Like most hockey fans, I skimmed through the 3/4 of the article that had to do with the NBA. Really, I couldn't care less what the overpaid street thugs are doing with themselves right now.
What I will talk about is the hockey aspect of the article. First of all, you shouldn't even try to write about hockey if you have no clue what you are talking about. It isn't the end of the first round of the hockey playoffs. That happened two weeks ago.
Secondly, I actually took offense to the comment about Canadiens hating their hockey teams. I'm an American, and I honestly cannot believe that was said. Why don't you go to a hockey game in Canada? Why don't you go and watch the singer of "Oh, Canada" simply start the anthem by singing the first three lines and letting the fans loudly sing the rest? Canadiens love thier country and their hockeys teams. Americans pale in comparison and it is an absolute joke to suggest otherwise.
If you want to know the difference between the two sports, I suggest you watch a game. Hockey wins in every single aspect across the board. Grit, determination, passion, teamwork, integrity, sportsmanship, excitement, skill, talent, etc, etc, etc. Get the point yet?
I know you think you are doing something great here for the poor, poor NHL... but seriously, stop doing us any favors. Last thing I heard about the NBA was Steve Nash saying that "if he was playing hockey, his own teammates would have kicked his ass for throwing that punch" when talking about Carmello Anthony throwing a cheap shot then trying to run away. Welcome to the NBA where our games are rigged and our street thugs are pussies!
I do have to agree with you on this one, I was so disappointed to read what little uneducated garbage about hockey that Ratto put into his article. He's trying to give the NHL a boost, a tip of the hat to him there, but his rhetoric dances around the real reason that hockey fans are disgusted by the NBA. Hockey players are real athletes (anyone trying to tell me that Shaq is an athlete is an idiot), they play hard no matter what the score is, they are true exhibitioners of sportsmanship, some are overpaid yes, but for what some NBA thugs are being paid, they can buy their own hockey player. Just look at the kids coming out of the NBA draft. You cant honestly tell me that anyone taken in the first couple rounds actually got through college the old fashioned way, by putting their classwork before their athletics. College basketball (football too) has become such an investment for colleges, that the players are given a free pass on everything. They graduate from college, but they clearly do not have a college education. NHL players come from Russia, Sweeden, and all over Europe and they speak better English than just about any NBA player. On top of all that, NHL players don't fill police cars like NBA players do. My brother and his buddies keep a score sheet after the NBA draft, they each choose players from the draft, and three years later, whoever has the most players arrested gets dinner paid for by the one with the least. Try and play that game with the NHL draft... not happening. Besides, I prefer a sport where its only 5 minutes for beating the crap out of someone with your bare hands (NHL). If you expect someone to be suspended just for throwing a punch (NBA), you're a pussy.
I agree completely StretchNole. You brought up a few points thatI missed. Hockey truly is an international sport. Sweden, Finland, the U.S, Canada, Russia, The Check Replublic, ect What other sport offers such appeal? Sure, the NBA has Yao Ming. Wow.
Also, to get back to my "Canadiens hate hockey" part, I just went to youtube.com and typed in "Oh Canada". Here is the very FIRST video that came up. Honestly, I still can't believe he said that. Here's the video:
Any assertion that Canadians hate hockey, or at least their teams, is silly. All I thought about when reading this thread was the national anthem being sung in Ottawa in last year's playoffs. Great stuff.
Also, and I doubt anyone who hasn't been up north for the playoffs understands how people root for whatever Canadian team is left in the playoffs. I was in Vancouver last week, and the amount of people wearing Canadiens gear was crazy. Same thing last year with the Senators. Canadians love hockey, and they love ALL of their teams (well, except for some rival fans - try getting a Toronto fan to root for the Senators)
Look at the idiots picture! the only time he ever gets off the couch is to get another bag of chips. he prob never played a single sport in his life.. he has no clue what team play is.
Bottom line don't even read his articles.. or stop because every one he writes is useless nonsense, that comes from from someone who has no clue.
What the heck was this guy on, he definately had to been stoned or drunk when writing this article and to say to us that if we have any comments to direct them to our kids because thats where they belong, my kids don't say things so stupid like this guy does, and at least my 3 year makes more sense of what she is saying than this guy.
He must have never watched a Canadian hockey game ever in his life, the fans worship hockey, its their religion, they eat, drink sleep and even crap hockey, this guy should just dig himself a hole, crawl into it, bury himself over and never come out again.
Nice try to give a hockey some props, but dude, you blew with you all your nonsense babbling, I actually couldn't believe I read that whole thing, it was nothing but a bunch bull$h!t
wow what a disturbing comment. you are so racially biased. instead of writing all that nonsense you could have summed it up simply by typing: i like the nhl a lot more because all the players are white. and the nba has mostly black players. and black people are thugs so i don't like them. you truly are a pathetic man. get better.
"I agree completely StretchNole. You brought up a few points thatI missed. Hockey truly is an international sport. Sweden, Finland, the U.S, Canada, Russia, The Check Replublic, ect What other sport offers such appeal? Sure, the NBA has Yao Ming. Wow. "
that's cute....you're a cute kid. so hockey is nonexistent outside of northern north america and northern europe yet it has the most international appeal? not to mention the sport has no diversity at all. the level of ignorance in this thread is mind boggling.
I am a Canadian who likes basketball and hockey, and I agree this article was stupid on all accounts the hockey and basketball sections alike, but there have been a lot of ignorant post made in this thread.
Hockey truly is an international sport. Sweden, Finland, the U.S, Canada, Russia, The Check Replublic, ect What other sport offers such appeal? Sure, the NBA has Yao Ming. Wow.
Basketball has Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Russia, ect. How about soccer, how about Cricket, even baseball has Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Japan, Taiwan etc.
Do you know why basketball players get paid more than hockey players A.) The sport generates more money than hockey. B.) They have less players on a team. So the fact that there business generates more money, with less employees to pay is why they make more money.
"Basketball has Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Greece, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Russia, ect. How about soccer, how about Cricket, even baseball has Mexico, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Japan, Taiwan etc."
Just because basketball has people from those countries does not mean that it is neccasarily an appealing sport in that country. The U.S has people participate in swimming, biking, and all other types of sports that most of the country does not care a lick about. However, the countries that do have their countrymen populate NHL rosters are very much involved in the sport. Very much more so than most other sports, and certainly the NBA.
You are right about soccer (futbol). That sport has the most fanatic fan base of any other sport, and is absolutely huge outside the U.S. Baseball does have some international appeal, but once again it pales in comparison to hockey. If it weren't for Japan, hockey would win in a landslide. And Cricket? Are you grasping for straws here or what?
"Do you know why basketball players get paid more than hockey players A.) The sport generates more money than hockey. B.) They have less players on a team. So the fact that there business generates more money, with less employees to pay is why they make more money."
That's fine and I won't argue the point. I'm not here to campaign for hockey players to make more money. I will say instead that the excess wealth the NBA players generate might be a symptom of what I referred to as "street thuggery". You don't hear about a guy signing a 300,000 dollar contract who goes out and shoots up strips clubs, etc. It's when you're above the law and on top of the world that that certain part of human nature kicks in. I'm also not passing judgement on it one way or the other. I'm not here to blame players or leagues, I'm simply pointing out the truth. It is what it is.
I guess to summarize, you are right in your assessment of the monetary situation of the two leagues. I don't find it to be terribly relative to the topic, but so be it. I also agree that hockey is not the ony internationally appealing sport, but aside from soccer I will not agree with you in the order you list them. Either way, hockey is a phenominal sport that spans continents and provides great entertainment and honorable role models for youths everywhere.
Just because basketball has people from those countries does not mean that it is neccasarily an appealing sport in that country.
Those countries all have successful basketball leagues, other than Eastern Europe, hockey is rarely played anywhere else in the world. It is not even close with how far basketball dwarfs hockey in international appeal, baseball is closer, but still beats hockey.
And Cricket? Are you grasping for straws here or what?
Cricket has the second largest fan base in the world, behind soccer.
