They emerged from their caves for a week of golf, tennis, sun bathing, feasting and imbibing at world class facilities, all on the dime of their fans. The clueless clods that have created a game that is so unappealing that it cannot crack a 1.0 rating in prime time on NBC convened last week for their annual general manager winter meetings.
The cavemen that masquerade as general managers had a grand time on our dime, and were falling all over themselves in praise of their latest agreement to pursue three-on-three for some portion of overtime in order to try and prevent more games from going to a shootout. Once again it was a stunning study of the classic case of the blind leading the blind, not to mention idiots being so deep into the forest that they cannot see the trees.
Evolution not Addressed
Meanwhile, the real problem and issue as to why more games are going to shootouts failed to get any serious discussion. The 200 x 85 ft. ice surface is the same size as what was used when another shutdown clod, Herbert Hoover, was President of the United States, assuming office just before the Great Depression in 1929. For many hockey fans, this current era is their own personal Great Depression with scoring back down to Dead Puck Era (1995-2005) levels.
Human beings continue to evolve into larger models. Equipment and training have made these significantly bigger players faster and more skilled. There is no room to create offensively in regular five-on-five situations any more.
Then there are the XXX-sized goaltenders that have become bigger that the cage itself. There is little net to shoot at. Teams are now drafting the largest sized goaltenders in history and those goaltenders are wearing much larger equipment than what was used even a generation ago.
A self-described “3-2 shutdown” league was tweaked while the real issues of skilled players having no room to show off their talents, of goaltenders that have a distinct unfair advantage, of drone-like systems that suck the life out of the game, all failing to be addressed.
Solutions
If there was more room to create offensively and larger nets, there would be more scoring and less games going all the way to shootouts. There would also be fewer Stanley Cup Playoff games going into multiple overtimes where work-a-day fans have to tune out to go to bed.
Full time four-on-four with larger nets is the obvious answer to today’s problems and the issue of evolution. If that is too radical for the cavemen, then a two minute minor should be served in its entirety, which would create far more four-on-four situations and even some three-on-three action as well.
The Ultimate Questions
How would it harm the NHL to be transformed from a “3-2 shutdown league” into a wide open 4-3 or even 5-4 league? How would it harm the NHL to bring back water cooler discussions of players gunning for 70 or 80 goals in a season and trying to break Wayne Gretzky’s records? You know, the type of discussions that are NOT being had these days. How would it harm the NHL to have it brilliance and creativity of its star players unleased on the stage of HDTV? How would it harm the NHL to redefine good defense with a standard of three goals a game allowed instead of today’s two goals per game allowed?
Oblivious Leadership
The NHL leadership has again failed to deliver what the vast majority of its paying fans want, which is more goals and excitement. Fans do not watch hockey to study the technical aspects of making paint dry. They want up and down action, scoring, and to see offensive skills flourish.
It is a disgrace that in today’s game, Gretzky would likely have been sent down to the minor leagues by some shutdown clod coach to work on his defense. Bobby Orr would have been ordered to stop his end to end rushes and concentrate on the shutdown. Gretzky and Orr would have been suffocated into drones in today’s game.
The NHL has again proven to be utterly tone deaf, blind, and clueless about it’s ticket to growth and increased popularity.
Three-on-three overtime? Yawn. Once again the NHL has proven to be penny-wise and pound foolish, not to mention utterly gutless and oblivious.
Herbert Hoover would be quite impressed.
