The Big 3: NHL, MLB, NBA

[irishmike357]

It depends does New York get credit for Knicks, Nets (soon), Rangers, Jets, Giants, Yankees and Mets? If so then it will be them. Either way I would pick NY to be the first state, even over CA and TX, which both have legit shots. The Knicks are putting together a very good squad, the Jets and Giants are both right there, and Yanks are obviously always a threat.

Oh how right you were about that

[Spanish Inquisitor]

What side of Europe? Western? The majority of Eastern Europe, basically every former Eastern Bloc country, has a very strong hockey culture. As far as names go, you won't hear about indivivual hockey players' names because of the difference between the culture in the two sports. Basketball is a sport entirely based around emphasizing individuals, while hockey is a sport where people identify more with the team as a whole. That said, I'd wager most hockey fans could name the majority of players on their team, first line to fourth, while basketball fans wouldn't know the names of every player on their team. I can name every single player currently on the Bruins roster. I'll prove it:

Zdeno Chara
Dennis Seidenberg
Patrice Bergeron
Shawn Thornton
Daniel Paille
Gregory Campbell
Brad Marchand
Milan Lucic
David Krejci
Nathan Horton
Rich Peverley
Chris Kelly
Johnny Boychuk
Brian Rolston
Andrew Ference
Tuukka Rask
Anton Khudobin
Tim Thomas
Jordan Caron
Marc Savard (technically, probably won't play again but is still signed)

That was off the top of my head and with a few minutes of thinking. And go figure, I forgot only Tyler Seguin, Adam McQuaid, and Mike Mottau.

Well, that might prove that hockey fans are more knowledgeable than basketball fans, or that basketball has more casual fans (which would kinda prove my point). But I don't think it's an indicative of how relevant a sport is among the general public.

[irishmike357]

I think basketball players are more well known than most sports because there are only 5 starters per team and they play most of the game. Also they don't wear helmets or hats at all so it is very easy to recognize them. Hockey has 6 starters but 5 of them will get off the ice after the first minute of the game. Canada and the US combined have over 1 million registered hockey players (reported by their hockey commissions). World wide both are probably about equal, but there is no country in which basketball is the #1 sport in that country.

[Spanish Inquisitor]

I think basketball players are more well known than most sports because there are only 5 starters per team and they play most of the game. Also they don't wear helmets or hats at all so it is very easy to recognize them. Hockey has 6 starters but 5 of them will get off the ice after the first minute of the game. Canada and the US combined have over 1 million registered hockey players (reported by their hockey commissions). World wide both are probably about equal, but there is no country in which basketball is the #1 sport in that country.

There are countries where basketball is the most important sport, or at least damn close to it. Greece, Turkey, Israel, Lithuania, Serbia, Croatia... But there is a big difference, number one or not, basketball is played and has some degree of popularity pretty much everywhere. There are many countries where hockey virtually doesn't exist.

[Castrated Rhino]

The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

How are college sports boring? What makes hockey so much better? You probably just grew up playing or watching hockey and feel that bias for the same reason that most people in other parts of the world would say soccer is better than the most popular sports here. Doesn't necessarily make it true because it's subjective. None of the arguments you made are convincing whatsoever...

Hockey doesn't get the respect it "deserves" on TV because the fact of the matter is in most parts of the country it really isn't as popular as NBA Basketball, NFL Football, or the MLB. CBM wasn't saying "These sports are better sports than hockey," he was just stating the fact that in most of the USA, you'll see more people who are into NBA, MLB, and NFL than NHL hockey.

[Cornbread Mafia]

The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

what did hockey learn from the lockout exactly? they lost viewers because of it and are about to lose even more because they are locked out again. hockey doesnt get the respect of the networks because nobody watches it, if they did then it would be on tv like the NFL, NBA, MLB, college football, and college basketball. i can wait an eternity and hockey will never "be up there" as you claim it will just continue its decline.

personally i got no beef with hockey, i played roller hockey when i was a kid and used to go to hockey games when we had a minor league team here but the truth of the matter is hockey is a bad product to watch on tv and the numbers and rapidly declining income prove me right.

you may think college sports are "boring as shit" but the general public doesnt agree with you, there is a reason you see 50 college football games on tv every weekend and are hard pressed to find even one NHL game during their season. just last night for example there was a BYU vs Boise State football game on primetime tv and i couldnt tell you when the last time i saw an NHL game on tv let alone in prime time

and at the NHL being bigger worldwide than the NFL, NBA, and MLB combined. The NFL alone makes billions of dollars and the NHL cant even make enough to pay its players 1/5th of what the NFL pays, the NFL locked its players out last year but hurried a deal together because they knew the amount of money they would lose if the season didnt start on time the NHL on the other hand just lost a complete season a few years ago and are ready to do it again because instead of making money they lose money but yeah its a bigger sport

[BestWayKilla]

The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

How are college sports boring? What makes hockey so much better? You probably just grew up playing or watching hockey and feel that bias for the same reason that most people in other parts of the world would say soccer is better than the most popular sports here. Doesn't necessarily make it true because it's subjective. None of the arguments you made are convincing whatsoever...

Hockey doesn't get the respect it "deserves" on TV because the fact of the matter is in most parts of the country it really isn't as popular as NBA Basketball, NFL Football, or the MLB. CBM wasn't saying "These sports are better sports than hockey," he was just stating the fact that in most of the USA, you'll see more people who are into NBA, MLB, and NFL than NHL hockey.

College sports bore me because of how much worse the players are than their professional counterparts. Only a select type of college football player ever makes it int the NFL, which is unquestionably the league with the most busts. Most college football players are lucky if they ever get to be second sting at their position. And don't even talk to me about college hockey. I enjoy watching the Frozen Four, the only time of year ESPN acknowledges the sport exists, but college hockey games are a fraction of the speed of a NHL games. The only reason college sports are popular is because of gambling. By the same token, professional football, basketball, and baseball owe a very large portion of their popularity to gambling. Conversely, there's really no market for gambling in hockey. No spreads, far more unpredictable, and virtually impossible to fix. And don't try to tell me gambling doesn't play a part in it, because you know it does.

Of course, as I write this, the NHL is once again in a fucking lockout. Basketball fans, you have no idea how lucky you are to be rid of Gary Bettman. That piece of shit is the biggest cancer on any particular sport in the world, and it just so happens we hockey fans are the lucky bastards who get stuck with him. I'm not saying Roger Goodell, Bud Selig, and David Stern are great at their jobs, in fact I think they're all terrible, but the NHL managed to end up with the worst one out of all of them. If we weren't saddled with this prick, the NHL would be at least on par with the other 3 leagues. I don't doubt that for a second.

[BestWayKilla]

The big 3 in the US are the NFL, NBA, and MLB. The NHL is a distant 4th and that is being nice, I would argue that college football and basketball are both bigger than the NHL in the states.

As for the question I would pick boston or chicago but I don't really see it ever happening

Shut your filthy mouth. Hockey is the real shit, compared to the NHL the other 3 leagues are filled with pussies and hockey is bigger worldwide than those 3 sports combined. If the TV networks ever gave hockey the respect it geserved it wouls be bigger. College sports suck, they are boring as shit. The NHL will get bigger because they learned their lesson with the lockout, and as the other leagues go into lockouts the NHL will just get bigger. ESPN missed the boat after the lockout and their loss is NBC's gain. Just wait, the NHL will get up there.

what did hockey learn from the lockout exactly? they lost viewers because of it and are about to lose even more because they are locked out again. hockey doesnt get the respect of the networks because nobody watches it, if they did then it would be on tv like the NFL, NBA, MLB, college football, and college basketball. i can wait an eternity and hockey will never "be up there" as you claim it will just continue its decline.

personally i got no beef with hockey, i played roller hockey when i was a kid and used to go to hockey games when we had a minor league team here but the truth of the matter is hockey is a bad product to watch on tv and the numbers and rapidly declining income prove me right.

you may think college sports are "boring as shit" but the general public doesnt agree with you, there is a reason you see 50 college football games on tv every weekend and are hard pressed to find even one NHL game during their season. just last night for example there was a BYU vs Boise State football game on primetime tv and i couldnt tell you when the last time i saw an NHL game on tv let alone in prime time

and at the NHL being bigger worldwide than the NFL, NBA, and MLB combined. The NFL alone makes billions of dollars and the NHL cant even make enough to pay its players 1/5th of what the NFL pays, the NFL locked its players out last year but hurried a deal together because they knew the amount of money they would lose if the season didnt start on time the NHL on the other hand just lost a complete season a few years ago and are ready to do it again because instead of making money they lose money but yeah its a bigger sport

The only reason the general public gives a shit about college sports is because of the money they can make on it. College sports only appeal is to gamblers, because college football is even more boring than NFL football, which I can never sit through a game of, and college basketball may as well not exist until March, for the sole purpose of people putting brackets together. You honestly think people actually give a shit about any of the teams, other than the tiny percentage of college alumni who watch?

And once again, I'll say it and I don't care if you think I'm elitist: the reason football is bigger than hockey in America is because it doesn't require a large attention span to watch. Most people don't get hockey because it's too fast for them, and if they look down to text on their phone for a full minute, they'll miss a big play. Sorry, but trying to watch basketball, football, or (God forbid) baseball is like watching turtles to me. Too fucking slow. Whatever, it's clear nobody understands here what it feels like to be a hockey fan surrounded by people who don't get it. If there's one thing I envy Canadians for, it's definitely their national sport.

[Cornbread Mafia]

^ arguing with you on this topic is pointless because you obviously don't know what you are talking about and every point you made is wrong. Go to Alabama,Georgia, Arkansas, Florida, Texas and tell me college football doesn't matter or go to Kentucky, Indiana, north Carolina, or Kansas and tell me college bball doesn't matter

The gambling argument doesn't work either because you can bet on hockey too

The reason hockey isn't big in the states isn't because its too fast paced either its largely because its a regional sport that takes money to play.

I could point out more but its obvious you are a hockey Hipster and no matter what I say even if its right will change your mind. I got no beef with hockey however I'm not a fan of people who think every other sport is stupid just because they themselves don't like its

[BestWayKilla]

^ arguing with you on this topic is pointless because you obviously don't know what you are talking about and every point you made is wrong. Go to Alabama,Georgia, Arkansas, Florida, Texas and tell me college football doesn't matter or go to Kentucky, Indiana, north Carolina, or Kansas and tell me college bball doesn't matter

The gambling argument doesn't work either because you can bet on hockey too

The reason hockey isn't big in the states isn't because its too fast paced either its largely because its a regional sport that takes money to play.

I could point out more but its obvious you are a hockey Hipster and no matter what I say even if its right will change your mind. I got no beef with hockey however I'm not a fan of people who think every other sport is stupid just because they themselves don't like its

Who do you know who bets on hockey? Nobody, because you can't fix it and you can't shave points. That's a fact, gambling is biggest in sports where fixing can happen. If that's your argument then you'd better come up with something better. And talking about the South and Midwest is only proving my point. The game is too fast for the slow people, and down South, shit is way slower than in the Northeast here where I live. Hockey hipster? I've been playing since I was four, dumbass. What the fuck are you even talking about? I'm tired of people acting like the sport I love is irrelevant. That irritates the shit out of me. And when I try to make a point, nobody acknowledge it. You don't get how a hockey fan thinks because you aren't one. I grew up watching NHL on ESPN and then the cruel events of 2004 and 2005 took that away from me and the sporting world suddenly became lonely and empty. As a hockey fan in America, I'm constantly left wanting for serious, dedicated coverage of my sport, and it has left me bitter and spiteful. Come talk to me when your sport misses an entire season and the college version of your sport isn't available to watch. I will always hate the fans of other sports for having as sport to watch and take for granted, for not sharing in my misery. Call it petty, but you don't know what it's like, and you don't know how good you have it. You weren't saddled with the biggest plague in sports, by the name of Gary Bettman. For that, I will always resent the fans of other sports which I find far inferior for at least having a sport to watch. I have my love of the coolest game on Earth and no game to watch. Simply put, you don't know my pain, and you probably never will. And because of that, I hate you and your sport. That is the end of my lament, now I'm going to try and ease my pain by imagining Gary Bettman being eaten alive by wild bears.

[Cornbread Mafia]

Who do you know who bets on hockey? Nobody, because you can't fix it and you can't shave points. That's a fact, gambling is biggest in sports where fixing can happen. If that's your argument then you'd better come up with something better. And talking about the South and Midwest is only proving my point. The game is too fast for the slow people, and down South, shit is way slower than in the Northeast here where I live. Hockey hipster? I've been playing since I was four, dumbass. What the fuck are you even talking about? I'm tired of people acting like the sport I love is irrelevant. That irritates the shit out of me. And when I try to make a point, nobody acknowledge it. You don't get how a hockey fan thinks because you aren't one. I grew up watching NHL on ESPN and then the cruel events of 2004 and 2005 took that away from me and the sporting world suddenly became lonely and empty. As a hockey fan in America, I'm constantly left wanting for serious, dedicated coverage of my sport, and it has left me bitter and spiteful. Come talk to me when your sport misses an entire season and the college version of your sport isn't available to watch. I will always hate the fans of other sports for having as sport to watch and take for granted, for not sharing in my misery. Call it petty, but you don't know what it's like, and you don't know how good you have it. You weren't saddled with the biggest plague in sports, by the name of Gary Bettman. For that, I will always resent the fans of other sports which I find far inferior for at least having a sport to watch. I have my love of the coolest game on Earth and no game to watch. Simply put, you don't know my pain, and you probably never will. And because of that, I hate you and your sport. That is the end of my lament, now I'm going to try and ease my pain by imagining Gary Bettman being eaten alive by wild bears.

so im slow now? fuck you bitch suck my dick. hockey isnt too fast of a game we just dont think you should have to freeze a lake then strap some skates on to play a sport and it looks like the rest of the country agrees with me. but i guess 75% of the country is stupid right?

and at not being able to fix a hockey game, you obviously dont know shit about sports because if somebody wanted to they could fix any sport they want all it takes is money, hockey would be an easy sport to fix too if you got to the goalie. people dont bet on hockey because nobody gives a flying fuck about it, hows that for an argument?

not my fault nobody gives a shit about your sport and its locked out again because it makes no money, have fun this year watching nothing while i enjoy college football, pro football, college basketball, pro basketball, and pro baseball all that i can watch on multiple tv channels just about whenever i want

i got no beef with hockey either so canadians dont think this rant is directed towards you

[BestWayKilla]

Who do you know who bets on hockey? Nobody, because you can't fix it and you can't shave points. That's a fact, gambling is biggest in sports where fixing can happen. If that's your argument then you'd better come up with something better. And talking about the South and Midwest is only proving my point. The game is too fast for the slow people, and down South, shit is way slower than in the Northeast here where I live. Hockey hipster? I've been playing since I was four, dumbass. What the fuck are you even talking about? I'm tired of people acting like the sport I love is irrelevant. That irritates the shit out of me. And when I try to make a point, nobody acknowledge it. You don't get how a hockey fan thinks because you aren't one. I grew up watching NHL on ESPN and then the cruel events of 2004 and 2005 took that away from me and the sporting world suddenly became lonely and empty. As a hockey fan in America, I'm constantly left wanting for serious, dedicated coverage of my sport, and it has left me bitter and spiteful. Come talk to me when your sport misses an entire season and the college version of your sport isn't available to watch. I will always hate the fans of other sports for having as sport to watch and take for granted, for not sharing in my misery. Call it petty, but you don't know what it's like, and you don't know how good you have it. You weren't saddled with the biggest plague in sports, by the name of Gary Bettman. For that, I will always resent the fans of other sports which I find far inferior for at least having a sport to watch. I have my love of the coolest game on Earth and no game to watch. Simply put, you don't know my pain, and you probably never will. And because of that, I hate you and your sport. That is the end of my lament, now I'm going to try and ease my pain by imagining Gary Bettman being eaten alive by wild bears.

so im slow now? fuck you bitch suck my dick. hockey isnt too fast of a game we just dont think you should have to freeze a lake then strap some skates on to play a sport and it looks like the rest of the country agrees with me. but i guess 75% of the country is stupid right?

and at not being able to fix a hockey game, you obviously dont know shit about sports because if somebody wanted to they could fix any sport they want all it takes is money, hockey would be an easy sport to fix too if you got to the goalie. people dont bet on hockey because nobody gives a flying fuck about it, hows that for an argument?

not my fault nobody gives a shit about your sport and its locked out again because it makes no money, have fun this year watching nothing while i enjoy college football, pro football, college basketball, pro basketball, and pro baseball all that i can watch on multiple tv channels just about whenever i want

i got no beef with hockey either so canadians dont think this rant is directed towards you

Have you ever watched a hockey game? What am I saying, of course you haven't. you can't fix a hockey game without it being baltantly obvious, which is why no one ever tries. Think about things before you post them. And your attitude is exactly why I hate you and the sports you enjoy. The entitled, smug arrogance of someone whose sports don't require you to think. You are spoiled, and your attitude reflects that. You don't think football caters to the simpletons? Here's a stat for you: on average, only 11 minutes of the 60 on the clock in football are spent with the ball in play. Meaning it requires you to pay attention for less than a quarter of the time. Try to deny me all you like, it may sound dickish, but you just don't get it. You've never been a hockey fan who's had to put up with people like you. Have fun watching a bunch of over-muscled and otherwise fat steroid abusers fall on each other in football, and a bunch of gangly prima donnas whine about fouls in basketball. I'll be busy waiting for the real man's sport to begin again.

[shogun86]

oh killa killa killa

[ruine87]

i watch and like hockey but it is definitely behind the big 3 and college football and basketball and that internationally basketball and baseball are much bigger so bestway you trippin boo

and i am not a basketball or baseball fan in the slightest i cant even force myself to watch those sports on the pro or the collegiate level i would much rather watch hockey!

[Cornbread Mafia]

im the smug arrogant one yet your the one insulting every sport, fuck you bitch im done with your stupid ass, have fun watching the NHL on tv this season