NHL Hockey: Best Sport in the World

First off I"d like to say congrats to the Anaheim Ducks for winning the Stanley Cup. They had a great team this year and came out on top of the grueling playoff schedule, without ever being in danger of elimination.

Now, who doesn't think that hockey is the world's fastest, toughest, most exciting sport? I know you Europeans like the football, and I agree that when it's World Cup that it's pretty entertaining. But can it really hold up to the speed and artistry that is the NHL? I don't think so.

While I like watching baseball, it is a thinking man's game. Chess on a field.

American football? I've hate the fact that time goes off the clock when play isn't going on.

Let's hear your opinions.

I saw this yesterday and thought I would wait and see if any one else took a bite at it. No one has. So here we go.

Ice Hockey. Best sport in the world. No. Sorry. Not even close. There was a story in the local paper (SCMP.com) the other day that said the stanley cup had the worst ever viewing figures this year. Even the UFC gets better! hardly something that can claim greatest game in the world. Nothing against the NHL or Hockey as a sport cos it's cool, but it's not the unifying force needed in this shi5bag of a world.

Base Ball. Chess on a field, a thinking man's game. Best laugh I've had in a long time! Ping there goes another rib. Oh My Dullness, it's worse than Cricket (Test matches that is, the ones that can last 5 days - limited overs games are a pretty good day out) Us Brits call it rounders and that's what the girls play! That is were it came from I think.

American Football, I love this game not as much a rugby union, but I played it for a year with a youth team called the Solent Scorpions. I played D-line, I'm not huge, but I hit hard and I was a fumble magnet. I also took kick offs and field goals. This guy was my coach, just found it. He's a really top bloke.

www.independentthinking.co.uk...

Yes I am a Football lover. And in all honesty the best football is never played at the world cup. The English Premier League (EPL) and La Liga (Spanish) are the best leagues in the world, but the Italian and German top flights are not far off. And yes I know milan beat Liverpool in the European Cup Final.

Rugby world cup this summer, fantastic. England won the last one, but hell might have to freeze over for them to do it again. New Zealand are looking awsome at the moment.

Ok that'll do for now.

Ya, I thought I'd get more of a rise out of people but I guess not. Most must agree with me.

The viewership ratings for the Stanley Cup that you cite are for the USA, not Canada, where the ratings are holding steady from previous years. I never said the sport was the most viewed, nor the most popular, just the best.

It's said that for America to start watching hockey, they have to get rid of the fighting. Whaaa? Americans love fighting. I don't get that.

Baseball worse than cricket. ROFL. Who wants to go to a sporting event that lasts a week. Not to mention how easy it is to hit the ball using a plank.

Sorry, I try watching EPL and it's a snorefest. Champions League is a bit better. The best is country vs country. More drama, more tension. IMO

I admit rugby is as tough a sport as hockey, maybe just as grueling. But let's face it. They call it scrum for a reason. Just throw the ball out there and have at it: little in the way of rules. Plus, do rugby teams play 3 or 4 times a week. I'm don't know but I don't think so. You gotta be in shape to play NHL hockey, no doubt. Anyway thanks for the reply and good luck to your team.

[edit on 18-6-2007 by TheComte]

I think the NHL needs to get rid of some teams. After the strike nobody really cares about hockey anymore. Was the Stanley Cup even on TV?

I will agree that it is a very exciting game to watch. Hockey is the best sport to watch in person, but one of the worst to watch on TV. I think NHL needs to get rid of some of the teams like Atlanta, Columbus, and Florida all together, or move them to Canada. But, past teams like the Jets and the Nordiques couldn't survive in Canada. If Canadians don't want to go out and support their hockey teams, Americans definitely won't.

Football is king, and will be for a long time. TV ratings were higher this year for a San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders Sunday night game blow out, than for the final game of the NBA Championship game.

I only watch hockey when it gets to the playoffs, and only sporadically then. I could watch American football year round.

I love Hockey, but it's so hard to be a Philadelphia Flyers fan...........
Yep, I love hockey, but it comes in a very close second to NFL Football. It's even harder to be a Philadelphia Eagles fan.............

Best sport in the world? Nope. Best sport in the world of chissler? You're damn right it is.

I love hockey and everything it has to offer. Hell, I was actually named after a hockey player.

The speed, excitement, intensity, etc., of the game is what keeps me coming back for more. I've coached and played several sports, and in each of them, you have your finger on everything. In most sports, the coach decides every aspect of every game. In hockey, you put five guys out on the ice and only hope that they do what you wish. So this allows for a lot of individuality within the player, and it forces your coaches to be that much better.

The game itself, outside of Canada, does not get the respect it deserves. It's ratings are horrendous, but then again, so are they for other major sports recently as well. Most ratings on most television broadcasts are down. The US media just does not give it the opportunity.

But in Canada, we live and die by the puck.

I am going to say that hockey is not one of the best sports especially in California but i do watch a few duck games once in a while. My vote is for basketball. No other sport can really compete with the excitement and style of the NBA. If you have seen video of some of Steve Nash's assists or Kobe Bryant's fantastic shots you know what i mean. Though being a Laker fan it has been a few hard years for my team.

Spinstopshere.

NBA: Bounce bounce dunk; bounce bounce pass bounce dunk; bounce bounce pass three pointer; bounce pass dunk; bounce bounce miss bounce bounce dunk.

Thrilling (I'm sure)

I'd rather watch netball, or championship darts!

The sport with the most speed, finesse, physical agility and prowess, talent and raw emotion has got to be, hands down, NHL Hockey!

While, as previously stated, hockey may not be televised as much or perceived as being the most popular, it is certainly the "best" sport around. As a game, it has everything that anyone could possibly expect from a spectator sport.

Some, of course, will disagree but I will have to say that many folks simply do not understand the game. Aside from the U.S. "original six" cities" ; Chicago, New york, Boston and Detroit, hockey has not really been a 'natural' sport for most American cities -- aside from Northern snow-belt states. Frankly, it almost feels unnatural for places like Nashville or Dallas to even have hockey teams. Most Americans, it would seem, can't even follow the puck much less the game!

But all one has to do is see some of the finest moments of the game to understand that there is something truly 'special' going on here;

Examples of stick handling, skating, determination and skill can be epitomized by watching my favorite player of all-time-- Steve Yzerman



To recognize the innate toughness of the game check out these 'hits' and try to keep in mind that these boys don't get a week off between games



And lets not forget the fights. Some may argue that there is no place in sport for fights but, then, there is no other sport like hockey



And let's not forget the goalies. Yeah, I know soccer (or, if you will, "football") has goalies too but do they play with the danger, the speed or the agility of NHL hockey? I doubt it... (fans of soccer might have to watch these saves a few times to actually see the puck.....hockey is just a tad faster than trying to stop a big 'ol ball.....by the way, the puck can travel in excess of 100 mph and did I mention that a puck can crack concrete?)




Yes, there are a lot of great and exciting sports that one can watch (or play) but few will ever come close to matching NHL hockey. Hockey, the most popular sport? Probably not. Hockey, the sport of the most athletic, physically and mentally tough players? Absolutely!

Originally posted by lombozo
It's even harder to be a Philadelphia Eagles fan.............

Yeah, I wonder what the bagels are going to do this year...Ahhh, probably just get creamed by my Cowboys!!

Originally posted by benevolent tyrant
The sport with the most speed, finesse, physical agility and prowess, talent and raw emotion has got to be, hands down, NHL Hockey!

Yes, there are a lot of great and exciting sports that one can watch (or play) but few will ever come close to matching NHL hockey. Hockey, the most popular sport? Probably not. Hockey, the sport of the most athletic, physically and mentally tough players? Absolutely!

Without question, very well said. I doubt anyone can come up with a rebuttal of that post right there.

ChiKeyMonKey go to NBA dot com and look at the top ten plays in each category and then tell me that it is boring. Look at plays from Kobe, Lebron, Wade and many others.At least in basketball they don't go 20 minutes without scoring.

American Football all the way. If they didnt keep running the clock the game would never end.
I believe there are only a total of 7 or 8 minutes of actual bone crunching playing time in a american football game. Thats real, how could you not love that?


PS hockey sucks

I love American Football, the other Football that the rest of the world plays, and Formula one racing(not an american sport but they do have 1 race in the US) but nothing on earth can compare with Hockey.

Hockey is also not measured by it's popularity. I could care less what the rest of the country thinks of my game. I was a season ticket holder for the Los Angeles Kings for 7 years before I moved out of California. Once you go to an NHL arena and see what it's all about in person, chances are you will get hooked. It's incredible to be surrounded by 18,000 die hard fans screaming at the top of their lungs for their team.

The problem with the NHL in America these days is marketing, after all, look at what good marketing has done for NASCAR. Unfortunately, Hockey has a few knuckleheads running the league. I do agree that the NHL needs to dump a few teams to tighten up the talent pool.

Hockey is a wonderful sport that is so often misunderstood.

p.s. I need to set myself a reminder to order the center ice package so I don't miss any Kings games this season