Random thoughts after the NHL All-Star Game

[SabresRule]

1. The NHL All-Star Game I saw was very entertaining. I dont care what Jimbo says- the defense-first games he enjoys are what I had to live through during the dead-puck era.

2. The Pistons are in a lot of trouble- so much so, that I'm not even mentioning the fear of a Spurs/Pistons NBA Finals, since Detroit is in no position to make a run.

3. Henrik Lundqvist gave up five goals in the second period. While All-Star Games can wreck a goalie's confidence, I wonder- did Sandra have anything to do with his shaky performance?

4. Now that the Hawks have turned things around, it's time to crown a new king of suck in the NBA. Grizzlies, Thunder, Kings, or Wizards?

5. In the fall of 2009, the Rams play the Lions. Could that be the first game in NFL history to not be shown anywhere? I think this game could be blacked out from coast to coast.

6. If Arizona wins the Super Bowl, would that surpass all other Super Bowl upsets that have occured?

7. Why doesn't the NHL put its All-Star Game or all seven Cup Finals games on NBC? I'd have done it the moment that contract was signed.

8. This upcoming NFL Draft will be better than last year's. There are more well-known college players; this could be shades of the monster draft of 2006.

9. I hope NBC Sunday Night Football is more careful in choosing their games. The Cardinals should get a game or two, but they must not choose a Bears game. I can't understand the fascination with such a boring and unexciting team. It's not 1985 anymore!

10. Does anyone know which teams will play on the NFL Network's annual Thanksgiving telecast?

11. Who will hit the first home-run in the new Yankee and Met stadiums?

12. Which team will be the first to play the Dallas Cowboys in their new stadium?

13. As an NFL fan, it is so annoying to miss meaningful NFL games for regional games. Suppose 8-2 Atlanta is playing 8-2 Dallas in a late doubleheader, yet I may have to watch 3-7 Green Bay play a 2-8 Rams team.

Here's a thread about this subject I put up on The506.com:

The506 Broadcast Maps Forum - Missing important NFL games for 'regional' games

14. I think Green Bay is just as annoying a team as Dallas. Somehow, nobody pegs the Packers as an annoying team that is tradition-obsessed. They get a lot of primetime games, yet it seems as if they always get the benefit of the doubt. I'm a Bills fan stuck in Packers country.

15. I will never understand why so many people were upset over the Hartford Whalers moving to Carolina. They were a mediocre franchise that won only one playoff series in history, was one-and-done six straight years, and never finished above .500 after 1991.

16. Three cities I feel should host an NHL All-Star game in the future- Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit. It's amazing that the Red Wings haven't hosted such a game since 1980.

17. I know it's early, but I'll bet dollars to donuts that KCK Halo will personally attend the 2010 MLB All-Star Game in Anaheim.

 

[SamCdbs]

1 - Agree.

5 - Funny. but it will at least be shown in the market of the away team.

6 - No. Not even last year's. This is a 7 point spread. About average. The Jets were, what, a 34 point dog?

7 - Makes no sense. Probably it comes down to NBC would carry it if it was in ET afternoon, but CBC wants it later, and NBC is unwilling to pre-empt programming its tiny (as measured by Neilsen) cadre of followers via yet another commentary disguised a news on Dateline.

8 - I will never understand the draft on TV. I log on the internet on Monday and spend an hour and know all I need to know about what happened, both from a coming (NFL) and going (college) sort.

9 - Market size. Its all market size.

10 - Not until the schedule comes out in May.

12 - The NFL will probably go with the Redskins. That makes the most sense.

14 - Agree.

15 - "People" means "ESPN staff". By almost an historical accident, ESPN is based in Conn, where their sports obsessed staff have noting to do in live pro sports. Disney should move the whole "campus" to Lake Buena Vista, where it owns half of two counties, has an international airport, would pay (it and the employees) no state taxes, and its warm all the time. And it would have all four major pro sports within an hour's drive.

16 - The NHL needs to catch attention with the ASG. To me that means, domes, traditional hockey towns, Las Vegas, and like that.

Two Bonus ones:

- The last word in the US National Anthem is "free". Not "Obama". If this guy wanted to make a political statement, he should buy time or appear on Olberman.

- Did you know that the French version of the Canadian anthem is not the translation of the English version. Its a totally seperate song to the same tune. That kinda sums up Canada. Two songs to the same tune. At least the people singing it had the manners to not add "Harper" to it.

 

[salsadancer7]

All-Star games are completely boring....ALL of them.

 

[KCK_Halo]

The NHL All-Star Game I saw was very entertaining.

I fell asleep during the 1st period and woke up in OT!!!

 

[cosmo_kramer]

6. No, teams larger than 7 point underdogs have won before.

7. This deal was probably negotiated because of the poor recent network TV ratings:

Unlike previous network television deals with the NHL (like FOX, who had the rights from 1994-1999 and ABC, who had the rights from 1999-2004), NBC paid no rights fee, and the network and the league will split advertising revenue. In other words, the NHL does not receive any guaranteed money upfront.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NHL_on_NBC"]NHL on NBC - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="image"><img alt="Question book-new.svg" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png"@@AMEPARAM@@en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png[/ame]

10. The league has not announced the full schedule yet.

12. See #10.

14. What should be done because they are annoying to you personally?? What do you mean by "benefit of the doubt"??

DirecTV offers a package where you can get all out-of-market games:

DIRECTV: NFL SUNDAY TICKET™

15. Apparently there's a lot you don't understand.

How can you not understand when a region loses the only major pro sports franchise it has ever had? When there was a competitive product on the ice Hartford supported their team. When the Whale was sold in 1994 the new ownership essentially held the area hostage, constantly threatening to move without making major investments in team personnel.

In 1994, Compuware founder Peter Karmanos purchased the Whalers and pledged to keep them in Hartford for four years. However, two years later, frustrated with lackluster attendance and little corporate support, he announced that if the Whalers were unable to sell at least 11,000 season tickets for the 1996–97 season, he would likely move the team. Furthermore, ownership only made season tickets available in full-season (41-game) packages, eliminating the popular five- and ten-game "mini plans," in a strategy largely designed to spur purchases from wealthier corporations and individuals. Sales were underwhelming at the beginning of the campaign, and at the end of the 1995–96 season it was still unknown whether the Whalers would stay in Connecticut or move. However, thanks to an aggressive marketing campaign, and the creative efforts of many fans (who pooled together resources to purchase some of the full-season packages collectively) the Whalers announced that they would stay in Connecticut through at least 1997.

In early 1996, negotiations between the Whalers and Connecticut Governor John G. Rowland to build a new $147.5 million arena seemed to be going well. However, talks fell apart when Rowland and the state refused Karmanos' demand to reimburse the Whalers for up to $45 million in losses during the three years the new arena was to be built. As a result, on March 26, 1997, the team announced that it would be leaving Hartford, one of the few times that a team announced it would leave its current city without having already selected a new city.

And, he ended up moving them to a temporary home in Greensboro where their attandance figures struggled mightly the first few seasons, not even matching their worst years in Hartford.

[ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartford_Whalers"]Hartford Whalers - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia@@AMEPARAM@@/wiki/File:Hartford_Whalers_Logo.svg" class="image" title="Hartford Whalers"><img alt="" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/a/ac/Hartford_Whalers_Logo.svg/200px-Hartford_Whalers_Logo.svg.png"@@AMEPARAM@@en/thumb/a/ac/Hartford_Whalers_Logo.svg/200px-Hartford_Whalers_Logo.svg.png[/ame]

16. Supposedly, the purpose of the all star game is to help sell and promote the game throughout the entire league. That's probably why the non-original six markets and cities with new arenas have gotten most of the games since the modern expansion era of the 90's.

 

[HD MM]

11. Who will hit the first home-run in the new Yankee and Met stadiums?

Victor Martinez of the Cleveland Indians off C.C. Sabathia.

(The Yanks play the Tribe during their home opener).

 

[SandraC]

1. The NHL All-Star Game I saw was very entertaining. I dont care what Jimbo says- the defense-first games he enjoys are what I had to live through during the dead-puck era. My internal constitution does not allow me to care about games that the players playing in don't care about. I was watching the X games during the all-star game. Those guys tried harder.

2. The Pistons are in a lot of trouble- so much so, that I'm not even mentioning the fear of a Spurs/Pistons NBA Finals, since Detroit is in no position to make a run. They need a good point guard.

3. Henrik Lundqvist gave up five goals in the second period. While All-Star Games can wreck a goalie's confidence, I wonder- did Sandra have anything to do with his shaky performance? He's obviously distraught over the fact that I have a boyfriend now and would no longer take his call.

4. Now that the Hawks have turned things around, it's time to crown a new king of suck in the NBA. Grizzlies, Thunder, Kings, or Wizards? All qualify. Warriors too.

5. In the fall of 2009, the Rams play the Lions. Could that be the first game in NFL history to not be shown anywhere? I think this game could be blacked out from coast to coast. Why would it be blacked out?

6. If Arizona wins the Super Bowl, would that surpass all other Super Bowl upsets that have occured? Saying Arizona would win the Super Bowl three weeks ago would have gotten you committed. Now it's certainly possible, though.

7. Why doesn't the NHL put its All-Star Game or all seven Cup Finals games on NBC? I'd have done it the moment that contract was signed. I'm sure they would love that. NBC probably doesn't want it.

13. As an NFL fan, it is so annoying to miss meaningful NFL games for regional games. Suppose 8-2 Atlanta is playing 8-2 Dallas in a late doubleheader, yet I may have to watch 3-7 Green Bay play a 2-8 Rams team. You need Sunday Ticket. I can no longer live without it. No more worrying about what game is on where.

15. I will never understand why so many people were upset over the Hartford Whalers moving to Carolina. They were a mediocre franchise that won only one playoff series in history, was one-and-done six straight years, and never finished above .500 after 1991. But they had a cool song if I recall.


Sandra

 

[CeltsHD]

4. Now that the Hawks have turned things around, it's time to crown a new king of suck in the NBA. Grizzlies, Thunder, Kings, or Wizards? All qualify. Warriors too.


Don't forget the Clippers.

However, Minnesota is no longer with these bottom feeders. The T-Wolves have been playing very good ball, led by Big Al Jefferson!

 

[Mr Tony]

13. As an NFL fan, it is so annoying to miss meaningful NFL games for regional games. Suppose 8-2 Atlanta is playing 8-2 Dallas in a late doubleheader, yet I may have to watch 3-7 Green Bay play a 2-8 Rams team.

because you live in Wisconsin so the Packers are shown regardless of the "other" game. Its that simple

If you live near a home market you gonna get that local team every week...dont matter who they are going up against

 

[riffjim4069]

1. I recorded the NHL All-Star Game and saw it on reply. I though it was mildly entertaining, but is' mightly hard to get excited about hockey without hard checking.

2. The Pistons are in a lot of trouble....been saying that since they traded Billups for Iverson. Bad move!

5. In the fall of 2009, the Rams play the Lions....I agree, who the heck would willingly watch this stinkfest.

6. If Arizona wins the Super Bowl...I don't think anything will ever elipse Joe Namath's Jets beating Johnny Unitas' "Baltimore" Colts in Super Bowl history.

7. Why doesn't the NHL put its All-Star Game or all seven Cup Finals games on NBC? I'd have done it the moment that contract was signed...Gary "A" Bettman.

14. I think Green Bay is just as annoying a team as Dallas....I think it is easy to like Green Bay, harder to like Dallas.

15. I will never understand why so many people were upset over the Hartford Whalers moving to Carolina...I would be one of those people since I don't feel fans south of the Maxon-Dixon line can identify with hockey - most don't care and will continue to watch their NASCAR stars travel in circles.

16. Three cities I feel should host an NHL All-Star game in the future- Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit. It's amazing that the Red Wings haven't hosted such a game since 1980...just like the MLB All-Star game, it's all politics. While I like your choices, I don't think playing an All-Star game in the aforementioned cities would do much to advance the game. Of course, this brings me back to my answer in #15.

 

[skysurfer]

NHL All-Star Game - I can't help but feel it was another blunder by the league.

You have a boring day with no football or any good sports on the tube, the NHL could have aired on NBC and probably gotten good ratings for the reach NBC has. I know if I was channel flipping and saw it on NBC, I would be watching. I didn't even know the game was being played until I saw the highlights on the late news and even if I had known about it, I don't get VERSUS.

I can understand why VERSUS gets the rights to the game, but for the sake of trying to make new fans for the league, VERSUS and NBC should have done a dual-telecast with a equal split of the revenue from the game and an equal split of the production costs so neither side could complain that one network or the other drew away viewers and thus advertising revenue from the other one.

 

[Paul Wozniak]

2. The Pistons are in a lot of trouble- so much so, that I'm not even mentioning the fear of a Spurs/Pistons NBA Finals, since Detroit is in no position to make a run.

You got that one right. Rasheed is aging before my very eyes this season.The Piston's go as he does, and right now he ain't going.

5. In the fall of 2009, the Rams play the Lions. Could that be the first game in NFL history to not be shown anywhere? I think this game could be blacked out from coast to coast.

If they show it, and nobody watches, did it really happen?

 

[Mr Tony]

5. In the fall of 2009, the Rams play the Lions. Could that be the first game in NFL history to not be shown anywhere? I think this game could be blacked out from coast to coast.

impossible...sure it could be blacked out in the home team market and Fox doesnt show it anywhere else but it HAS to be shown in the local away teams market.

All away games are REQUIRED to be shown in the teams home and secondary markets