All-Purpose Hockey Thread III

Not sure if this has been posted, but I thought it was pretty funny:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/story?columnist=buccigross_john&id=2747167

 

Good find, Angola.

Always had a backyard rink growing up. As a matter of fact, I think there were five or six on our street alone.

Dave Gagner (former NHLer) runs a business that builds backyard rinks for really rich people: artificial ice, full boards, lights, scoreboards. Prices start at around $25,000.

Check'em out:

http://www.customicerinks.com/residential.asp

 

Now you're just being argumentative.

 

No question, a new rink would do wonders for attendance in Windsor. (Although it would be tough to replicate the atmosphere - or the horrid bathrooms - of the Windsor Arena which I tell people has to be experienced. I've never been there for a playoff game or a game against Plymouth or Sarnia or London. Can't imagine how nuts those fans would be.)

Where would a new rink be SSM? Close to the Barn?

Bob Duff's column in the Windsor Star the other day was a brilliant indictment of what a rip-off the AHL is compared to junior hockey. Why pay to watch career minor-league types or marginal NHLers when you can see guys like John Tavares or Bobby Ryan or Sam Gagner or Bryan Little (who will spend little, if any, time in the minors) for a fraction of the price....

 

There was a time, not all that long ago, that Windsor Arena was completely nuts, no matter the opponent. Seats right on top of the ice surface, no glass behind the benches or penalty boxes. The rink right next door to the projects, and within stumbling distance for every lunatic lowlife you could imagine whose entire lives revolved around Spitfire hockey. It was classic. They'd just as well eat their own as the opponent, too. I've seen plenty of interesting items tossed onto the ice there during games...including the classic story of the potato being thrown at a visiting goaltender. BTW, the "visiting" end of the ice has an overhang and it could really get nasty there. A real tough place to play, but nowadays not quite so much. Other than the washrooms....hope you never have to go numero deux at the Barn.

Huggy, the new rink is on the far east end of town, not far from the Tecumseh town limit. It's probably a 15-20 minute ride from downtown.

 

Tretiak suggests a Summit Series revival.

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/news_story/?ID=194120&hubname=nhl

 

The things you find on YouTube.

An overtime playoff game between the Habs and Leafs in 1979. Tiger Williams takes a penalty and Montreal scores on the power play. Williams goes crazy and tries to go after the ref. About 6-7 Leafs have to hold him back. Larry Robinson actually skates over to him to calm him down too.

 

1) I love how Williams' teammates actually hook him with their sticks.
2) Holy shit, Robinson is huge.

 

Great find.
Notice a much younger Roger Neilsen (RIP) and Scotty Bowman and NO board advertising.

 

I have been in every rink in the O many, many times and I've never seen home fans get on their guys like the Windsor crowd. Who could forget the nightly introduction of captain Craig (everybody join in now, '"YOU SUCK") Mahon?

And The Barn is in such a nice neighbourhood too.

 

<a href="http://sportsmediawatch.blogspot.com/2007/01/ratings-vs-versus.html">
Here is a good analysis by the Sports Media Watch blog of the NHL's</a> unfortunate decision to extend its contract with Versus. Please get us a commissioner who has a clue!

 

Another winning idea: NHL experiments with bigger nets.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/rumors/post/NHL-considers-larger-nets;_ylt=AmidaSEporz6g3TcGs4.lTR7vLYF?urn=nhl,23300