Tiger disses hockey

[ryguy]

Did anyone else notice that tiger was asked in his press conference the other day who he would pick to win between Detroit and pittsburgh and he responded that he didnt care and noone watcxhes hockey anymore! Im a tiger lover but as a Candian growing up with hockey in my blood this one stung a little! any thoughts?

[Jaytee]

Repost

http://www.torontogolfnuts.com/showthread.php?t=28037

[MP33]

Does anyone really care what Tiger thinks about hockey??

[landlord]

Tiger's usually a bit more diplomatic than that. Kind of a dumb comment all around.

[Bjmcisaac]

I don't think it's a big deal at all. As a Canadian, hockey means very little to me. TV viewers ARE going way down across all networks and enrollment numbers in minor hockey in Canada are down while other sports, such as soccer, are way up.

Hockey is losing ground, and probably rightfully so. I'll probably be unpopular for saying this (having grown up playing baseball, basketball, & soccer), but hockey never really was much of a sport to begin with - particularly after Bobby Clarke's Flyers made the league into a bunch of brawlers and the CBC hired Don Cherry. The NHL (to me at least) is somewhat of a sideshow - kind of like the WWF but with semi-real story lines (the "semi" is because most are Don Cherry modified). Any sport that allows fighting and has to greatly alter its rules pretty much every year just to make it even remotely entertaining to the average fan has issues.

Oh, by the way, I do watch Leafs (and Canadians, who I grew up cheering for when I lived back East) games regularly, so I do know my hockey. I am just sick and tired of so many people continually worshipping a game that promoted violence that would be illegal on the street and that IS actually declining in popularity (although you wouldn't know it from the nutty leaf fans that call into the FAN 590 every night proposing their one great move that will "save" the Leafs).

The real point is though, with declining enrollment, declining viewers across networks and NBC basically beating CBC for ratings in the Stanley Cup, (for all of your marketing gurus - why else would CBC be considering changing the Hockey Night in Canada theme) Tiger is right, (as much as I hate to say that) not many people do watch hockey anymore.

[dekker]

Tiger doesn't need to help with dissing Hockey .It does it well enough on its own with the prices for tickets, hot dogs and beer,some very challenged hockey parents, and a "wake me when it's over" season till June. Now, thanks to some penny wise accountants at the CBC you can add them to the list.

[Flog]

I don't think it's a big deal at all. As a Canadian, hockey means very little to me. TV viewers ARE going way down across all networks and enrollment numbers in minor hockey in Canada are down while other sports, such as soccer, are way up.

Hockey is losing ground, and probably rightfully so. I'll probably be unpopular for saying this (having grown up playing baseball, basketball, & soccer), but hockey never really was much of a sport to begin with - particularly after Bobby Clarke's Flyers made the league into a bunch of brawlers and the CBC hired Don Cherry. The NHL (to me at least) is somewhat of a sideshow - kind of like the WWF but with semi-real story lines (the "semi" is because most are Don Cherry modified). Any sport that allows fighting and has to greatly alter its rules pretty much every year just to make it even remotely entertaining to the average fan has issues.

Oh, by the way, I do watch Leafs (and Canadians, who I grew up cheering for when I lived back East) games regularly, so I do know my hockey. I am just sick and tired of so many people continually worshipping a game that promoted violence that would be illegal on the street and that IS actually declining in popularity (although you wouldn't know it from the nutty leaf fans that call into the FAN 590 every night proposing their one great move that will "save" the Leafs).

The real point is though, with declining enrollment, declining viewers across networks and NBC basically beating CBC for ratings in the Stanley Cup, (for all of your marketing gurus - why else would CBC be considering changing the Hockey Night in Canada theme) Tiger is right, (as much as I hate to say that) not many people do watch hockey anymore.

:cookoo:
That is the most convoluted post I've ever read on the issue. Popularity is solely a product of a shifting demograph (i.e. immigration from countries where hockey isn't played) and has little, if anything, to do with shifting attitudes of Canadians who were born and raised here. If you're comparing soccer to hockey that's the real joke. Soccer players are the biggest bunch of cry-babies and fakers I've ever seen, and watching it is akin to watching paint dry; it's the most boring sport ever; and yes, I've played soccer plenty. The changing rules of hockey are a product of these same 'sensitive people' who complain about the fights becuase the don't have the same passion in their sport, or the stomach for hand to hand combat in sport. With soccer, instead of two players getting it over with like men, they fall down and roll around on the ground for a few minutes, then wipe away their tears and jump to their feet like it never happened. Guess what, you get a penalty for that in hockey; it's called unsportsmanlike conduct.
Participation in hockey-- by the average Canadian-- is falling because of rising costs. Don't you read the news? Thousands+ of parents are screaming because hockey is becoming a rich-kids sport, which may well be another reason for the sanitization.
As far as baseball and basketball go, what a joke! Got 6 hours to kill in front of the television? Watch a ball game. Want to see a bunch of overpaid trash-talkers pretend they're worth the millions they get, so they can buy more bling and coke? Watch basketball.
Fighting in sport has been around as long as there has been sport, in fact fighting is a sport. Did you watch the Gamboa / Jiminez fight on the weekend? Great fight, and sportsmanship offered by both sides, or does the sight of a little blood make you queasy?
If you prefer pansy sports to 'rough' sports then that's fine and dandy but don't expect hockey fans to believe you. Just ask one, they're all accross this country, not just here in Toronto.

[BowmanvilleJim]

The demise of hockey is all about the changing demographic and the ever increasing expense to play the game. Soccer is growing because of the changing demographic and it is far cheaper to participate in.

I also happen to love soccer which is why I coach. For younger kids it's the best sport because everyone gets to participate and it requires very little skills to start.

Hockey requires you to learn to skate and play with a lot of equipment on. Baseball is way to boring for kids because most kids on the field will not be involved in the action of the game.

[prohacker]

A lot of pro hockey players want to play golf but a lot of pro golfers want to play ...golf:help:

It'll be ironic if Micky wins the US Open now :)