It is now 10-8 in the NHL all-star game. This game always sucks.
I was thinking of all the 4 major sports this is how I rank them
1. MLB without a doubt is the best game
2. NBA no defence but in the last 5 minutes the players try
4. NFL and NHL both have terrible all-star games
The only thing decent about the show tonight was the CBC came up with a new schedule plan.
It would have 32 teams with WINNIPEG:D and Halifax getting a team
Then the 2 conferences would be divided between North and South so all the Canadian teams would be in the same conference
You are right, MLB easily has the best game. The Pro Bowl is awful and the NHL All Star game is a no hitter.
While that schedule plan would be too sweet I just don't think it will ever happen. I'd LOVE to see Winnipeg get the Jets back, I seriously would. That said, there is simply not enough corperate support in Winnipeg for it to ever work.
Halifax is out of the question in my opinion.
If/when the NHL goes to 32 I think Southern Ontario will get a team. They have the population center and the corperate dollars to make it work. Waterloo would be perfect. It is outside the "circle of influence" of both the Sabres and the Leafs, removing a major stumbling block to a team getting into Hamilton.
The schedule will get changed for the 08/09 season, it simply has to be. You simply can't have your best players not making an appearence in every building every year. Can you imagine the NBA setting up a schedule that had Michael Jordan not going to 10 cities a year? Or the Lakers never playing in the East? It is ridiculous but the agenda is being set by teams (Rangers, Flyers, Islanders, Florida teams, Devils etc.) that have no interest in having to spend more money on travel or have to make those treks to the West.
Tradition and the welfare of the Western teams mean nothing to the Eastern block of teams stopping the schedule change. This is where Bettman has to step in and worry about the welfare of the game.
While some fans love the so-called "rivalries" that the surrent schedule strives to bring to the table, others, like me see right through it as a money saving cash grab by the owners.
Rivalries are made in the PLAYOFFS, not through force feeding paying fans the same team 8 times a year. Did the Av's and Red Wings play each other 8 times a season? Nope but they played each other every year in the playoffs. That is why they are rivals.
Playing your divisional teams 8 times a year lessens thre impact of divisional games in my opinion. "Oh well, if we lose to them now we can get them next week" is an ideal teams could use. If they played each other 6 times a year each game would mean that much more.
The NHL HAS to get every team in every building every year. The NHL has to set it up so the Canadian teams all play each other, in each others building every year. The NHL has to have the original 6 play in every building every year. It is not rocket science.
You play your divisional rivals 6 times a year, 3 home 3 road (24 games)
You play the opposite conferance 2 times a year, 1 home 1 road (30 games)
You play the rest of your conferance 2 times a year, 1 home 1 road (20 games).
That leaves 8 extra games. You could even get the false rivalry creating 8 games against your divisional teams with that schedule. It would also create more continity in the standings because every team would have the exact same schedule accept for their divsional games.
Alright....sorry I got off topic but the NHL schedule thing makes me so upset that I go off on a rant everytime it comes up.
