I'm in my mid-40's, but I recently watched a YouTube video of Bure's greatest goals, and he is a LOT faster than Bobby Orr looks on HIS YouTube video. Obviously, Orr controled the game better and played both ends of the ice, but for sheer speed, I don't think he could have ever matched Bure. He caught many players of his era from behind because THEY were not all that fast (not saying Orr wasn't fast, cause he was). But I don't think he could catch Bobby Hull or Bure in a pure footrace. Granted, just watching video it is hard to tell the real speed of a player. But comparing them both on video, it looks like Bure is a bit faster, especially with the puck.
But like I said, Orr controlled the game like no one else ever has (well, I hear stories about Doug Harvey, but he slowed things down to HIS speed instead of speeding them up like Orr did). Even Gretzky needed Kurri to feed after doing his buttonhook at the blue line or lateral cut to the middle of the slot. Orr could just keep going and score on his own seemingly at will.
Sorry but old videotape is not accurate as it cannot reproduce realtime speed accurately. I read this on another forum where people questioned the speed of the old NHL and some videophile chimed in about the fakeout of old tape. If you did'nt see Orr live you'll never have a grasp on his speed no matter how much pre 1980 video you see.I'm in my mid-40's, but I recently watched a YouTube video of Bure's greatest goals, and he is a LOT faster than Bobby Orr looks on HIS YouTube video. Obviously, Orr controled the game better and played both ends of the ice, but for sheer speed, I don't think he could have ever matched Bure. He caught many players of his era from behind because THEY were not all that fast (not saying Orr wasn't fast, cause he was). But I don't think he could catch Bobby Hull or Bure in a pure footrace. Granted, just watching video it is hard to tell the real speed of a player. But comparing them both on video, it looks like Bure is a bit faster, especially with the puck.
But like I said, Orr controlled the game like no one else ever has (well, I hear stories about Doug Harvey, but he slowed things down to HIS speed instead of speeding them up like Orr did). Even Gretzky needed Kurri to feed after doing his buttonhook at the blue line or lateral cut to the middle of the slot. Orr could just keep going and score on his own seemingly at will.
Sorry but old videotape is not accurate as it cannot reproduce realtime speed accurately. I read this on another forum where people questioned the speed of the old NHL and some videophile chimed in about the fakeout of old tape. If you did'nt see Orr live you'll never have a grasp on his speed no matter how much pre 1980 video you see.
OK,the TV film of the 60's and 70's was usually shot at 16 frames per second and since then the film speed is 24-30 frames per second. All video from earlier eras will portray motion as slower than what was actual.
Nope, it's just the opposite. In general, the more frames per second you shoot at = the slower/more detailed the motion appears.
A good example is slow motion/instant replay. When shot with a high frames per second rate (96) and played back at a slower speed (24-30 fps) the image is slowed down. Likewise, when you shoot slower than 24 fps (16) and project at 24 fps, everything looks faster. This is why silent movies look so fast. When each is played back with their cooresponding speeds, there's no difference in actual speed. HOWEVER, when the mind sees something in motion with less detail or 'flow' (16 fps), it tends to perceive it as going faster.
So, if anything, those old 70's games actually appear FASTER than they really were.
While certain points regarding Lemieux are valid, thats a pretty condescending and incoherent post. And exhilaratiing versus exciting? Semantics, wouldn't you say?
Thats perfectly fine if you found Lemieux more exciting; given his ability to break a game open while controlling the pace of play he was pretty much dangerous every second on the ice (at least in his prime). But using consideration of excitement - which, as others have said, is subjective - as a metric of measuring credibility as a fan? Rediculous.
If your not old enough to have seen him, I understand, but Bobby Orr is the most exciting player to ever play this game. Look at the video and listen to what former players have to say about him. Players with clout like Bobby Hull, and Bobby Clark.