Hockey

[smc]

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

Is a fan only allowed to be "real" if they live where they can skate outdoors? No. A "real fan" is someone who supports their team no matter what, has knowledge about the game, and a true passion for the sport itself.

I wrote about a "fan base," not a "fan," so your response is not to my point. I do not deny that there can be and are individual hockey fans in cities that I think shouldn't have teams, but as the three kids who play for Boston College here, and who are from California and Arizona, they come from places with no fan base.

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

I can wrap my mind around your thought process, but it's not logical. If sports were meant to be played in the area they were conceived, there would no longer be professional sports. Granted caber tossing will be hard pressed to catch on in the states, but just because a warm state has a hockey team doesn't make it wrong.

Again, you don't respond to what I actually wrote. I never said "sports were meant to be played in the area they were conceived." Were that the case, Canada would have no curling, only Scotland, and yet Canada is where it has the greatest support. Hockey wasn't conceived in Boston; it should, nevertheless, be played here.

Also, the question of whether there should be any professional sports is, I believe, a separate one. Let's not go there now.

Finally, as for caber tossing, this seems to me that it might be a good thing for which to use Bettman (see shadows' post just above).

[Tranny Sore-Ass Rex]

ila, smc, and shadows...I agree to disagree. We can go round and round, but one place where we can find common ground is the fact that hockey is one of the greatest sports no matter where you live.

[GRH]

If a city can muster the fan base for a professional sport, then I'm all for that city having a team. That said, it's frustrating to see hockey played in places like California and Florida when my home state of Maine doesn't have a team. I get jealous sometimes, because the closest thing to pro sports we have are teams in Boston. But that said, I don't think hockey should be confined to the climates where it can be played outdoors.

As for the Habs, I'm sad to see that they're out of the playoffs. They just couldn't get anything going against the Flyers. When do the finals start?

[smc]

Originally Posted by GRH

... it's frustrating to see hockey played in places like California and Florida when my home state of Maine doesn't have a team. I get jealous sometimes, because the closest thing to pro sports we have are teams in Boston. But that said, I don't think hockey should be confined to the climates where it can be played outdoors.

As for the Habs, I'm sad to see that they're out of the playoffs. They just couldn't get anything going against the Flyers. When do the finals start?

I do agree that the NHL should have a team in Portland, Maine.

Here's the schedule for the finals. All games begin at 8 pm EST.

Game 1: Saturday, May 29 at Chicago
Game 2: Monday, May 31 at Chicago
Game 3: Wednesday, June 2 at Philadelphia
Game 4: Friday, June 4 at Philadelphia
Game 5 (if necessary): Sunday, June 6 at Chicago
Game 6 (if necessary): Wednesday, June 9 at Philadelphia
Game 7 (if necessary): Friday, June 11 at Chicago

[Tranny Sore-Ass Rex]

If Jamaicans can bob-sled, why can't Hawaiians play hockey? That was a rhetorical question, not the first line of a joke.

Thanks for the schedule smc. Let's hope it's a good series!

[smc]

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

If Jamaicans can bob-sled, why can't Hawaiians play hockey? That was a rhetorical question, not the first line of a joke.

Thanks for the schedule smc. Let's hope it's a good series!

Again, your responses don't seem to be about what I actually posted. I don't begrudge any Hawaiian who wants to play hockey. But there is a natural order to things, as evidenced by the kid at Boston College from Arizona who had to be driven 3.5 hours each way to the one practice hockey rink in the entire state. Arizonans or Hawaiians playing hockey is great, but it's not an accident that there are few, if any, rinks.

Earlier, you wrote: "I agree to disagree. We can go round and round, but one place where we can find common ground is the fact that hockey is one of the greatest sports no matter where you live."

I agree with the common ground about hockey. I don't agree to disagree. It's nothing personal; I just find that formulation to be unsupportable. Disagreements are part of the dialectic of argument and reasoning, and agreeing to disagree means stopping potential progress in its path. Again, it's nothing personal; it's just the way I see things. So, I agree to halt the discussion. Let's put it that way.

One thing about hockey in Hawaii that I wonder, though, is whether fans would throw pineapples on the ice rather than fish when they were angry at the players.

[ila]

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

Thanks for the schedule smc. Let's hope it's a good series!

Here's hoping that Chicago wins. Unbelievably they've been without a cup for longer than Toronto.

[Tranny Sore-Ass Rex]

Originally Posted by smc

I don't begrudge any Hawaiian who wants to play hockey.

I reiterate; that was a rhetorical question. Is it that difficult for you to have a laugh? Obviously you have strong feelings about "keeping it real", I can't deny you that, but there is no reason to abstain from a chuckle or two.

Originally Posted by smc

I agree with the common ground about hockey. I don't agree to disagree. It's nothing personal; I just find that formulation to be unsupportable. Disagreements are part of the dialectic of argument and reasoning, and agreeing to disagree means stopping potential progress in its path. Again, it's nothing personal; it's just the way I see things. So, I agree to halt the discussion. Let's put it that way.

You have your reasons for you stance I have mine, better? I stated I can understand where you're coming from, and nothing personal, but in my opinion the only thing supporting your view is the fact that some "warm weather" hockey teams don't make money because of their location. That does not make the game impure or wrong for other temperate states to want a team they can call their own. You're lucky to live in an area that has a team, not all hockey fans are so lucky. Seeing a game played outdoors is a unique experience, yet it doesn't indicate sanctitude. All around the world, soccer/futbol is played by children using whatever they can find for a ball, on any surface available. This does not take away from the spirit of the sport.

Originally Posted by smc

One thing about hockey in Hawaii that I wonder, though, is whether fans would throw pineapples on the ice rather than fish when they were angry at the players.

Or coconuts!

Originally Posted by ila

Here's hoping that Chicago wins. Unbelievably they've been without a cup for longer than Toronto.

I have no preference as I don't like either of the teams. I'm hoping for a seven game series, perhaps even an overtime or three. When it comes to suspense, sudden death in the finals takes the cake!

[smc]

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

I reiterate; that was a rhetorical question. Is it that difficult for you to have a laugh? Obviously you have strong feelings about "keeping it real", I can't deny you that, but there is no reason to abstain from a chuckle or two.

I am fully capable of laughing, although the thought of Hawaiians on skates playing hockey is more frightening than humorous. But you wrote: "That was a rhetorical question, not the first line of a joke." Now you imply that you meant it as a joke. I can't keep up. Anyhow, I took it as a rhetorical question, because that's what you indicated, but one that required a response since it was predicated on a misunderstanding of what I had previously written.

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

I stated I can understand where you're coming from, and nothing personal, but in my opinion the only thing supporting your view is the fact that some "warm weather" hockey teams don't make money because of their location.

Just to be clear, I never supported my position with a single word about making money. That was someone else's post. If you go back and read all of my contributions to this exchange, you will not find any reference by me to the money issue.

Originally Posted by Tranny Sore-Ass Rex

All around the world, soccer/futbol is played by children using whatever they can find for a ball, on any surface available. This does not take away from the spirit of the sport.

I really want to be done with this exchange, but your point above only confirms my point. Those children can play soccer/futbol as you describe because the nature of the game ("nature" being the root of "natural" -- an important word in one of my earlier posts in this exchange) is such that those sorts of conditions and equipment allow it. Ice is a natural part of hockey. By the way, I would like to see artificial turf eliminated from all baseball.

Oh, what have I wrought by writing that?

And see, I can laugh:

[shadows]

Originally Posted by ila

Here's hoping that Chicago wins. Unbelievably they've been without a cup for longer than Toronto.

*sigh*

And then my Leafs will be the ones holding that "wonderful" milestone.