Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Winds of change

ESPN.com (article)


5. Paint the helmets
I want hockey helmets to look cool, to be the topper of these world-class athletes who train so hard and play so hard. I want helmets like Michigan's hockey helmet, or the ones Ohio State wore against Michigan. Bold paint jobs and logos. The hockey helmet should join the ranks of cool memorabilia items and not just a smelly piece of equipment to cover Tie Domi's huge noggin'.


This article is a list of ideas that John Buccigross has that he thinks will make the NHL a better sport. This is now my new official plan for what the NHL should do. All of the ideas that he presents are good, and implementing any of them would improve the game greatly.
One thing that i would change with the NHL is the length of the season. Since more than half the teams get into the playoffs, each team is trying just to not suck too much. It doesn't take 80 or so games to find out who doesn't suck. Let's knock the regular season down to 60 or less games.
Also, i am now in favor of a shoot-out to decide regular season games. If we are going to alter the overtime from regular play with four on four, let’s just go all the way with having a shootout if the game is still tied after overtime.
Oh yeah and do away with all the standings crap from last year. Have your record be wins-losses, nothing more. Even i didn't know what the Avs standing was last year due to the wins-losses-overtime losses-burritos ate record system the NHL had, and i am a hockey fan.
One more thing, make a national hockey night (that is always on the same night), because it is hard to catch the games if you don't keep up with the schedules.
If the NHL ever gets around to caring enough to start play again, it will have one shot at saving the game, lets make the one shot it has good, and repackage it in a way where people actually want to see NHL games.
If it doesn't work i guess we can always hope the NLL steps up...

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