Buccigross's 10 ways to improve the game

[shmuck]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=2023787

This guy is a freaking idiot!

I'm a traditionalist and I think Leftie will agree with me here, if they make the nets bigger someones getting an ass kicking. Thats the dumbest thing I've ever heard of, I dont think basketball made the nets bigger or the football making the uprights wider. Shit like that pisses me off.

The other main thing was the penalty deterrents, he wants a player to get ejected after 4 penalties? Thats pretty dumb, some teams are going to be playing the end of the game with half a bench and then he says later in the article that he doesnt want to see the players get hurt through exhaustion.

Moron.

[LeftClickHere]

Yeah I agree Shmuck although there are a couple of things I do agree with.

Paint the helmets? Will that make the actual game better?

He's entitled to his opinion of not having music played before the faceoff, but if you're at the game its good to have music inbetween play.

And here's the best one, under Adopt all AHL Rules he says "Shootouts televise well and they're sexy to the untrained eye." Sexy to the untrained eye? While I understand that the NHL wants to flourish in places like Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville etc. When I see a quote like this it says to me, Who cares about our regular, loyal fans. We should do this to please other people who don't even care about the game.


Buccigross is a tool.

[shmuck]

Painting the helmets is like the only thing I'd consider. I'm not a big fan of it really I can see it getting carried away pretty quick but some would look cool.

[Sxy Mofo]

And here's the best one, under Adopt all AHL Rules he says "Shootouts televise well and they're sexy to the untrained eye." Sexy to the untrained eye? While I understand that the NHL wants to flourish in places like Phoenix, Atlanta, Nashville etc. When I see a quote like this it says to me, Who cares about our regular, loyal fans. We should do this to please other people who don't even care about the game.


Buccigross is a tool.

First thing they need to do to improve the game is: play.

Second about the regular loyal fans, if only 3 teams made money as they say, there's obviously not enough of those. I'd say contract hockey from the south areas and put more teams in canada

[shmuck]

Another reason they're losing money though is because of players contracts. This leads to higher ticket prices which drive fans away from the arena plus the poor level of play by some teams also keeps fans away.

Now I'm not saying that if the players salaries come down that ticket prices will come down as well, I'm not that dumb. They should come down but the owners are still pretty damn greedy and wont get rid of that money. If the increase the talent level by contracting teams more people will come to see a good team instead of a crappy one.

[Vegas]

His ideas are generally horrible, but to get congress to look into the union and league leadership would be about as smart as running Amtrak. They would make it a bigger mess than it already is.

[LeftClickHere]

First thing they need to do to improve the game is: play.

Second about the regular loyal fans, if only 3 teams made money as they say, there's obviously not enough of those. I'd say contract hockey from the south areas and put more teams in canada

None of the Canadian teams are doing well financially with the exception of Toronto.
The Leafs make money despite the exchange rate in currency. They are able to do this because they are in a big market and they also have many fans not only in Toronto but also everywhere else. Teams like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, struggle even though they do very well with attendence. They're all small market teams. Hopefully when the NHL comes back and they have a good cap in place, then these teams will be financially stable.

[asheylarry]

i can't wait for them to play again. nothing like getting kicked in the balls by the flyers.

[Vegas]

None of the Canadian teams are doing well financially with the exception of Toronto.
The Leafs make money despite the exchange rate in currency. They are able to do this because they are in a big market and they also have many fans not only in Toronto but also everywhere else. Teams like Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, struggle even though they do very well with attendence. They're all small market teams. Hopefully when the NHL comes back and they have a good cap in place, then these teams will be financially stable.One of my favorite sports quotes of all time was from Jack Kent Cooke after he sold the Lakers, Kings, and the Forum. His biggest frustration was money he had lost on the Kings. He said that there were millions of Canadians in LA and he had finally figured out the reason that they were there. They hate hockey.

It's a funny quote, but not a true one. I had season tickets to the Kings for several years with a good friend from Toronto. He was one of many Leafs fans in LA.

[PaytonPaw]

As a goalie I have to say HELL NO on making the nets wider. Perhaps I'm biased though.

[shmuck]

As a goalie I have to say HELL NO on making the nets wider. Perhaps I'm biased though.
I would actually think that goalies would go for the pad restrictions then the larger nets. Like I said before as well with others, they need to change the style of play not the scoring. Fast paced hockey would be a good direction to start in.

[steagles]

8. Take out the red line
I'm convinced this would create some space. The skill and talent of the NHL player would take advantage of this more so than the college or international player who simply isn't as talented. No rule against a two-line pass. The fewer rules the better.

i am not sure why you people do not see this rule change as being beneficial. there are few things in hockey that i hate more than a great outlet pass called back because it was over two lines.

[shmuck]

The thing with the no red line is it would create more cherry pickers I'm sure. This would be beneficial for me since Detroit isn't too bad off with players like that, so I'm all for it.

[Domino427]

I gotta agree w/you guys. I hate the way this is all about money, which makes it all about the "casual fans". Fuck them! Hockey is a tough, defensive game. It doesnt have to be high scoring to be interesting!

I've always liked watching the Flyers because of a lot of the 3rd and 4th line guys. I loved rooting for them because even if they weren't the flashiest players, the best scorers...they still had a place and were important to the teams success. Guys like Kent Manderville, Paul Ranheim, Shaun Podein, Chris Therien, etc. They weren't there to light the lamp, but if they didnt shut down the other team's scorers, we'd have a lot harder time winning.

That, IMO, is what hockey is about.

[steagles]

I gotta agree w/you guys. I hate the way this is all about money, which makes it all about the "casual fans". Fuck them! Hockey is a tough, defensive game. It doesnt have to be high scoring to be interesting!

I've always liked watching the Flyers because of a lot of the 3rd and 4th line guys. I loved rooting for them because even if they weren't the flashiest players, the best scorers...they still had a place and were important to the teams success. Guys like Kent Manderville, Paul Ranheim, Shaun Podein, Chris Therien, etc. They weren't there to light the lamp, but if they didnt shut down the other team's scorers, we'd have a lot harder time winning.

That, IMO, is what hockey is about.
i was a manderville fan too. unfortunate that we traded him for a convicted felon, who never played any significant minutes for the flyers.

[shmuck]

Being a Detroit fan I know what you mean about 4th liners. Draper, Maltby, and McCarty are great at what they do.

[JRoll]

I gotta agree w/you guys. I hate the way this is all about money, which makes it all about the "casual fans". Fuck them! Hockey is a tough, defensive game. It doesnt have to be high scoring to be interesting!

I've always liked watching the Flyers because of a lot of the 3rd and 4th line guys. I loved rooting for them because even if they weren't the flashiest players, the best scorers...they still had a place and were important to the teams success. Guys like Kent Manderville, Paul Ranheim, Shaun Podein, Chris Therien, etc. They weren't there to light the lamp, but if they didnt shut down the other team's scorers, we'd have a lot harder time winning.

That, IMO, is what hockey is about.
Manderville, Ranheim, and Hull= Best. Line. Ever.

Manderville was my favorite Flyer while he was with the team and now Gagne and Kapanen are.

[Pitpen]

Manderville, Ranheim, and Hull= Best. Line. Ever.

Manderville was my favorite Flyer while he was with the team and now Gagne and Kapanen are.
Surely, you mean on the Flyers and not in the history of the league.

[JRoll]

Surely, you mean on the Flyers and not in the history of the league.
Of course.

[Pitpen]

Of course.
In that case, I have no arguments.





I don't think the Penguins have had a real fourth line for a decade.

[PaytonPaw]

I would actually think that goalies would go for the pad restrictions then the larger nets. Like I said before as well with others, they need to change the style of play not the scoring. Fast paced hockey would be a good direction to start in.
If I had to choose it would be an easy choice. restricting the pads will require goalies to be more accurate in their saves. Widening the net just creates more situations where it is impossible for a goalie to make a save.

Think of it like soccer. A wide open shot is almost a guaranteed goal, but where is the real fun in that. Make it tougher for the goalie, but give him a chance.

[shmuck]

I don't think the Penguins have had a real fourth line for a decade.
I dont think the Penguins have had any 2nd, 3rd, or 4th line for the better part of a decade. :D

[Jz646]

I think his list is more "How to get more viewers" than "How to improve the game."

[Pitpen]

I dont think the Penguins have had any 2nd, 3rd, or 4th line for the better part of a decade. :D
No, that's only been 3 or 4 years.

[GameMisconduct]

The only idea I like is removing the redline. Other than that I would make the rinks Olympic sized and restrict the goalies from wearing pads 6 sizes too big like *cough* Garth Snow *cough*. Maybe that would allow players with extreme talent to be able to get in space and do their thing. I like traditional hockey, but when you get guys that big and fast onto that small of a rink, it does come to a grinding halt quickly.