14 replies to this topic

[Todrick]

Inspired by The Puck Daddy Blog on Yahoo's series of the same name.


1. My Dad... And Mom
Being born and raised in Southern California, the son of a former football player isn't normally the recipe for the making of a Hockey fan. As a result I have to give my Dad some credit for instilling in me a love of Hockey, even if it was at the expense of football. Growing up I don't remember EVER watching a football game on television with my father. I DO remember Wayne Gretzky in blue and orange raising the cup. I vividly remember the 'Miracle on Manchester'. I remember the day Gretzky was traded to the Kings. These are the pro sports memories that stuck in my head from childhood. I know there was some guy playing football back then called "the refrigerator", but I couldn't tell you the names of any of his team mates... If my dad was still with us, I know He would have been there with me the night the Ducks won the Cup, we would have cheered and high-fived and celebrated just like we did when I was a kid. Really he WAS there with me that night, because without my Dad I wouldn't be a Hockey Fan.

Thanks Dad.

Ya know, maybe 'Growing up Hockey' in So Cal had more to do with the influence of my Canadian Mom than my Footballer Dad...

Thanks Mom.






2. The Great Western Forum
I recently went back to the forum for the first time since it ceased being a hockey arena and you know what? I love that building. It is an absolute hell hole and I love it. All the memories came flooding back. The 'star' pattern in the ceiling girders. The single concourse and the hike to the "cheap seats". The subterranean restrooms and lines that having one concourse caused. The Smell.

Sure it's a pit, but it was the first Hockey arena I ever stepped foot in and it makes me appreciate the Honda Center that much more.







3. Where men are men and they Never Say Die
McSorely, Baumgartner, Grimson, Propert, Domi, Brashear, May, Parros... I love the rough stuff. I love that when you honor is at stake, you fight for it. I love that Hockey allows the emotions to be put on display, that the crowd is allowed to feed of the emotions of the players and vice versa. It's raw, it may be primitive but it's what sports are supposed to be about, PASSION.

There is an unwritten code of conduct for fighters, that is sometimes obeyed, but in the end, I salute the tough guys, the thugs, the goons, the warriors. Todd Marchant played 20+ games last year with a broken foot. A Basketball player would be at risk of MISSING that many games with a broken pinky. Hockey players give it all, when the post season rolls around it seems that most of them would rather die than lose. No other sport matches this sort of never say die attitude that is readily apparent in the NHL.

God bless the 'Iron Men'.







4. History, Tradition
I have touched the Stanley Cup. I have run my fingers over the engraved names of decades gone by, of dynasties, of legends. I have ran my hand over the inside of the bowl, where the first names were engraved on the cup with an ice pick. I have stood in it's presence and starred in awe. Nothing in sports equals the history and tradition of Hockey, nothing else is even close.







5. It's just a game
Had you asked me 10 years ago what my favorite part of hockey was, I likely would have said the fighting. A lot has changed since then. Nothing more important than being a parent. I love hockey because everyone I have met who is involved in the sport seems to realize that at the end of the day, it's just a game. There are more important things in this world. The players take the time to engage the fans, to do charity work and to use their money and fame for the good of the community and the children. No other sport emphasizes the player/community relationship as much as hockey and for that, as a fan and as a parent, I'm truly grateful.

Thanks Drew.

[Todrick]

I added some photos.... no one else can come up with 5 reasons why they love hockey?

[MrsBevo]

I'll see what I can come up with, although my list is less profound.

1) The speed of the game - sorry, but it is boring as all get out to watch baseball. "It's mental" people tell me. Personally, I think that they are "mental." I love that the final two minutes of the game is the best part and goes by in the blink of an eye. No intentional fouls and other nonsense that draws out the time to an hour. Hockey is edge of your seat exciting and I love that about it.

2) Paul Kariya - I fell in love with hockey because of this guy. Say what you will about him, but I have nothing but good memories. It was a mental shift to realize that the game was not just beat 'em up, but that skill was involved and exciting to watch.

3) I'll never get a sunburn watching a game and when it is Indian Summer in California, there is nothing better than going to the rink and cooling off.

4) My hockey shaped vacuum in my heart - who knew that a ballerina who didn't like any sports would become such a rabid hockey fan and embrace it with everything I am?

5) My kids - yes, one child loved the Avs and Peter Forsberg. Another is still a Detroit fan. The youngest started out a fan of the Kings, for goodness sake! But they came to games with mom and shared time and memories together that are priceless.

[HillerGirl]

ok... i think i'll chip in

1.dad
as with probably most fans it started with my dad. he is a sports fan. he likes them all: hockey, basketball, soccer, handball... well european "them all" lol
but i had some say in it at my wise 4 years of age... he noticed that i was unbearable to be with during most of the sports: nagging, trying to run up and down the stairs... basically way too much energy to just sit and watch. but for some reason hockey was different. i was sitting (well occasionally jumping up for the goal) still watching the game. the only times my dad heard from me was me asking about the rules "daddy, why is this man sitting all alone in this cabin? do his friends not like him any more?" couple years later i earned my dad a beer and a soda for myself. apparently i was loud and knowledgeable about some beef that refs were giving our team lol and couple of guys in front were amused and surprised... and they treated us to refreshments

2. anything can happen
be it NHL or international, ANYTHING can happen. a considerably inferior on paper and on ice team can will the win by heart, soul and great goal tending i believe that this year 8th seed's upset made it even at 50% of outcome between #1 and #8 seed. yeah, Anaheim is not an 8th seed team, but they once were (even though at #7) and that didn't stop them. and even though fans and media might be stunned by a sweep, they are not THAT surprised by a hard battled even (6 or 7 games series) win of the lower seeds over the top teams

3. real men
this song is the hockey anthem in former USSR pretty much sums up how great the sport is and what kind of people play it. i guess it's somewhat a Russian version of a "Good Old Hockey Game" i heard this song thousands of times when i was growing up and an equality sign rises in my head between words "hockey" and "real men". and i have goosebumps every time i hear it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SowKFxro_s
i love that there is contact - some kind of contained barbaric presence. i miss it in other sports. like Todrick has mentioned, it shows raw passion that is not masked by fat checks,or some weird rules that you are not allowed to breath towards opposing players.
i love the comradeship between the players. the sport itself puts the emphasis on the team, not individual players.
and class... i can't forget class in the days that we need more and more people to look up to, to be role models even one person is not too little, and hockey thankfully has more than one guy that shows real character paired with class.
i also really like that those guys are so down to earth. when i see NHL commercials "NHL players are just like us, they are just very good at hockey" i believe it

4. fans
i have met some of the best people (in person and virtually) by being a fan. again an old notion back at home: difference between hockey and soccer is where the fights break out: in hockey it is on ice among players, in soccer it's in stands among fans. i know it's not a rule set in stone and different things happen, but i like that as a Ducks fan i can come to Chicago games and root for my team w/o fearing for my well being and life it's also interesting that fans in hockey are similar to players: when the game is on it's on: some verbal arguments, tension, but as soon as the game is over (ok some times they need an hr or 2 to cool off) they are best of friends again

5. history
when i went to Hockey Hall of fame in Toronto i had goosebumps all the time i was there... the history of the sport is just amazing. i was walking around in awe. unfortunately i only saw the Cup under a glass box (and it was before Ducks championship), but i was walking and walking around it reading the last names looking at the pictures around, imagining those men reaching their dream, being happy for them and wishing that for my team. i really hope i can see the Cup closer, touch it and take a pic with it (and my main hope is Brownie )

[Todrick]

Since everyone is getting sick of Anaheim15's "Best ### ever" threads (Sorry, A15, couldn't resist the jab), figured I'd resurrect my own thread from last year around this time, when summer was feeling a bit too long, and see if anyone felt like responding this time...

I AM curious... what are the 5 reasons you all love this game?

[HockeyHeaven]

Since everyone is getting sick of Anaheim15's "Best ### ever" threads (Sorry, A15, couldn't resist the jab), figured I'd resurrect my own thread from last year around this time, when summer was feeling a bit too long, and see if anyone felt like responding this time...

I AM curious... what are the 5 reasons you all love this game?

1. The speed and pace of the game. It's just, imo, the quintessential spectator sport. You have to watch, whenever play is on, because stuff happens fast.

2. The unique set of skills required to play the game. Skating, eye-hand coordination, eye-foot coordination, vision, strength, stamina, courage, relentlessness, intelligence. For every position. What other sport can claim that?

3. The venue. There's nothing for me that compares to going to the rink. It's just different and unique. You can feel the playing surface, for crying out loud! And that applies if you're at Maple Leaf Gardens or your local rink.

4. The players. Taken as a group, the best bunch of athletes around. Now, comparing them to NFL, NBA, and MLB players, it's easy to look like the pick of that litter, but the ones I've met are just "normal" good guys.

5. The "Other" season. The Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best "tournament" in sports. Period. I've been to World Series games, Super Bowls, NBA Finals, Rose Bowls, World Cup games, and Stanley Cup games. Nothing compares to the passion, excitement, electricity, nervous energy, and anticipation of hockey. It's not even close

[Captain-Crunch]

1. It is the hardest sport to play, because it requires an extra skill (skating) that no other sport involves.

2. It's very fast, very physical, and extremely intense. More action than most sports.

3. The unique aspects. It's played on ice, it's the cold weather sport, etc.

4. Fighting is legal. I know I'm stereotyping, but c'mon... Seriously.

5. Hockey players are the only respectable athletes around. Soccer, basketball, football, baseball players... None of them deserve respect (obviously there are exceptions in each sport) and they are all thugs, self-worshiping snobs, gigantic babies, wannabe celebrities, or steroid using lard buckets.

[Cassie8236]

I'm not even sure I have 5 reasons.

When I started dating my husband he told me he liked hockey....I didn't care....didn't interest me.... then in 2003 he told me his favorite team was in the Stanley Cup Final.....ok....whatever the hell THAT was....then the following season we went to a game together. Oh. My. God. I was HOOKED. I all of a sudden LOVED this sport that I knew nothing about. So during the 03-04 season, I started to follow hockey a bit more.....then the lockout happened. Then the following season we started getting ticket packages....and I've been obsessed ever since....I love the Ducks, they are my favorite team, but give me ANY hockey game and I'm a happy girl.

[Kenny]

I can't believe I missed this topic. Cute picture with your little one, and Drew.

There are so many reasons I love the game of hockey. It'll be easy to just pick 5 out, but I don't think I could rank them, that'd be too hard.

And in no particular order...

Gretzky. Without the hype surrounding him when he was in LA, when I was a kid, I would have never even thought of hockey as a sport to watch. But I caught a game with him in the Stanley Cup finals when I was seven years, and the only reason was because the local media hyped the hell out of him because he was supposedly a sure fire way to when the Cup. What happened in that game was that I fell in love. I feel I should admit that I was also a Kings fan. Who wasn't? But when the Ducks came to the city where I was born, I was done with the Queens. Although I'v remained a Gretzky fan to this day, even when he was coaching the Yotes. I remember the first time I went to a game where the Coyotes played in Anaheim, and saw him on the bench, it was the first time I've ever seen him with my own eyes. I was star struck at about 200 feet away, and he wasn't even playing.

The feeling of making or watching a play unfold. There's nothing like seeing a play before it happens. The anticipation of knowing there is a play there, and the only thing missing is the players need to see it, and then it happens, the puck is passed, or the puck is tapped into the goal, or there is a monster one timer, or bone rattling hit.

Spectating or participating, it's all entertaining. I've watched the game most of my life, and I've played the game for much of it. Both watching and playing the game has advantages. Watching it, you feel the energy, but don't risk getting a puck in the face. But playing it, you can feel the puck on your stick. You can see a play developing, and make it happen. And you can crush an opponent into the boards, and hear the crowd or your team cheer. I guess this could also go under the title of Playing the game is actually more fun than watching, which isn't always true with most sports.

The players. Classy is a word thrown around hockey, and for good reason. 99% of players play the game because they love it. They're not in it for a buck, or fame. And rarely is there a player that isn't a nice guy. There are a few exceptions to the rule, but for the most part, hockey players are the classiest athletes in team sports.

The Fans. There's no more passionate fans in sports. And some of my best friends.

[anaheim15]

Since everyone is getting sick of Anaheim15's "Best ### ever" threads (Sorry, A15, couldn't resist the jab), figured I'd resurrect my own thread from last year around this time, when summer was feeling a bit too long, and see if anyone felt like responding this time...

I AM curious... what are the 5 reasons you all love this game?

Its all good. I know I went way overboard because of the summer boredom.


And I cant narrow it down honestly to five things. Obviously speed, fighting, fans, players, not afraid mentality and toughness... But I could go on. All i know is that I LOVE HOCKEY!!!

[bobberino]

Fighting
Fighting
Fighting
Fighting
Fighting

Just being honest..

[wildwing64]

How did I, someone born and raised in a nation obsessed with football (soccer), end up choosing to become a hockey fan rather than follow football? Here's the short version of my fairly daft story: when I was 7, and after failing to develop an interest in football, a certain cartoon about some hockey playing Ducks from outer space appeared on TV, and in the back of my mind made me want to like hockey. A few years later, after picking up NHL Hitz 20-02 for my GameCube, I noticed that the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim were a real team. I couldn't not like this team, since they basically introduced me to the world of hockey, so I've been a fan ever since

So I've been a fan since 2003, but because of difficulties I had, including the lockout, I didn't start following the Ducks properly until the 2005-06 season, and since then hockey has become a huge part of my life. I've been following the game properly for five years now, and have no plans to stop anytime soon. And without further ado, here are my five reasons, in no particular order, why I still love the game today:

Speed
One of the things I've never liked about football is how slow paced it is, and how you can sit through an entire 90-minute game, with the end result sometimes ending up being a 0-0 draw. That's a whole hour and a half of my life wasted, for nothing: That doesn't happen in hockey, with it's "blink-and-you'll-miss" nature, where you can leave your seat for two minutes and miss a goal. This game is also unpredictable, action packed, its athletes are energetic, and lots of goals can be scored in a 60-minute game, versus, maybe 1 for a 90-minute "match."

The Players
As some of you have already said, hockey players are, with a few exceptions, probably the classiest athletes around: they play the game with true passion, they really appreciate the fans' support, and with a schedule of at least 82 games, they are the hardest working in all sports. Also, they don't dive and fake injuries like "footballers" (which soccer players are called over here) - and there's another reason why I dislike that sport so much - a footballer often falls over to fake an injury and give the other team a penalty, but if a hockey player falls over, they will get up and try again. If a footballer sprains his ankle, he'll be out for as long as possible, but if a hockey player like Bill Guerin has his eye socket shattered by a puck, he'll be back ASAP. If a fan wants a photo of Teemu Selanne, Mike Modano, or whoever, they will happily pose with the fan. Meanwhile, if a young fan of Wayne Rooney wants to take a photo, Rooney will threaten to beat their Dad up (true story, I read it somewhere).

The Fans
Hockey has the best fans around. I haven't had any experience with fans at an NHL game before, but I'm under the impression that rivalries with fans of other teams seem generally friendly, and while we may all smack talk and poke fun at each other for liking whatever team, we are all united by a burning passion for the game. Meanwhile, most British football fans - particularly those of, say, West Ham United - are some of, if the the worst in all sports, starting mass riots and fights against supporters of rival teams over a f@*&ing game. (It's that same sort of crowd which led me to stop liking one local hockey team in favour of another).

Tradition
For the whole quarter of my life that I have been following this game, the traditions of NHL hockey are something that I have come to learn and cherish: I have attempted to grow a playoff beard whenever the Ducks make it to the postseason, for example, and the Stanley Cup is the only trophy in all sports which has that mystifying quality to it. One of the other things I like about Hockey - and I guess this applies for North American sports in general - is that every team's name has a really well thought out origin (let's face it: even though our name came from a Disney movie, it still works as a nice, subtle tie-in with So. Cal's movie industry), whereas in British Football you instead get many "Town Name United/F.C./Rovers" teams. British Ice Hockey teams also tend to settle for generic names that have little or no meaning, or a well thought out origin. My local Chelmsford Chieftains are a perfect example of this.

The Uniforms
A somewhat different reason, I'm aware, but I freaking love hockey jerseys. Not many other sports uniforms enable you to walk around with a huge team logo on the front of the jersey (or "shirt" as my fellow countrymen insist on calling them), and no matter what team it is, it's always great to see a fellow hockey fan walking around. I love the variety as well: from the play-it-safe, traditional styles of some teams to the more creative designs of others. They are some of the most easily identifiable uniforms in all sports, and in my opinion, the best looking... with some exceptions.

[Marshy]

1.) Seeing my friends during winter

It's rare that we see each other at other parts of the year. Life moves on but every winter, there we are at the rink with sticks in hand. We play hard and plays often have us competing hard against one another. In one case last year, I was the shadow on another player. I played him hard and with no equipment, he ended up getting a hip check from me. After the game, we didn't say anything about it but there was a respect factor that he shouldn't try that move again.

2.) The Sounds

There is nothing more beautiful than ice skates on a fresh sheet of smooth ice in the dead of the night. I play outdoor at a local rink in Minnesota in my hometown and often times, it's just myself out there. It's relaxing and a big piece of soul.

3.) Tradition
I am from the hockey hotbed of Minnesota of the Iron Range. The traditions of the area and the school have a garnered a lot of respect. When I was in Southern Minnesota and asked where I was from while playing a local pick up game, the answer had the kids saying, "Oh man, I wish I was from there!" and "Now I know why you play well!"

4.) There's no crying in hockey
Baseball players are on drugs. Basketball players whine. Football players shoot people. Hockey players? The worst you ever hear about them is shooting a moose out of season.

5.) It is a vehicle to learn more about our world.
I have met many NHLers from different walks of life and from different teams. Didn't know where Moose Jaw is? Wait until you have a favorite player from there. How many of us have wanted to learn the native tongue of Teemu to say "good job" to him in his own language? How many of us knew were Estonia was before Ozolinsh? It's a global game and something that lures us into learning more about culture. Not many other sports can say that.

[Todrick]

Its all good. I know I went way overboard because of the summer boredom.


And I cant narrow it down honestly to five things. Obviously speed, fighting, fans, players, not afraid mentality and toughness... But I could go on. All i know is that I LOVE HOCKEY!!!

That's why this topic was fun.... picking just 5, or summing all the things up in 5... is real hard.... took me quite a while to craft the first post here

[DropThePuck]

Here's one reason ... (Thanks to Puck Daddy for calling attention to these Goalies Gone Wild special from TSN SportsCentre videos!)