Cnd Olympic men's hockey team practice: really #1 story?

WezzyP · Post #61 » by **WezzyP** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:04 am

lmao you ontorians have nothing to complain about.

Come to B.C, see if our media doesn't drive you crazy

ColangeloIsGod · Post #62 » by **ColangeloIsGod** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:07 am

Tacoma wrote:
ansoncarter wrote:it's the friggin Olympics

that are being held in Canada

Lets take a look at the front page lead off stories right now in the heat of summer, Aug 27....

Fan590.com: (1) Fletcher To Remain With Leafs and (2) Kane, Cousin Plead Guilty To Disorderly Conduct.

Slamsports.com: (1) Hawks star pleads guilty to a non-criminal charge of disorderly conduct and (2) Coyotes' Arizona future hinges on lease.

Tsn.com: (1) NHLPA boss Kelly may be challenged as leader and (2) Sens' Kovalev says it would be nice to retire in Montreal.

Nationalpost.ca (sports section): (1) Future of Coyotes hinges on lease talks and (2) Olympic hopefuls lay it all on the line.

cbc.ca: front page (not sports page, but front page): Senate appointees include Habs ex-coach, journalist.

... and so on.

So in all but one case, it's about NHL hockey and the lone one case (2nd story in National Post), it was about Olympic hockey. Thus the Olympics is just an excuse to talk more about hockey.

It's like the old tale that goes something like this...

CBC Newsworld... Welcome to cbc 6pm newshour, leading off today's news, Tomas Kaberle was seen today crossing the street today... 15 minutes later... in other news, the US has just nuked Russia and China wiping out billions of innocent people as World War 3 begins...

What sells? The NHL or any other sport? A hockey game between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Atlanta Thrashers will draw upwards of 700,000 viewers on TSN. TSN officials would cream their pants if the Toronto Raptors drew 500,000 on TSN.

It is the nature of the beast, the GTA is becoming more diverse, hooray! Unfortunately, for the GTA, Canada is more than a small region of 3 million or so people. Outside of the GTA hockey is king, no one cares about basketball or soccer around here. Three sports, and three sports only draw consistent ratings in Canada and until the COUNTRY changes their coverage wont change. That is the NHL, Curling and the CFL. People talk about how big soccer is in this country, that is PARTICIPATION. No one cares about Toronto FC, or the Vancouver White Caps or the Montreal Impact, their television ratings are abysmal.

As I mentioned earlier, you don't like that millions of people love hockey and curling and only at best a hundred or so thousand love basketball then move! I at first said move to the US but it wouldn't be a good idea because Americans don't care about basketball as much either. It's NFL pre-season all day every day.

Forderon93 · Post #63 » by **Forderon93** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:19 am

Death Knight wrote:
sh00n wrote:
YogiStewart wrote:so where was the coverage at the world speedskating championships last month?
i think that's a more important pre-olympic event than hockey.

its not hockey nit-picking.

When has Canada ever been known as a speedskating country?

We're known for hockey. Some people have to get over that.

That's the stubborness of Canada. They will fight off any rising sport so that Hockey will forever reign #1. Hockey is scared of other sports.

BTW, we are known for CURLING! Eat that!

No, it's more like the average Canadian just doesn't care, I've found it funny how a few times on these Hockey-bashing threads, I've actually seen people say that Hockey fans hate Basketball which is the farthest from the true. They're indifferent to it, it's irrelevant to them, while some of you guys just have an obsessive hate for Hockey.

Kinda sad.

Gold Chain · Post #64 » by **Gold Chain** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:24 am

while some of you guys just have an obsessive hate for Hockey.

Kinda sad.

Totally.

In the summer I play ball on the courts and in the winter I play hockey on the rinks.

I have many theories on why some people hate hockey and why they like basketball and vice versa but in a PC, uptight world one must keep said things to himself.

Kaizen · Post #65 » by **Kaizen** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:25 am

The Duke wrote:Theres alot of wack in this thread... but why shoot the OP when they are starting a question...

I dont even know where to begin to respond to this thread, and I consider myself extremely knowledgable when it comes to both Summer and Winter Olympics sports.... and not only "traditional" Canadian sports.

Canada wants to "own the podium" and "win" the olympics obtaining the most medals. Now I'm not quite sure if they can do this... but they will come top 3... in the end we are talking about a nation who have twice hosted the Olympics and have never won a Gold medal on the nations soil. Let the record show, that its never happened to other countries ever.

How can someone argue that we are not a Speedskating Nation? ... When you include short and long track skating... you'd have to agree that we are one of the strongest nations in the world for that ... (along with China Yang Yang A & B, Korea, USA, Dutch, Italy).... and if they truly do want to "own the podium"... they better hope they medal alot more then they will in Hockey.

When Canadian Olympic Committee do there estimates for potential medal winners they prolly are put down a good 5-7 medals combined in shorttrack.

Another sport we'd look to dominate in is Freestyle skiing.

Anyways, what mattter is the most pubicized event at the games, is always hockey. Why? No matter your feelings it draws the most attention, the most viewer, the most money. Media will always market it that way... and even if its "slipping" its still miles ahead of everything else.

The Summer Olympics might be like 10X the impact of the Winter Olympics on a global stage (which is more in line with the thoughts of the OP) in terms world impact and influence.... but the difference between the 2 Olympics for Canada is much more leveled.

But its sad to see that some of our "once" highly regarded sports like Swimming (which contain a TON of possible medals) have slipped, where we were shut out i think in 2000 and 2004, and got 1 or 2 in 2008.

Personally I rather see Amature Athletes competing in the Hockey events the way it use to be. And there is some talk that this could be the last year, but with Salt Lake City and Vancouver getting the olympics, there was way to much money left on the table not to have them in.

A couple of things:

1) The guy said people do not think of us as a speed-skating country first. I think that is a very fair point and most countries do think of us as only a hockey country. To say otherwise would be naive.

2) I would love if they changed the hockey rules to the same as the rules they use in soccer. Under 21 or 23 would be perfect in my opinion. There is no way I want to go back to the days where we are killed by other countries pros or 21 no names are on the ice representing our country when we have so many other good young pro players that could be there.

3) Using swimming is a bad example. Things are looking up for us. Ryan Cochrene is the only one who won a medal as far as I know and is still really young. He also just won a silver in the 800 metres in the World Championships. We also have great medal hopefuls in Pierse and the young lady who set a world record in her event plus an okay medal prospect in Brent Hayden. Things are looking up for us.

Death Knight · Post #66 » by **Death Knight** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:26 am

Forderon93 wrote:No, it's more like the average Canadian just doesn't care, I've found it funny how a few times on these Hockey-bashing threads, I've actually seen people say that Hockey fans hate Basketball which is the farthest from the true. They're indifferent to it, it's irrelevant to them, while some of you guys just have an obsessive hate for Hockey.

Kinda sad.

Hockey fans are of a much older age. Older people are mostly computer illiterate and just sit on their couch and don't care I guess. Basketball fans are younger. They are on the computer a lot more and thus you'll hear from us a lot more.

Forderon93 · Post #67 » by **Forderon93** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:34 am

Death Knight wrote:
Forderon93 wrote:No, it's more like the average Canadian just doesn't care, I've found it funny how a few times on these Hockey-bashing threads, I've actually seen people say that Hockey fans hate Basketball which is the farthest from the true. They're indifferent to it, it's irrelevant to them, while some of you guys just have an obsessive hate for Hockey.

Kinda sad.

Hockey fans are of a much older age. Older people are mostly computer illiterate and just sit on their couch and don't care I guess. Basketball fans are younger. They are on the computer a lot more and thus you'll hear from us a lot more.

That's not quite true, considering HFBoards(biggest Hockey forum) is a lot bigger than RealGM.

General NBA Discussion on RealGM= 560k posts
General NHL discussion on HF=2.4 m posts

Plus the Raptors board on RGM is smaller than the Leafs board on HF, it's just the Leafs fans don't care about Basketball, if anything they're actually casual fans of the sport and don't make it a point to bash it at every chance they get.

Post #68 » by **YogiStewart** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:36 am

ColangeloIsGod wrote:As I mentioned earlier, you don't like that millions of people love hockey and curling and only at best a hundred or so thousand love basketball then move!

you really think this is a primary reason to move from a country? :lol:

I'm imagining Afghanistan. a father say to his son:
"Son, I am tired of the war, but i am REALLY tired of the coverage soccer gets all the time on the radio."
son: "Pappa, i hear that there's a country where they rarely talk about soccer. Its called Canada."
Father: "Canada, eh? no soccer? go on...."
Son: "We should consider moving from this country of ours because the soccer coverage also drives me nuts! the war? i can handle. but soccer???"

and internationally, we are not known as a soccer nation. in Europe, they probably know us from our downhill skiing victories last winter. in the US? they know hockey. in Africa, you think they know us because of ice hockey? that is too funny.

and to those who say that hockey is big outside of the GTA and we in the GTA shouldn't put our diverse sports desires ahead of the rest of the country: The GTA's population is almost 20% of the country's population. i wasn't born in Toronto, but you bow down to what the largest TV market offers you and not to what Elbow River wants to see.

Why does hockey still get great ratings? you think that 15 years of Raptor ball with limited to no national exposure will get you great TV ratings? whereas HNIC is a Canadian institution...yet playoff ratings dropped last year yet again (if i recall correctly).

Kaizen · Post #69 » by **Kaizen** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:37 am

I am a hockey fan first and foremost. I am a casual fan of basketball and want the Raptors to succeed. The constant hate for hockey and the Leafs makes it hard to be a fan of the Raptors sometimes though.

Kaizen · Post #70 » by **Kaizen** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:38 am

You guys get angry when basketball gets bad publicity and angry when there is not enough coverage. There is not that much positive things to say so what do you people want?

A lot of people on here think our National team is terrible and has no chance at qualifying for the World Championships. Would you be happy if every TV station went on the air and told all the viewers this? I know I would rather keep that kind of information to the true fans who care enough to know that already.

Post #71 » by **The Duke** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:47 am

CZAR85 wrote:A couple of things:

1) The guy said people do not think of us as a speed-skating country first. I think that is a very fair point and most countries do think of us as only a hockey country. To say otherwise would be naive.

2) I would love if they changed the hockey rules to the same as the rules they use in soccer. Under 21 or 23 would be perfect in my opinion. There is no way I want to go back to the days where we are killed by other countries pros or 21 no names are on the ice representing our country when we have so many other good young pro players that could be there.

3) Using swimming is a bad example. Things are looking up for us. Ryan Cochrene is the only one who won a medal as far as I know and is still really young. He also just won a silver in the 800 metres in the World Championships. We also have great medal hopefuls in Pierse and the young lady who set a world record in her event plus an okay medal prospect in Brent Hayden. Things are looking up for us.

1) shoon said "When has Canada ever been known as a speedskating country?" .... The answer to that is that we have been a speedskating country for a VERY long time.

2)Just because Canada didnt win a Hockey Gold medal with the young amature players is not a case why they should go back to how it was. They were talking about removing them due to scheduling and because of fairness issues that arrise with teams Bettman said... I remember when the Winter Olympics were overseas, prior to the actual start of the Olympics, there were qualifing Pool B games being held, I think for the last remaining spots during the regular season a few weeks before official start of olympic break... and NHL players where getting owners to fly them there to play games abd come back... it just wasnt fair he said. But either way, NHL players in the olympics is big money, and money talks... so i'd expect them to continue it.... Other winter Olympic sports dont allow professional to compete in the olympics, like Skating and pretty much everyone else is an amature athelete. IOC dictates things not Hockey Canada....

3)How is swimming a bad example? We went from being one of the highly regarded nations in swimming and winning a good share of medals to winninng 1-2 medals. Also to add to that we we'e extremely competitive in the top events... now our 1-2 medals came in like the 800m and 1500m... not exactly the most luster events and they dont generate high coverage in swimming world either. Hyden, is a good athlete, no doubt, solid in the 200m Free.. but medals talk in the Olympics.. and how much does he have now? ... We'll see if the 4x200m Free can get on the podium, I'll be watching, but im not holding my breath.

Trax416 · Post #72 » by **Trax416** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:49 am

Why complain about Hockey? It's clearly the most important sport to our country, the most popular, and the sport we are best at.

Who gives a **** if basketball is popular or not? Canada has one extremely **** team. Of course the sport will be over-looked.

Hockey is a great sport, and a Canadian tradition. Stop crying about it.

Post #73 » by **supersub15** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:52 am

CZAR85 wrote:You guys get angry when basketball gets bad publicity and angry when there is not enough coverage. There is not that much positive things to say so what do you people want?

A lot of people on here think our National team is terrible and has no chance at qualifying for the World Championships. Would you be happy if every TV station went on the air and told all the viewers this? I know I would rather keep that kind of information to the true fans who care enough to know that already.

Go back and read the thread again. Nobody asked for the networks to cover basketball more than hockey. Far from it. We're only asking for more diversification. The Simmons moron from the Toronto Sun was lamenting the other day how basketball gets some coverage from 2 to 4 p.m. on the FAN590. I mean really, 22 hours of hockey aren't enough?

Hypz · Post #74 » by **Hypz** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:52 am

FAWK HOOKEY, EH

Post #75 » by **Hassassin** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:53 am

Forderon93 wrote:That's not quite true, considering HFBoards(biggest Hockey forum) is a lot bigger than RealGM.

General NBA Discussion on RealGM= 560k posts
General NHL discussion on HF=2.4 m posts

Plus the Raptors board on RGM is smaller than the Leafs board on HF, it's just the Leafs fans don't care about Basketball, if anything they're actually casual fans of the sport and don't make it a point to bash it at every chance they get.

Maybe. However RealGM generates more traffic than the HFboards according to Alexa.com

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/realgm.com
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/hfboards.com

Death Knight · Post #76 » by **Death Knight** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:56 am

Forderon93 wrote:
Death Knight wrote:
Forderon93 wrote:No, it's more like the average Canadian just doesn't care, I've found it funny how a few times on these Hockey-bashing threads, I've actually seen people say that Hockey fans hate Basketball which is the farthest from the true. They're indifferent to it, it's irrelevant to them, while some of you guys just have an obsessive hate for Hockey.

Kinda sad.

Hockey fans are of a much older age. Older people are mostly computer illiterate and just sit on their couch and don't care I guess. Basketball fans are younger. They are on the computer a lot more and thus you'll hear from us a lot more.

That's not quite true, considering HFBoards(biggest Hockey forum) is a lot bigger than RealGM.

General NBA Discussion on RealGM= 560k posts
General NHL discussion on HF=2.4 m posts

Plus the Raptors board on RGM is smaller than the Leafs board on HF, it's just the Leafs fans don't care about Basketball, if anything they're actually casual fans of the sport and don't make it a point to bash it at every chance they get.

Way to pick and choose in order to fit your argument.........Why are you comparing different forums? Realgm NBA vs Realgm NHL, other forum NBA vs other forum NHL. That's how it should be done.

Forderon93 · Post #77 » by **Forderon93** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:58 am

HA! wrote:
Forderon93 wrote:That's not quite true, considering HFBoards(biggest Hockey forum) is a lot bigger than RealGM.

General NBA Discussion on RealGM= 560k posts
General NHL discussion on HF=2.4 m posts

Plus the Raptors board on RGM is smaller than the Leafs board on HF, it's just the Leafs fans don't care about Basketball, if anything they're actually casual fans of the sport and don't make it a point to bash it at every chance they get.

Maybe. However RealGM generates more traffic than the HFboards according to Alexa.com

http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/realgm.com
http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/hfboards.com

Yeah but that really doesn't have much to do with the point I was trying to make.

The point is Hockey fans rarely if ever knock Basketball because it's either indifferent to them or they're fans of it themselves, while I see a lot Hockey hate on here and brought that up, and he was basically saying Hockey fans are old and don't use the web so that's why you don't see the hate, which isn't true at all because HF has most posts than RealGM and I never see Basketball-bashing on there.

Kaizen · Post #78 » by **Kaizen** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 1:59 am

1) Fine. The only post I saw was somebody saying we are not known as a speed-skating nation first. Of course we are a speed-skating nation. We produced a few of the very best the sport has ever seen.

2) They fixed the problem they had with the qualifying rounds in time for 2006. That is no longer a problem. We were not just not winning Gold. We were getting killed by other countries pros. The fact you would prefer that then seeing our best players worries me but that is your opinion.

3) When were we ever a big swimming nation? 1992? I would love if you had some stats to back it up and do not use the year the Soviets boycotted to help your case. Hayden won a Gold Medal in the 100 Free. I did not even know he was a contender in the 200 free. You feel like ignoring the Women's events all together? Show them some respect. They have been carrying our country in Winter and Summer Olympics for a while now. Every other country wants to be good in the glamour events as well. You take what you can get. You have to add in that swimming is like the national sport for Australia and South Africa is producing world-class swimmers in the freestyle events. It will be extremely difficult to beat those countries and the US.

Death Knight · Post #79 » by **Death Knight** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:00 am

BTW, didn't realgm have to reset it's board a while back?

Forderon93 · Post #80 » by **Forderon93** » Fri Aug 28, 2009 2:01 am

Death Knight wrote:
Forderon93 wrote:
Death Knight wrote:
Hockey fans are of a much older age. Older people are mostly computer illiterate and just sit on their couch and don't care I guess. Basketball fans are younger. They are on the computer a lot more and thus you'll hear from us a lot more.

That's not quite true, considering HFBoards(biggest Hockey forum) is a lot bigger than RealGM.

General NBA Discussion on RealGM= 560k posts
General NHL discussion on HF=2.4 m posts

Plus the Raptors board on RGM is smaller than the Leafs board on HF, it's just the Leafs fans don't care about Basketball, if anything they're actually casual fans of the sport and don't make it a point to bash it at every chance they get.

Way to pick and choose in order to fit your argument.........Why are you comparing different forums? Realgm NBA vs Realgm NHL, other forum NBA vs other forum NHL. That's how it should be done.

Why would I do that? I'm taking the two big forums for both sports, most Hockey fans haven't even heard of RealGM...