almost justified by the broadcast crew? "Player A goes down after running into Player B" - when it's an obvious interference, trip, or whatever if you follow the letter of the law as per the rule book. I mean just the other night I heard "that's a penalty in the playoffs" on a pick play - so why the F*%k isn't it a penalty now?

That being said usually it's the other way around (penalty in regular season but it's suddenly no longer one in playoffs). I hope that's the case for OEL because he takes WAY too many stupid penalties now that come playoffs should be ok - at least as per what we have seen over the past few years.

I can't imagine someone who has never seen hockey trying to figure it out even without the seemingly 2 rule books depending on if it's playoffs or not.

Source?
- Atomic Wedgie

https://www.sportsmediawa...g-early-season-viewership
I'm adjusting for Tarrifflation.

Maybe I'm a cynic, because I don't understand how fan culture around Football in Europe works either, but having only 3-4 contenders a year because of super teams with money hungry female genitalias, seems to be an easy way to kill your local fanbases of all the other franchises who never have a shot and only raise hyper fans internationally.
- AdamFrench

I know I bring this up every time, but Scottish Premier League:

- the last time a team other than Celtic or Rangers won the championship was 1984-85.

- only five other teams have won it since 1932-33

What the frank is the point in watching any other team?

You guys think this stroll down bad memory lane is funny, but it's incredibly triggering for me (did I use that term correctly?).

Joe Colborne was everything we needed, if only Joe Colborne would put forth a franking effort and use his size.

I vividly remember going to a Leafs pre-season game. Everyone in the building knew it was Colborne's last chance to make the team. In the third period, in our own end, he was incredibly soft in a puck battle against the boards, and the other team scored.

Joe's time in Toronto was over. I knew it, and he knew it. I remember watching him skate back to the bench and just kinda slump over.

They dumped him shortly afterwards to Calgary for a 4th rounder.

Just franking around on Hockeydb, and the Joe Colborne story is even worse.

We got him from Boston along with their #1 overall pick in the 2011 draft for Kaberle.

We took that pick and used it to trade up - to select Tyler Biggs.

Anaheim used the pick to select Rickard Rakell - who now has 774 games played, 224 goals, 270 assists, 494 points, and is still playing.

But hey, when we traded Colborne for the 4th round pick, we used it to select Ville Husso.

So to recap, the Bruins got a Stanley Cup with Kaberle, the Ducks got a guy who will probably play 1000 games in the NHL, and we got Joe Colborne, who played 16 games with the Leafs, with one goal and five assists.
- Atomic Wedgie

why were the leafs bad for so long? guess we will never know.

but also, didnt the other pick they used to trade up get used to pick John Gibson?

so its even worse

I know I bring this up every time, but Scottish Premier League:

- the last time a team other than Celtic or Rangers won the championship was 1984-85.

- only five other teams have won it since 1932-33

What the frank is the point in watching any other team?
- Atomic Wedgie

To feed alcoholism as a group and get angry with friends?

why were the leafs bad for so long? guess we will never know.

but also, didnt the other pick they used to trade up get used to pick John Gibson?

so its even worse
- senstroll

Nepo Babies

Yes

Yes

Maybe I'm a cynic, because I don't understand how fan culture around Football in Europe works either, but having only 3-4 contenders a year because of super teams with money hungry female genitalias, seems to be an easy way to kill your local fanbases of all the other franchises who never have a shot and only raise hyper fans internationally.
- AdamFrench

Their love to game and loyalty to their club is on some another level, this is the only explanation I have. It is almost like it was hockey in Soviet Union, when Red Army were clinching championship in the middle of season.

Very good point and exceptionally true. I mean how often when you are watching a game of hockey on tv do you hear a blatant penalty that isn't called be almost justified by the broadcast crew? "Player A goes down after running into Player B" - when it's an obvious interference, trip, or whatever if you follow the letter of the law as per the rule book. I mean just the other night I heard "that's a penalty in the playoffs" on a pick play - so why the F*%k isn't it a penalty now?

That being said usually it's the other way around (penalty in regular season but it's suddenly no longer one in playoffs). I hope that's the case for OEL because he takes WAY too many stupid penalties now that come playoffs should be ok - at least as per what we have seen over the past few years.

I can't imagine someone who has never seen hockey trying to figure it out even without the seemingly 2 rule books depending on if it's playoffs or not.
- Cush29

I franking love Gene Saratore on the NFL broadcasts (he's a rules expert who they pipe in whenever there's a review on the play).

Why the frank the NHL can't copy this simple idea is beyond me.

But hey, the NHL gunna NHL, I guess.

What's the point of watching a game where the only thing that really matters is the fourth quarter, but the last minute of said fourth quarter takes 10 minutes to play! Like baseball, basketball is something you can have on in the background while you do something else.
- Whipper

Yes, pretty much, in too many games only last 2 minutes really matter.

why were the leafs bad for so long? guess we will never know.

but also, didnt the other pick they used to trade up get used to pick John Gibson?

so its even worse
- senstroll

This is actually an incredibly easy answer.

Post-Ballard era, they were never willing to build a team properly. They didn't know how to spell patience, yet alone employ it.

It was always short-term attempted gain, don't worry about the long-term pain.

And that's how we had Phil Kessel for six years with no #1 centre to play with.

Don't make me give other examples, Sensie. I'm begging you.

You guys think this stroll down bad memory lane is funny, but it's incredibly triggering for me (did I use that term correctly?).

Joe Colborne was everything we needed, if only Joe Colborne would put forth a franking effort and use his size.

I vividly remember going to a Leafs pre-season game. Everyone in the building knew it was Colborne's last chance to make the team. In the third period, in our own end, he was incredibly soft in a puck battle against the boards, and the other team scored.

Joe's time in Toronto was over. I knew it, and he knew it. I remember watching him skate back to the bench and just kinda slump over.

They dumped him shortly afterwards to Calgary for a 4th rounder.

Just franking around on Hockeydb, and the Joe Colborne story is even worse.

We got him from Boston along with their #1 overall pick in the 2011 draft for Kaberle.

We took that pick and used it to trade up - to select Tyler Biggs.

Anaheim used the pick to select Rickard Rakell - who now has 774 games played, 224 goals, 270 assists, 494 points, and is still playing.

But hey, when we traded Colborne for the 4th round pick, we used it to select Ville Husso.

So to recap, the Bruins got a Stanley Cup with Kaberle, the Ducks got a guy who will probably play 1000 games in the NHL, and we got Joe Colborne, who played 16 games with the Leafs, with one goal and five assists.
- Atomic Wedgie

Not to kick you when you're down, but Ville Husso has had his moments of being a decent NHL goalie. We never drafted Husso. We traded that pick to St. Louis along with Carl Gunnarsson for Roman Polak. It actually gets better (and not worse better, actually better . . . .).

That said we did parlay Polak with Nick Spaling into 2 2nd round picks. The first was used in the acquisition of Andersen - Anaheim drafted Comtois, and the 2nd was Sean Durzi, who we traded in the Jake Muzzin deal.

I franking love Gene Saratore on the NFL broadcasts (he's a rules expert who they pipe in whenever there's a review on the play).

Why the frank the NHL can't copy this simple idea is beyond me.

But hey, the NHL gunna NHL, I guess.
- Atomic Wedgie

Can't wait to hear Kelly Fraser chime in with the rules.

Speaking of super teams, why TF did Dallas just gift Doncic to the Lakers?!?!? That's like the modern day equivalent of Gretzky to the Kings.
- Whipper

Mark Cuban didn’t like his politics

(trying to say defense wins championships)

Can't wait to hear Kelly Fraser chime in with the rules.
- AdamFrench

He would actually be fantastic, because he would have no problem saying, "Yeah, the score is 3-1, so you call that tripping call every time to give the losing team a chance to get back into the game."

So Minten was sent to the Marlies and Mermis called up to replace OEL
- dmnted

Now we have a Mermaid and a Wollrus

Any other sea creatures?

Now we have a Mermaid and a Wollrus

Any other sea creatures?
- mr.sir

Now we have a Mermaid and a Wollrus

Any other sea creatures?
- mr.sir

Mitch Mariner?

Mark Cuban didn’t like his politics

(trying to say defense wins championships)
- mr.sir

Mark Cuban sold over 70% of his share in the company, so I don't think he had any say in the move. Mark also publicly said he'd keep Doncic over his wife

Now we have a Mermaid and a Wollrus

Any other sea creatures?
- mr.sir

McManatee?

McManatee?
- Atomic Wedgie

Yes guy 👍

I know I bring this up every time, but Scottish Premier League:

- the last time a team other than Celtic or Rangers won the championship was 1984-85.

- only five other teams have won it since 1932-33

What the frank is the point in watching any other team?
- Atomic Wedgie

Context - I have more Liverpool swag then I do Leafs and am surrounded by soccer supporters.

EPL, SPL ...all euro leagues have similar issues with the way $$ has polarized winners and losers. But, it's been that way for so long that the culture has evolved over decades and is really different. The don't even strive for competitive balance.

League games are once per week and each game is an event. Fans of most teams look at each week like we would look at a playoff game. The talk about the game for 5-6 days and get it all hyped up. More like the NFL. Here, with hockey and basketball, you get 3-4 games a week - it makes it more mundane.

The threat of relegation, Cup tournaments, ...these things add interest for mid/bottom table teams but I think the biggest variable is that games are once per week and treated individually as bigger events. Tickets are generally much cheaper too so the average fan is able to participate more directly.

Very good point and exceptionally true. I mean how often when you are watching a game of hockey on tv do you hear a blatant penalty that isn't called be almost justified by the broadcast crew? "Player A goes down after running into Player B" - when it's an obvious interference, trip, or whatever if you follow the letter of the law as per the rule book. I mean just the other night I heard "that's a penalty in the playoffs" on a pick play - so why the F*%k isn't it a penalty now?

That being said usually it's the other way around (penalty in regular season but it's suddenly no longer one in playoffs). I hope that's the case for OEL because he takes WAY too many stupid penalties now that come playoffs should be ok - at least as per what we have seen over the past few years.

I can't imagine someone who has never seen hockey trying to figure it out even without the seemingly 2 rule books depending on if it's playoffs or not.
- Cush29

I know teams like Nashville for a number of years used to have an announcer at the games tell everyone why the whistle blew and what was happening.

McManatee?
- Atomic Wedgie

Bravo

https://www.eliteprospect...er/201699/ocean-wiesblatt