Toronto Star columnist prefers NBA playoffs to NHL

[gamblor]

As far as I can tell, he doesn't like the unpredictable nature of the NHL playoffs. I think he may not have done well in his hockey pool.

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/Co...ageid=970599109774&col=Columnist1059689060047

Click to read more...

 

[BlueAndWhite]

As far as I can tell, he doesn't like the unpredictable nature of the NHL playoffs. I think he may not have done well in his hockey pool.

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The writer of this article covers the NBA/Raptors for the Star .... hmmmmm ....

 

[Snap Wilson]

Speaking relatively and putting my own fandom aside, I can see his point. This year's NBA playoffs have been pretty damned great, especially the second round in contrast to the NHL's, which has seen only a few competitive series.

Personally, I'm thrilled with the Ducks run (obviously) and I'll always watch hockey over basketball, but this NBA postseason has been by far the most interesting in years.

 

[gamblor]

The writer of this article covers the NBA/Raptors for the Star .... hmmmmm ....

Oh I agree, it's not tough to see his bias. I thought the article was noteworthy for its incredibly flimsy argument (he wrote, what, 750 words just to make one minor point about lack of star power in the NHL playoffs).

It seems that he needs a Kobe Bryant - Steve Nash style matchup in a playoff series in order to keep up his interest. I would rather watch a sport where the team with the best player doesn't necessarily win.

That said, the NHL does a bad job marketing/identifying its star players, I think we'd all agree. He could have written the article from that perspective and it would've actually been passable as something that could be published.

 

[NyQuil]

It also helps that the Leafs are currently not in the middle of some magical playoff run.

 

[Scoogs]

It also helps that the Leafs are currently not in the middle of some magical playoff run.

No. That has nothing to do with the matter.

This is just a case of a non-hockey fan rambling on how his favorite sports are better.

 

[discostu]

No. That hs nothing to do with the matter.

This is just a case of a non-hockey fan rambling on how his favorite sports are better.

Which is not a bad thing. He's trying to hype of basketball, which needs to be hyped to get some attention over the hockey coverage down there.

If a hockey writer in Carolina, Anaheim or San Jose wrote how great the NHL playoffs, over whatever sport is usually dominating those markets, people around here would praise it. I don't think the author needed to bash the NHL as much as he did to make his point, but, so be it.

Truth be told, I actually agree with him a bit though. I'm not a basketball fan, but, I find myself following what LeBron James is doing this year. I like to see if Nash can carry the Suns. I'm also hoping that Carter and the Nets don't do well. For someone who doesn't follow the sport, I'm now intrigued into 3 different storylines.

Star power is great to pick up the casual fan. The NHL is sitting on their next brink of stars. Crosby and Ovechkin have shown us that they will be there to carry the sport. When those guys get to the point where their teams are cup contenders, it will be something for the casual viewer to latch onto.

 

[timlap]

I assume most of the sports media in Toronto doesn't particularly like hockey. (I sense there are some exceptions). It seems much cooler to go on about how it's boring. Just one tiny example- one of my favourite days of the year is the NHL Entry Draft (admittedly not everyone's cup of tea) and every year there is an article in a Toronto paper telling me what a yawn-fest it is.

Well, that's okay. Reporters are allowed to like what they like. But I do enjoy hearing from a person who really likes hockey, every now and then, since I am dull enough to like hockey so much myself.

 

[IronMosher]

No wonder, the Leafs aren't in the playoffs so he wants to bring everyone down with him.

 

[Scoogs]

No wonder, the Leafs aren't in the playoffs so he wants to bring everyone down with him.

Yes, that's it. Ignore all sensible discussion and thought in the thread.

 

[Lobstertainment]

Yes, that's it. Ignore all sensible discussion and thought in the thread.

Agreed, Only Commies allow Sensible discussion and thought. and Communists are evil Boris McStalin.

 

[romba]

Yes, that's it. Ignore all sensible discussion and thought in the thread.

This should be stickied on top of every thread made. Forgo all the ******** and get straight to the good stuff. Shouldn't be any more misconceptions regarding post quality and crap like that.

 

[OG6ix]

Well it is true, the NBA has more recognizable stars. Face it, the NHL comming off a lockout and horrible marketing is deserving of this critiscism. The NHL needs better marketing obviously, they need to bring out the storylines to the public rather than having the hardcore fans only obtaining this. Right now no one knows who danial briere is or eric staal is, and who is to blame? Marketing is one thing, but when you do not have the exposure and platform to tell your stories what's the point? Right now Sportscenter, espn and TNT gives the NBA its platform, and for those of you who want to use this as an argument for the NHL going back to ESPN please don't. ESPN would never give the NHL exposure and time to the NHL simply because it isn't a draw, and it isn't a big draw because lack of exposure. It is a pretty tough cycle and espn isn't going to do anything to promote the NHL other than their usual, they go for whatever can make them money thus the reason they pick up contracts of popular things. The NHL will always be filler for them unless they get decent ratings which then they can make money off of them.

I'm going to end my rant at that.

 

[Rumblick]

Part of the NHL's problem might be temporary. Some of the best young players — Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby and Washington's Alexandre Ovechkin — play for losers who'll presumably get to the post-season eventually. The key competition in the too-young-to-be-true universe, though, is already growing his legend. LeBron James, all of 21 years old, put up a triple-double against the vaunted Detroit Pistons the other night. And though James and his Cleveland Cavaliers will likely lose their second-round series, the defeat sets up a wonderful storyline for the coming years.

Enforcement of the rules has opened up the games for us. Ignoring the rules (both on ballhandling and taunting) has made Lebron that much better.

The NBA has already given us the rarest of springtime privileges — a classic first-round series between Captain Canada's Phoenix Suns and Kobe Bryant's L.A. Lakers.

This would be the Kobe that quit on his team in Game 7? Oh, yeah, give me more of this.

Two out of three Hart Trophy nominees, New York Rangers' Jaromir Jagr and Calgary's Mikka Kiprusoff, went out in the first round while the third, San Jose's Joe Thornton, is a game away from being bounced by the Edmonton Oilers. There are no Stars, and no transcendent stars.

Jagr went out to injury. As to the others, the NBA lost the aforementioned Bryant in Round 1, along with Gilbert Arenas, Jermaine O'Neal, Carmelo Anthony, and any number of other stars. It's called "elimination" and it happens to the best of them.



About the only thing he got right is that hockey is a "niche" sport in this country. That'll be true no matter what happens. It won't ever convince me that basketball is a better game.

 

[OG6ix]

Enforcement of the rules has opened up the games for us. Ignoring the rules (both on ballhandling and taunting) has made Lebron that much better.



This would be the Kobe that quit on his team in Game 7? Oh, yeah, give me more of this.



Jagr went out to injury. As to the others, the NBA lost the aforementioned Bryant in Round 1, along with Gilbert Arenas, Jermaine O'Neal, Carmelo Anthony, and any number of other stars. It's called "elimination" and it happens to the best of them.



About the only thing he got right is that hockey is a "niche" sport in this country. That'll be true no matter what happens. It won't ever convince me that basketball is a better game.

What I think is disturbing is that these columnist and analyst love calling Hockey a niche sport, but I would love to hear/read their reactions to how every north american sport is so niche in the rest of the world. Especially football which is pretty much exclusive to this continent. Forget that NFL europe crap.

 

[SwisshockeyAcademy]

Dave Feshuk. I would guess he has watched more startreck reruns in the last week than he has of either sports playoffs. If he is talking about reality TV I may listen( that is what he watches- I do not) If I need to know about survivor 203 I will read him.

 

[GSC2k2*]

Nothing like the mention of the NBA to get hockey fans in a snit and their panties in a big wad.

God forbid Feschuk (who is a knob, BTW) might have an opinion contrary to the concept that hockey is the greatest sport EVER or - gasp! - that his opinion might (for once, like a blind squirrel finding an acorn) might have some validity.

Groan.

 

[Garbs]

Toronto Star columnist. Sneaky.

 

[LetsGoIslanders]

Don't you lose you Canadian citizenship for uttering such heresy north of the border?

 

[Montrealer]

I've enjoyed playing basketball in real life, and I enjoyed NBA Jam in the arcade and NBA Live on the Playstation.

I've never been able to get into the real-life NBA, though.

 

[Hadoop]

Nothing like the mention of the NBA to get hockey fans in a snit and their panties in a big wad.

God forbid Feschuk (who is a knob, BTW) might have an opinion contrary to the concept that hockey is the greatest sport EVER or - gasp! - that his opinion might (for once, like a blind squirrel finding an acorn) might have some validity.

Groan.

EXACTLY. From a CASUAL fan's perspective this years NBA playoffs have been simply AMAZING, while this year's NHL playoffs has featured few compelling story lines.

Fair of not (and many would argue this is Pejorative Slured) matchups between stars help grow the sport. Now the NBA OVERemphasizes this fact but by the same token the NHL does the opposite. Then again the NHL CAN'T market their stars because stars are EASILY shut down by good defensive schemes (not to mention the three biggest stars in the NHL's 'Final Four' are Pronger, Neidermayer and Staal).

This is why the NHL will ALWAYS be a niche sport, and there's nothing wrong with that.

 

[GSC2k2*]

Don't you lose you Canadian citizenship for uttering such heresy north of the border?

The authorities are at my door as we speak.

 

[joshjull]

EXACTLY. From a CASUAL fan's perspective this years NBA playoffs have been simply AMAZING, while this year's NHL playoffs has featured few compelling story lines.

Fair of not (and many would argue this is Pejorative Slured) matchups between stars help grow the sport. Now the NBA OVERemphasizes this fact but by the same token the NHL does the opposite. Then again the NHL CAN'T market their stars because stars are EASILY shut down by good defensive schemes (not to mention the three biggest stars in the NHL's 'Final Four' are Pronger, Neidermayer and Staal).

This is why the NHL will ALWAYS be a niche sport, and there's nothing wrong with that.

That has nothing to do with it. How can they market their stars in the US? They will never get the coverage of the big three NFL,MLB and NBA. Because the mainstream sporting press in this nation doesn't care much for hockey. Never has and never will. They go out of their way to give hockey bad press but do nothing to cover the talent, skill and excitement of the game.Thus making it nearly impossible to break through to what many critics of the league percieve as an acceptable level of interest in the US.The only time the NHL makes major news in the US, is after an embarassing incident. Barry Melrose (whom I usually think is a bit of a tool). Rightly pointed out, How unfair it was that the Bertuzzi incident gets so much coverage in the US. But not a tenth of the coverage of that incident will be giving to the playoffs. The NHL could do better but I don't think they are to blame in this regard.

Hockey is not a niche sport. Just because it doesn't have interest on the level of the other three leagues. Niche sports in the US are Major League Soccer or National League Lacrosse. The NHL is a 2billion dollar industry. Not bad considering all the built in challenges and problems it has in the US.

 

[Ogopogo*]

There's basketball playoffs? Who knew? With all of the Stanley Cup excitement who has time for the NBA?

 

[Transported Upstater]

There's basketball playoffs? Who knew? With all of the Stanley Cup excitement who has time for the NBA?

Amen to that.

Hockey roxors Basketball's soxors.




I'm a Leaf fan, and for me, the playoffs are thrilling every year, regardless of whether or not the Leafs are there.