Already a NHL Winter Classic
New Years Day, 1pm EST. NBC, CBC, RDS. Buffalo Sabres v. Pittsburgh Penguins. Outside.70,000 hockey fans. 2 teams. One frozen pond. Classic.The CBC just reported that 60,000 people are on the waiting list for tickets to the AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic. How amazing is that?The pregame show begins at 11am EST on Tuesday, but the hype has been ongoing for months. It's nice to not be one of the only people excited about a hockey game for once. Fans, players, coaches, equipment managers, buffaloes are all waiting to see what the next installment of frozen outdoor hockey has in store for the National Hockey League. Well maybe the buffaloes themselves aren't all that interested in the game, but citizens of Buffalo seem to be jazzed about it. And for once, I share their enthusiasm.Sabres fans might not be all that jazzed if the afternoon plays out anything like the first game of the home and home series between the two teams. Thanks to Colby Armstrong and Evgeni Malkin the Pens took it to the Sabres in the Igloo Saturday, which is probably the last thing the fans, the networks, and the buffaloes want.
As the first, outdoor regular-season NHL game to be played in the United States many fringe fans will watch their first outdoor game unlikely knowing what to expect. Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, having played outdoors for Michigan State in 2001 during the 'Cold War' provided some insight into the conditions:"I think that cold does a lot more to you than you think. Get one of those survival books, figure out what those guys do to stay alive in the wild, I guess. You can get dehydrated very quickly in the wind and the cold, just the same way you can as if it's hot out. So you have to be aware of that, try and stay as warm as possible, get the core temperature up."
The game, regardless of the temperature or conditions will be a unique memory for all types of fans. If not just for the experience of seeing teams play outdoors, there are also going to be special rule changes made to the game format according to an NHL press release: To [rectify] any advantages or adversities created by weather conditions at Ralph Wilson Stadium during Tuesday’s AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic, the Buffalo Sabres and Pittsburgh Penguins will switch ends halfway through the third period – ensuring each team would spend the equivalent number of minutes attacking or defending each goal, the National Hockey League announced today.
If necessary, a five-minute overtime period also would be divided in half, with the teams switching ends after 2:30 of play.
Should a shootout be needed, each goaltender would be given the option of determining which goal to defend. Thus it is possible that both teams would shoot at the same goal. Once a goaltender has chosen the goal he wants to defend, he must defend that goal for every round of the shootout.
The League also announced that length of intermissions between – and timeouts during – periods may be subject to modification depending on weather and ice conditions, as may be determined by the Game Officials and/or Commissioner Gary Bettman, in consultation with representatives of the National Hockey League Players’ Association.
Labels: AMP Energy NHL Winter Classic, bubble hockey, Buffalo, outdoor, Penguins, pond, rink rat, therinkrat, Winter Classic
NHL Hockey Bedding (for teens!)
For those of you that eat and drink hockey, you can finally complete the icy trifecta: eating, drinking, and now sleeping hockey.At long last PBteen (Pottery Barn Teen, for those less hip) have released their line of NHL Bedding. While hundreds of teens will be receiving these pillow covers and blankets as holiday gifts I can't help but lament over the fact that no such items were available during my teenage years. Is it possible that my awkwardness and angst could've been assuaged by a simple yet fashionable duvet cover? How different would my life be if I had been able to score with Debbie Mendez on my Capitals sham? Oh the possibilities.It does provide some solace to know that I can go home tonight, turn off my PuckHead Lamp, and go to sleep on my Eastern Conference Pillow Case. If only I knew what had happened to Debbie Mendez.
Labels: duvet, NHL, NHL Bedding, PBteen, pillowcase, rink rat, sham, sheets, therinkrat
Bubble Boy Blasphemy
I saw something today that deeply troubled me. Well actually I saw two troubling things, but I'm not going to count the 5 minutes I caught of a Mr. Belvedere rerun while eating lunch in the break room.
What I do want to discuss focuses on the concept of taking something good and then shrinking it. This principle works with some things and not others. The key is to recognize what works with this model and what doesn't work. Things that work would be airplanes and model airplanes or cars and matchbox cars. One version is fun for some and the other version is fun for others. An even better, more relevant example might be bubble hockey which takes the precision of hockey and classically shrinks it into petite plastic perfection.
Now lets move on to something that doesn't work. I'm thinking something like this:
Look at those thumbs. Nothing about that image looks enjoyable. Some of you might argue that it would suffice as a stocking-stuffer or possibly a 5th place prize at a local 50/50 draw. I would disagree. I can envision a seemingly clam, normally mild-mannered, appreciative child reacting:
"Dad?! This sucks!"
"Son, haven't we learned that it's the thought that counts?"
"Sorry, you're right. Thanks for thinking I'm stupid enough to enjoy this trash. What are you trying to do, make me hate hockey?"
"Look, it's better than nothing. Next year you're getting coal!"
"Coal? Sweet, that much better than nothing, and much better than this thing! My fingers are killing me. I'm 8 years old and I already have carpal tunnel syndrome!"
Seriously though, wouldn't it just be easier to give a kid a couple quarters and drop him off at the mall? That way you save money in the long run on the inevitable re-constructive thumb surgery. Trust me, its better that way.
I don't believe that there exists a better way for a child to comprehend the intricacies of the Cold War like Bubble Hockey. Red plastic versus blue plastic with two guys on each team with a stick twice the size of his body. That pretty much sums it all up doesn't it?
But when you shrink it down to a laughable and frustrating size it really just downplays the importance of the entire era. Bubble hockey should remain in its purest form. No need to tarnish it because someone thinks kids want to play a cheapened version of it in the car. Let the kid play 'I Spy' or 'Car Bingo' if he or she needs some excitement.
Labels: bubble hockey, cold war, hockey, rink rat, therinkrat
New NHL Advertising Campaign
Beginning tonight, Monday, October 29th, the NHL will launch a new advertising campaign featuring the new tagline, "Live Every Shift".
According to NHL.com:
The first of the TV spots features NHL stars asking “Is This The Year?” that various milestones are reached. Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabresand Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins askif the Stanley Cup will land in their respective city. Phoenix Coyotes head coach Wayne Gretzky asks if this is the year “that someone scores 93” goals in one season, breaking his record of 92. Eric Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes asks if this is the year we “finally figure out who is dad’s favorite,” in reference to his hockey-playing brothers.
The second spot promotes Shop.NHL.com and features the new Rbk EDGE jerseys as NHL stars make hockey-related pledges. In it, Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals vows “to make one-timers happen, way more than once,” while Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning assures that his team “will scrap for every point on the schedule.” Finally, Sidney Crosbypromises to “play for the logo on the front, not the name on the back,” of his jersey.
You can view both spots by following the links below:
"I Pledge"
"Is this the year"
Labels: advertising, Live Every Shift, NHL, rink rat, therinkrat
NHL Network Coming to America
Attention citizens of Massachusetts, Vermont, Michigan and Minnesota: the NHL Network will soon be available in the United States. Am I forgetting any other states that actually watch hockey in America? New York and North Dakota? Ok I’ll give you those but that means I’ll have to pretend there are more than forty-three people in North Dakota with a TV.
Now I understand that the majority of the country will not care about the addition of the NHL Network to his or her broadcast provider. I also recognize that there are few people out that are going to name his or her first two children Gordie and Wayne like I am (regardless of the gender). Pardon the digression.
The point remains that it is somewhat noteworthy simply for the fact that Cablevision, Comcast, Cox Communications, DIRECTV, DISH Network and Time Warner Cable even agreed to carry the network. The press release asserts that the NHL network will now be accessible to 75 million homes. 75 million? Amazing. The numbers of people not watching hockey programming available to them is going reach record numbers.
“NHL Network’s success in Canada has paved the way for the network’s launch in the U.S.,“ said Rick Brace, President, Revenue, Business Planning and Sports for CTV Inc.
Really? Because I didn’t see any other way it was going to end up coming down to the States. If it had tanked in Canada I can’t imagine anyone thinking, “well I didn’t work in up North, lets try the US.” But I still wonder if there isn’t a bit of flawed logic to it. Let’s take something where it’s most popular and introduce it to a group of people that would rather sit and watch a guy point at suitcases for an hour. Then again, I thought the Bruins, the Islanders and the Flyers would already be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs at this point in the season, so what do I know?
Look, I don’t mean to have a negative attitude toward hockey appreciation in the United States, but there is a reality that we hockey fans tend to overlook. Canadians love hockey, its their national game. When combined with the fact that the majority of US hockey fans are involved in the hockey community, it creates a warped sense of perception. Personally I don’t get why anyone, after watching even one period of a Pee-Wee game, wouldn’t agree that it’s the greatest sport in the world. But there remains an overwhelming amount of disrespect for the sport among Americans.
Every time I step out of my hockey-filled world and have conversations about the sport with the less enlightened majority I always seem to get the same response, “hockey is okay, I just don’t like to watch it.” That is something I just don’t understand. Sure, there are other reasons as well, but not enjoying watching it would definitely be number one if that question ever made it to Family Feud.
Which brings me back to my original point about being surprised the NHL Network is coming down from Canada like an illegally smuggled vegetable and will probably receive just as much fanfare. Although, as long as they show that clip of Terry O’Reilly going into the crowd to attack that guy everything could turn out all right.
Before I end this post I first have to admit that my personal feelings about this announcement boarder on orgasmic euphoria. Upon learning that is was not only coming, but coming in HD, I treated myself to a early skate sharpening just so I could talk about it with the guy at the pro shop. The sad part is, my skates weren’t even somewhat dull.
Technorati LinkLabels: NHL Network, the rink rat, therinkrat
Generic Predictions
Predictions aren't unique to hockey. In fact, predictions aren't unique at all. Yet, year after year, people buy publications, watch in-depth analysis and fool themselves into believing that they are absorbing something different than they did the previous year.
Yes, I'm talking about you. Not only am I talking to both of you that actually watch hockey, but I'm also talking to you the football fan, you the basketball fan (of course I only mean college), and even to you the baseball fan. The only thing that really changes among predictions between sports is the positions.
The following generic predictions might clarify what I mean:
[Please note: the below statements are intended to follow something like “Team X can be a (playoff, championship) team…]
[It helps if you can imagine someone with a scratchy, aged smokers voice narrating these predictions: think a cross between Tom Waits and Tom Sizemore]
1. If _______ can rebound from his injury that kept him out most of the season last year and become the leader his team needs.
2. If goalie _______ can step up this year and claim the number one goalie job.
3. If free agent ______ can have a career season and live up to his substantial contract.
4. With all the parity in the league (for parity, see NFL) due to the new financial structure, Team X needs youngsters _______ and _______ to prove that they matured in the off-season.
There are obviously more generic prediction formats, but I can’t cover them all during my lunch break. What really determines the quality of a prediction is the credibility of the predictee. No, “predictee” isn’t actually a real word, but I like it more than “predictor”. The point being that a well established writer or TV analyst could make a statement like, “all the Bruins’ need are a few guys to step up,” and people will believe it. While I could write that same comment, and it would be on par with me stating, “Emanuel Lewis had the potential to be a great power forward in the NBA.”
If you have decent credibility and either a cleanly shaved bald head, a grey-haired mullet, or had over 400 minutes of penalties during any season in the NHL (regardless of how long he actually lasted in the league), then almost anything you say about hockey becomes incontestable. And, it almost guarantees you a job with Versus.
Labels: mullet, prediction, the rink rat, therinkrat
