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when hockey was fun

gumgum

gumgum

Registered User
Oct 15, 2017
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It's still a good league sometimes, it's just unfortunate that the socioeconomic niche it's ultimately begun to attract in its most pervasive markets has had such an impact on the actual style of the game being played. It has nothing to do with hitting, or the pace of play, or fighting, it has to do with the level of emotional involvement players and fans have; you'll notice a lot of spectators that consider themselves long-time, refined viewers will often claim to become less and less fans of a particular club, and moreso followers of individual players. Most of those people wear that assertion as a badge of honor, as though it's a supersedent approach to spectating that casts their views in like an inherently more impartial light than your run-of-the-mill fan. Really, I feel like that person is pretty much the axiomatic consequence of the emotionlessness of the current product; the hockey fan that is more concerned with how they are viewed as a hockey fan than they are concerned with hockey as a sport. The game is being killed by people that have little to no emotional investment in the sport, but instead, think of being a hockey fan as part of their identity.
 
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sexydonut

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May 12, 2009
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It was also the dead puck era, with prized defensemen like Pronger, Stevens, and the Hatcher brothers hooking, holding, cross checking and elbowing opponents in the head. Cue the wasted potential of Bure and Kariya.

Those rats don't make up for lousy play.
 
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GlitchMarner

GlitchMarner

Typical malevolent, devious & vile Maple Leafs fan
Jul 21, 2017
9,920
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Brampton, ON
Eh, it's still fun.


More than 20 years from now people will romanticize the time the Golden Knights reached the SCF in their inaugural season.

Does anyone remember how the Panthers made it that far in the first place? All the hooking, interference, clutching, grabbing etc?

Sure, hockey seemed to have more intensity and bite back in the day, but I'm sure many who were watching when teams like the Hurricanes and Ducks were playing for the Cup would have liked to see more skill and scoring and less of the trap and clutching and grabbing.
 
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KingsFan7824

KingsFan7824

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Dec 4, 2003
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gumgum said:
It's still a good league sometimes, it's just unfortunate that the socioeconomic niche it's ultimately begun to attract in its most pervasive markets has had such an impact on the actual style of the game being played. It has nothing to do with hitting, or the pace of play, or fighting, it has to do with the level of emotional involvement players and fans have; you'll notice a lot of spectators that consider themselves long-time, refined viewers will often claim to become less and less fans of a particular club, and moreso followers of individual players. Most of those people wear that assertion as a badge of honor, as though it's a supersedent approach to spectating that casts their views in like an inherently more impartial light than your run-of-the-mill fan. Really, I feel like that person is pretty much the axiomatic consequence of the emotionlessness of the current product; the hockey fan that is more concerned with how they are viewed as a hockey fan than they are concerned with hockey as a sport. The game is being killed by people that have little to no emotional investment in the sport, but instead, think of being a hockey fan as part of their identity.
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There's just more money involved than ever. Owners are paying players a ton. They want as much health as possible, so that their investment isn't hurt. Players are making a ton. They want to enjoy all the money they make when they're done playing. There are former players suing the league because of violence. The PA doesn't want the league taking more money in longer suspensions to teach players where the line is. There are many competing interests there, and they all end up getting taken into account.

And society is trying to take emotion out of everything in general. Why? Emotion can cause violence. Violence leads to less safety. Civil society is supposed to be less violent, and more safe. Does anymore remember the goals from the Avs/Wings rivalry? Maybe, but probably not. Everyone can see Shanahan flying through the air though. Or another right by Roy. Or the turtle. That's where emotion comes from. The dirty. The nasty.

Professional sports is big business. It's just the NHL taking out emotion from the game. All leagues are doing it. You don't have the Bad Boy Pistons or Riley's Knicks in the NBA anymore either. It's all 3 pointers. The NFL is throw the ball 50 times, and let QB's set records every week. Chin music in baseball is frowned upon, because someone might get hurt.
 
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razorsedge

razorsedge

Registered User
Oct 19, 2006
5,198
4,784
gumgum said:
It's still a good league sometimes, it's just unfortunate that the socioeconomic niche it's ultimately begun to attract in its most pervasive markets has had such an impact on the actual style of the game being played. It has nothing to do with hitting, or the pace of play, or fighting, it has to do with the level of emotional involvement players and fans have; you'll notice a lot of spectators that consider themselves long-time, refined viewers will often claim to become less and less fans of a particular club, and moreso followers of individual players. Most of those people wear that assertion as a badge of honor, as though it's a supersedent approach to spectating that casts their views in like an inherently more impartial light than your run-of-the-mill fan. Really, I feel like that person is pretty much the axiomatic consequence of the emotionlessness of the current product; the hockey fan that is more concerned with how they are viewed as a hockey fan than they are concerned with hockey as a sport. The game is being killed by people that have little to no emotional investment in the sport, but instead, think of being a hockey fan as part of their identity.
Click to expand...

I like my team more than you like yours.
 
razorsedge

razorsedge

Registered User
Oct 19, 2006
5,198
4,784
It may not seem as fun as when you were a kid because as kids we didnt concern ourselves with the business side of hockey or fancy stats.

I was a kid in the late 80's early 90's and I knew more about each team because there wasn't as many teams and top players didn't change teams as often. Plus no internet, so I would just read stats on the back of hockey cards over and over again. I miss those days.
 
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Pay Carl

Pay Carl

punished “venom” krejci
Jun 23, 2011
13,094
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Vermont
The teams are over coached to make the game as risk-free and boring as possible

Goalies rarely actually have to make saves and can just be huge and play the angles

A lot of the physicality has been neutralized

It’s kind of depressing to go back and watch old games. They were so much more loose and high flying

Goalie pads just need to be smaller, wouldn’t fix everything but would make a big difference
 
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Devil Dancer

Devil Dancer

Registered User
Jan 21, 2006
18,460
5,447
I grew up in the DPE, hockey is way better now. The only thing I miss is that big hits were more frequent. I sure don't miss the fighting.
 
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