| Hockey - The Greatest Game | | | | Montreal Canadiens then wheeled off four Stanley |
| I became a hockey fan in 1963. I watched my | | | | Cups in a row just to show who was really boss. |
| first game at a friend's house as a freshman in | | | | The Canada Cup Series and the Olympics created |
| high school. He was a Chicago Black Hawks fan. I | | | | some of the greatest games in history. |
| was always an avid baseball and football fan but | | | | Today hockey has 30 teams. The lack of a |
| hockey was different. It was like a tug of war. At | | | | major TV contract hold the sport back from |
| times, momentum would shift from minute to | | | | gaining the popularity it deserves. Three teams |
| minute. Other times a team would control the | | | | are in California, two teams are in Florida, and one |
| other and dominate them for entire periods. The | | | | in Georgia, Texas, Carolina, and Arizona. The sport |
| players had different combinations of talent and | | | | is beginning to cross racial barriers and world wide |
| toughness. | | | | popularity is booming. They have many great |
| Like other sports of the era, many players were | | | | players and stars led by Alexander Ovechkin and |
| on the same team for their entire career. Just | | | | Sidney Crosby. |
| name the player and his image will come to mind | | | | I say if the sport was presented in its original |
| in their team uniform. This was the old six team | | | | form, it would blossom in America. Get rid of the |
| NHL. The Chicago Black Hawks, New York | | | | fighting instigator penalty. Hockey's superstars |
| Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, | | | | were protected in the old NHL by one, two, or |
| Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Montreal Canadiens. | | | | three players on each team who would beat your |
| I became a Toronto fan. The Maple Leafs were | | | | brains out if you put a cheap hit, slash, spear, or |
| the center point for the Hockey Night In Canada | | | | punch to one of the teams better skaters. It |
| telecasts. All the teams had proud and long | | | | added to the drama of the game. Today, open |
| traditions. Each had star scoring players, top | | | | ice "legal" checks are causing more concussions |
| goalies, great defensemen, and at least one | | | | and career ending injuries than ever. If someone |
| enforcer. | | | | delivered one of these "legal" checks in the old |
| My favorite player was Frank Mahovlich. I got | | | | NHL, they would pay dearly by getting punched |
| such a kick out of seeing him skate just over the | | | | out on several occasions. Goalies are allowed to |
| blue line, winding up with a slap shot, and rocketing | | | | skate and pass all over the place. I say if you |
| the puck like it was shot out of a cannon past | | | | step out of the crease with the puck, you are |
| the goalie. I thought, wow so many players go | | | | fair game. I like the two line pass rule. |
| through all that dipsy doodle and here this guy | | | | Breakaways are fun to watch. Get rid of that |
| just blasts that thing. The Leafs got into a | | | | crazy shootout. Let them go 5 minutes with 4 on |
| contract dispute with The Big M and the Chicago | | | | 4 play, and then 3 on 3 play. A tie after that |
| Black Hawks offered the Leafs one million dollars | | | | would not be a sin and should be allowed. I swear |
| for Mahovlich. The Leafs first agreed and then | | | | the NHL leadership is listening to soccer moms |
| refused. A year after the Leafs won their last | | | | instead of hockey moms. Stop the rink |
| Stanley Cup in 1967 they traded him to the Red | | | | presentation aimed at children. Your marketing |
| Wings. This is why I think the Leafs (who have | | | | people are ruining the game. The light shows are |
| not won a Cup since) are under "The Curse of | | | | cool, but the music is terrible. Make the old organ |
| Frank Mahovlich". Of course I became a Red | | | | music mandatory. Let the Fans begin the cheers. |
| Wings fan instantly and then in 1971, a Montreal | | | | Don't prod them on and on with pre-recorded |
| Canadiens fan as the Big M was traded again. | | | | junk. If your fans can't generate their own team |
| Mahovlich won six Stanley Cups. Bobby Hull of the | | | | cheers, then send them to a soccer game. Check |
| Black Hawks was most similar to Mahovlich with | | | | out a Sabres-Leafs, Oilers-Flames, or |
| the slap shot and of course Boom Boom | | | | Rangers-Islanders game. They don't need all that |
| Geoffrion of the Canadiens perfected the slap | | | | phony stuff to generate excitement. |
| shot and was the second player in NHL history to | | | | One last note. If TV fans can't see the puck it's |
| score 50 goals in a season. | | | | because they have no idea what is going on in the |
| In 1968, the NHL added the Pittsburg Penguins, | | | | game. It's not the visibility of the fast moving |
| Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North | | | | puck. Real hockey fans know where the darn |
| Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and the Oakland Seals. | | | | puck is and usually where it is going next. Let's |
| In 1970, dreams came true here in Buffalo, NY as | | | | take the hammers out and bang up the team bus. |
| the Buffalo Sabres became members of the NHL. | | | | Let's get the greatest game back where it |
| In 1974 the Philadelphia Flyers became the first | | | | belongs - to the real hockey fans. |
| expansion team to win the Stanley Cup. The | | | | |