A GOOD show on ESPN about the NHL

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Just hear me out. On Stephen A. Smith's show "Quite Frankly," he had an hour's worth of NHL coverage (out of an hour and a half I believe, the show was long yesterday for some reason). He brought on Gary Bettman, Ken Daneyko, Melrose and Alyn McCauley and they talked about everything including the new agreement, marketing and rules. I applaud Stephen A. Smith for giving the NHL some play and it not being a biased feature.

Everyone on the show was good except that it is very concerning how Bettman just doesn't get it. Smith asked him why in God's name Crosby wasn't featured on opening night and all Bettman could say was that the schedule was made in advance, come on. He was also of the opinion that the NHL is still in the "big 4" major sports. When Smith said Nascar had better ratings Bettman basically said that didn't count because it's not a team sport.

What disturbed me the most was when Smith asked Bettman about how important it is to market the individual player. Bettman went somewhat off the subject and then proceeded to talk about how it was extremely important to stress how hockey is a team game and a team effort. GARY, HOW IS ANYONE EXPECTED TO WATCH HOCKEY TO SEE CERTAIN PLAYERS WHEN NO ONE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE????

Somebody please calm me down.

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[MassiveHabs]

gary bettman being an idiot, whoda thunk it?

 

[Claypool_*]

Bettman could give away free money and people still won't watch hockey. It doesn't matter what he says.

 

[LightningVinny]

Nascar isn't a team sport? Yeah, we'll see how exciting Nascar is when the driver has to do all the work of the pit crew by himself.

 

[no13matssundin]

Nascar isn't a team sport? Yeah, we'll see how exciting Nascar is when the driver has to do all the work of the pit crew by himself.

Agreed. I think Gary is a tad off that one. NASCAR is as much a team sport as anything else, if not more... unless someone thinks changing 4 tires, filling a gas tank, adjusting the springs and other car settings all under 17 seconds in the midst of 42 other cars doesnt take team work.

 

[jb**]

Just hear me out. On Stephen A. Smith's show "Quite Frankly," he had an hour's worth of NHL coverage (out of an hour and a half I believe, the show was long yesterday for some reason). He brought on Gary Bettman, Ken Daneyko, Melrose and Alyn McCauley and they talked about everything including the new agreement, marketing and rules. I applaud Stephen A. Smith for giving the NHL some play and it not being a biased feature.

Everyone on the show was good except that it is very concerning how Bettman just doesn't get it. Smith asked him why in God's name Crosby wasn't featured on opening night and all Bettman could say was that the schedule was made in advance, come on. He was also of the opinion that the NHL is still in the "big 4" major sports. When Smith said Nascar had better ratings Bettman basically said that didn't count because it's not a team sport.

What disturbed me the most was when Smith asked Bettman about how important it is to market the individual player. Bettman went somewhat off the subject and then proceeded to talk about how it was extremely important to stress how hockey is a team game and a team effort. GARY, HOW IS ANYONE EXPECTED TO WATCH HOCKEY TO SEE CERTAIN PLAYERS WHEN NO ONE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE????

Somebody please calm me down.

Being from Philly, surprised to hear he had an NHL segment, surprised he didn't ask why there aren't more black players in the NHL, as he is a blatant racist IMO with the articles he writes, funny articles though

 

[Injektilo]

Bettman went somewhat off the subject and then proceeded to talk about how it was extremely important to stress how hockey is a team game and a team effort. GARY, HOW IS ANYONE EXPECTED TO WATCH HOCKEY TO SEE CERTAIN PLAYERS WHEN NO ONE KNOWS WHO THEY ARE????

That's interesting. It's good he realizes that it's a team sport primarily and that the stars don't have as much an impact in hockey as they do in other sports. Better he says it now than have people want to watch Sidney play only to discover he's only on the ice for 1/3rd or 1/4 of the game.

 

[Pure Rock Fury*]

Agreed. I think Gary is a tad off that one. NASCAR is as much a team sport as anything else, if not more... unless someone thinks changing 4 tires, filling a gas tank, adjusting the springs and other car settings all under 17 seconds in the midst of 42 other cars doesnt take team work.

It may make team work, but it's not a team sport. It's not even an individual sport.

 

[nyrmessier011]

he's an idiot.

 

[McDonald19]

Agreed. I think Gary is a tad off that one. NASCAR is as much a team sport as anything else, if not more... unless someone thinks changing 4 tires, filling a gas tank, adjusting the springs and other car settings all under 17 seconds in the midst of 42 other cars doesnt take team work.

Yeah let me know when I can get the trading cars of each pit crew member...really exciting.

It may be some form of a team sport but it's certainly not a team sport in the way that Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey and Soccer are team sports.

I agree with Bettman on this one.

 

[McDonald19]

It may make team work, but it's not a team sport. It's not even an individual sport.

agreed.

 

[HughJass*]

Being from Philly, surprised to hear he had an NHL segment, surprised he didn't ask why there aren't more black players in the NHL, as he is a blatant racist IMO with the articles he writes, funny articles though

How is he a racist? Because he bothers to bring it up when others shy away from it? So I take it John Saunders is a racist too?

 

[jb**]

How is he a racist? Because he bothers to bring it up when others shy away from it? So I take it John Saunders is a racist too?

Have you read many of his columns if any? If you have then draw your own conclusions. If not then go do your home work.Have you ever listened to him when he is on the radio in Philly? If not then go do your homework and get back to me.

 

[Spydey629]

It may make team work, but it's not a team sport. It's not even an individual sport.

Umm... Driving a car is not a sport. Period.

Non
Athletic
'Sport'
Centered
Around
Rednecks

 

[Pure Rock Fury*]

Umm... Driving a car is not a sport. Period.

Thanks for repeating my point.....I guess?

 

[Little Wing]

Agreed NASCAR isn't a sport in my book either, After all i've had a drivers liscence for more than 21 years, which happens to be about the average age of NASCAR drivers, So would that make me or anyone with a drivers liscence a professional driver? Ever try to get gas in a city where the pumps are dried up, now that can turn into a sport, It has happened in the desert before!
Next ESPN will try to get Bass fishing included in the big 4 sports too.

 

[GKJ]

im not a fan of nascar but to say its not a team sport is absurd

 

[NJD Jester]

Being from Philly, surprised to hear he had an NHL segment, surprised he didn't ask why there aren't more black players in the NHL, as he is a blatant racist IMO with the articles he writes, funny articles though

Screamin' A. isn't a racist; he plays the race card. There's a difference.

 

[CITYOFCHAMPS]

Bettman is right, it's not a team sport. Just because you have a pitcrew, it doesn't mean it's a team sport. How much work does the pitcrew do during a race? How many people get to drive the car during a single race? When they win a race, how many people get to stand on the podium? If they rotated drives during the races, then it would be a team sport.

 

[Pangu]

A. Nascar is not a team sport
B. Nascar is not a sport.
C. Nascar fans are not sport fans.

Its just a bunch of people doing their best to destroy the environment as quickly as possible. Driving in circles is not a sport. Otherwise every jackass speeding on a roundabout would be an athlete. But trust me, you don't get in better shape by driving around a roundabout. Nor is fixing a car a sport. Once again, being a good mechanic does not make you an athlete. Just like my plumber fixing my toilet is not an athlete, no matter how wuickly he finishes the job.

 

[Hawkeye8]

It is a team sport. You have any idea how much work goes into each car before the race? ALOT! During the race the crew has to make adjustments to the car. If you’re in a wreck they have to fix as best they can.

As for the, I can drive too card. Have you ever driven close to 200 mph with other cars around you? The temperature in those cars gets up to above 100 degrees. If your car isn't handling well you have to have the physical strength to keep control. The only rest they get at all is a few seconds during a pit stop, during which they have to make sure they don’t stall their car and cautions. Drivers will drive injured and while sick.

It my not be a traditional sport. But to say it doesn’t' take ability, that any one can do it. That’s just ignorant.

 

[Jag68Sid87]

A lot of people have talked about how Crosby should have been the feature on Opening Night, but I think the league did the right thing by playing EVERYBODY opening night. In fact, they should do that every year...start the season with all 30 teams.

Fantasy leaguers like it. Fans of every single team like it. Owners (15 get gates right away) like it. And let's face it, the league is far more regional than national right now anyway, so they should be playing to their strengths.

In my opinion, forcefeeding a national game isn't the way to go. Rather, build up the fan base gradually and deliver the goods. Personally, I loved Opening Night this year and I like the idea of everybody playing. It reminds me of when all 16 playoff teams would play at the same time to begin the playoffs...it was a GREAT way to kick it off.

 

[Pangu]

Just because you or I can't do it does not define it as a sport. I cannot do open heart surgery, but those surgeons are not athletes.

I define sport as having to be a zero-sum game. There is one winner and one looser, no 2nd, 3rds, etc in each event. Otherwise its just a competition.

 

[Pure Rock Fury*]

JI cannot do open heart surgery, but those surgeons are not athletes.

That's a good comparison, but I prefer to go with a more vulgar one to make a point. I usually go with "Licking your own cornhole is hard too, but that doesn't make it a sport."


Feel free to use it whenever you feel like.

 

[Little Wing]

It is a team sport. You have any idea how much work goes into each car before the race? ALOT! During the race the crew has to make adjustments to the car. If you’re in a wreck they have to fix as best they can.

As for the, I can drive too card. Have you ever driven close to 200 mph with other cars around you? The temperature in those cars gets up to above 100 degrees. If your car isn't handling well you have to have the physical strength to keep control. The only rest they get at all is a few seconds during a pit stop, during which they have to make sure they don’t stall their car and cautions. Drivers will drive injured and while sick.

It my not be a traditional sport. But to say it doesn’t' take ability, that any one can do it. That’s just ignorant.

I have to say i live in phoenix 100* degrees does not scare me 125* maybe but 100* degrees, we've seen that on Thanksgiving. And i've driven many times over 100 mph in 110* with my alternator light on and and my temperature gauge in the red, I pulled off into the AAMCO station and the pit boss threw some water in my radiator and rotated my tires all before the temperture dropped a single degree. did that make him an athlete or was he just doing his job? and am i an athlete because i can drive real fast ( maybe so, because i have to make 3 right hand turns on my home )