Tag: Hockey

Does America now love hockey?


If you watched Canada beat the United States in overtime Sunday night in the Olympics, you were not alone. Far from it. From Puck The Media:

The 27.6 million viewers for Sunday’s gold medal game was 10.5 million more (up 61 percent) from the Canada-USA gold medal game from the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics (17.1 million viewers). The 15.2/30 rating for yesterday’s game was four-and-a-half rating points higher than the 10.7/24 for the 2002 gold medal game and was the highest-rated hockey game of any kind since the USA vs. Finland 1980 gold medal game (23.2/61). The “Miracle on Ice” semifinal game between the USA and Russia had a household rating of a 23.9/37.

27.6 million viewers for a hockey game? I guess it didn’t hurt that it was actually a good, exciting game. Much like how some people watch NASCAR in the hopes that they will see a crash, it’s possible that some people tuned in Sunday in the hopes that Sidney Crosby would punch someone in testicles.

Does this mean Americans are now in love with hockey and will now watch the NHL? My guess is that Gary Bettman sure hopes so.

No Comments by Rick on March 2, 2010
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United States men’s hockey team picked a bad time to lose it’s first game

The United States men’s hockey team lost in overtime today to Canada 3-2. It was a demoralizing win. It’s bad enough to lose to Canada, it’s even worse when it’s none other than testicle puncher Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal.

I really don’t care much for Sidney Crosby.

At least NBC showed the game on the main NBC channel in full high-definition glorious splender. Not that it makes up for showing all those prior hockey games on MSNBC and CNBC, non-HD channels.

The U.S. team might have only won the silver medal, but they have nothing to be ashamed of. After all, they beat Canada 5-3 only a week ago. U.S. Goaltender Ryan Miller, who normally plays for the NHL Buffalo Sabres, played fantastically the entirely Olympics.

No Comments by Rick on February 28, 2010
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Capitals versus Penguins

The Washington Capitals head into Mellon Arena tonight to take on the Pittsburgh Penguins. It’s the first time the two teams have met on frozen water to play hockey since Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. In that game the Caps totally collapsed and lost to the Penguins 6-2.

It was a disgusting, demoralizing loss. The Penguins went on beat the Detroit Red Wings in the Stanley Cup finals.

As long as I’ve lived here in Maryland, the Penguins have been the biggest rivalry of the Capitals. The Penguins always seem to be the team to end the Stanley Cup playoff run of the Capitals. It happened in the 1994-95 season, the 1995-96 season, the 1999-00 season, the 2000-2001, and of course the 2008-09 season.

Even before moving to Maryland, I hated the Penguins. That feeling has only intensified since living here.

The game tonight will feature two of the sport’s best players, that testicle puncher Sidney Crosby and the Russian male model Alex Ovechkin. Some like to say that Crosby and Ovechkin are to the NHL what Bird and Magic were to the NBA, except of course Bird and Magic played basketball and neither Crosby or Ovechkin is black. Other than that, the two rivalries are just a like.

It’s imperative that the Capitals defeat the Penguins tonight. I have it on good authority that every time the Penguins beat the Capitals, God kills a puppy and the devil gives Adolf Hitler a big glass of ice cold water.

1 Comment by Rick on January 21, 2010
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Hockey goal of the year

David Perron of the St. Louis Blues scores what has to be the goal of the year on the New York Islanders yesterday.

by Rick on November 22, 2009
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Rick Nash lifts his leg on Duck goalie

I’m not sure I understand why Columbus Blue Jackets Rick Nash felt the need to lift one foot in the air before shooting the puck, but he did end up putting the puck in the net, so he must know what he’s doing. Maybe he was trying to do one of those Captain Morgan leg lifts that people do in commercials. The NFL clamped down on a guerrilla ad campaign launched by Diageo, the maker of Captain Morgan rum. Diageo was evidently paying NFL players to strike the pose during NFL games.

Is Diageo doing something similar in the NHL?

by Rick on November 14, 2009
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The sucker punch heard around the world


Far be it for me to come to the defense of a Boston professional sports team, but this punch to the face of Boston Bruins Aaron Ward by Carolina Hurricane Scott Walker is just a tad bit ridiculous. Ward was still holding his stick in his left hand when Walker sucker punched him, possibly breaking his orbital bone.

This is such a cheap shot that it’s almost Sidney Crosby like. Almost.

Scott Walker was fined $2,500 for the punch, but it turns out he will not face any kind of suspension. The NHL decided to rescind the automatic one-game suspension that was administered at the time of the hit. It makes me wonder what exactly is so “automatic” about it.

This wasn’t a fight. It takes two people to fight. The NHL erred in rescinding the suspension. All this means is that Bruins will undoubtedly take matters into their own hands and administer their own form of justice on the ice.

by Rick on May 12, 2009
filed in Sports
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Meet Sarah Palin’s future son-in-law

The New York Daily News has shed a little light on the young man Republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin says is the father of her 17-year old daughter’s baby. His name is Levi Johnston and he describes himself on his MySpace page — a MySpace page that no longer exists — as a “fucking redneck” that lives to play hockey and hang out with the boys. He also stated on his MySpace page that he doesn’t want any children.

Whoops.

In a statement released to the public by the McCain campaign, Palin stated that her 17-year old daughter Bristol will be marrying Levi Johnston.

2 Comments by Rick on September 2, 2008
filed in Politics
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