Whistling past the graveyard

» Whitey39 - Less dancing, more hockey; the new NHL

I'm a hockey fan. I've played it (poorly), reffed it (by definition, poorly) and watched it live and on TV. Hockey, that is, not the NHL.

You see, contrary to popular opinion - or at least Gary Bettman - the NHL does not define the word hockey. In fact, for too long, its relationship to the real thing has more resembled that of the WWF: "well, it's sort of similar, and everybody's making lots of money".

However, I had heard that this year they had in fact found a rule book, and decided to try it (again). Yeah, whatever.

There I was 'surfing' last night, and I come across the Toronto/Ottawa third period. "Ok, let's see.... Hey, that guy just got mugged in front of the net; same old thing. What's the whistle for - is the post off the pin? What, a penalty? For holding? Wow! But he just called a penalty on those guys; isn't it the other team's turn, according to the NHL/WWF rule of thumb?"

A little while later, a forward is hip-checked on his way to a loose puck in the corner. Another whistle; maybe he was a half-inch offside (they have always been Nazi-fastidious about those).... really; an interference call?

For about the first time ever, I put the remote down and enjoyed a good period of hockey; skating, passing, checking! I even settled in for the second game - Vancouver/Buffalo - and by the end of the first period, I realized I may have to start putting aside my Saturday evenings.

By the way, in four periods of hockey, not one fight; what happened, Grapes?

-- posted by Whitey39

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