NHL All-Star Game

[thealmighty]

Watched about ten minutes of it because it was in Dallas...it sucked.

Very slow moving. Players standing around watching, waiting for someone to do something it seemed. My brothers' fat-old league has more movement than this did.

Anyone watch any? Did I just see a lull in the action or is it always like that?

[Honolulu_Blue]

I haven't watched the NHL All-Star game in about 10 years.

[sachmo71]

My buddy was at the game. I heard it sucked.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I watched the first half of the third period. I thought it was mildly interesting, but that's mainly because they had a mic on Marty Turco while he was in net. For about two or three minutes, the commentators hadn't realized that Marty could hear the play-by-play in his earpiece, so they were just yapping away while he was trying to play. After they figured it out, they shut up while the puck was in his defensive zone.

That was really the only interesting thing about the action I saw. I wasn't even paying attention to the hockey. I was just listening to the conversation between the commentators and Turco.

[Honolulu_Blue]

I watched the first half of the third period. I thought it was mildly interesting, but that's mainly because they had a mic on Marty Turco while he was in net. For about two or three minutes, the commentators hadn't realized that Marty could hear the play-by-play in his earpiece, so they were just yapping away while he was trying to play. After they figured it out, they shut up while the puck was in his defensive zone.

That was really the only interesting thing about the action I saw. I wasn't even paying attention to the hockey. I was just listening to the conversation between the commentators and Turco.

I caught the first few minutes of the 3rd too. I just wanted to see what the new uniforms looked like. I thought the exchange between Turco and the commentators was pretty amusing. He handled it really well.

[Ksyrup]

I caught a bit of the 1st period. On one of the goals, the shot knocked the goalie's mic off and both the puck and mic fluttered behind the goalie, with the puck ending up in the goal and the mic just outside of it. For a split second, until they showed a shot of it and identified it, it appeared as if the puck had split in two as it went through the goalie. That was a pretty cool effect.

[ice4277]

it appeared as if the puck had split in two as it went through the goalie.

They're just advertising a new 'feature' for NHL 08.

[duff88]

The NHL All-Star Game does suck, but it's not really different than the MLB, NFL or NBA ones. They are all boring. There's no real purpose so there's no physical play and therefore, they are not really playing real exciting hockey.

It sucks for the people who are there though. I went to the Caravane McDonald during the lockout (It was a tour organised by Joel Bouchard of the NY Islanders through Quebec, kind of like an all-star game) and left during the second intermission because it was so boring.

[NoSkillz]

If you thought last night's game was bad, be thankful you didn't see the Young Guns game on Tuesday night...

Players moving at quarter speed; guys literally just standing on the opposing blue line waiting for breakaway passes. I'm a huge hockey fan but that game was an embarrassment to the entire league.

[bhlloy]

The young guns game was painful. At least the "real" one looks a bit more like hockey.

The only decent all-star game IMO is basketball because to me the NBA is all about highlight reel dunks and no defence anyway. Baseball was also OK before the Bud Selig debacle. Hockey and football - there is very little point because they are both games based on physical play and you can't ask guys to go out and get hurt in a game that doesn't mean anything.

[Oilers9911]

All-Star games should be done away with altogether. I don't think the European soccer leagues suffer from not having these ridiculous games in the middle of the season. Sure, name an All-Star team, give the players a cash reward or something but dont have the stupid game.

[bbor]

Yawn....

[Oilers9911]

Yawn....

To describe the All-Star game? Couldn't agree more.

[rkmsuf]

What better, all star game on Wed or Thurs night.


thanks

[Maple Leafs]

If you thought last night's game was bad, be thankful you didn't see the Young Guns game on Tuesday night...
Amen.

The all-star game was predictably dull. The Young Guns was just excruciating. It was so bad that I think it calls into question whether they'll bother to do it again.

(Although it was kind of fun to watch -- players skating straight through the neutral zone, guys circling around the offensive zone untouched, nobody knowing how to score except on one-timers. It was basically an EA Sports video game acted out in real life!)

[JonInMiddleGA]

I just enjoyed the scheduling brilliance that moved the game from Sunday to Wednesday ... avoiding football only to run headlong into American Idol.

Given that the average viewership for 3 regular season games on Versus last week was 170,000 (no, I didn't leave out a zero), there's actually a pretty good chance that TNA Impact on Spike will end up with a higher rating than last night's All-Star game (TNA has been hovering around 1.2 - 1.4 million viewers for the past couple of months).

[Pumpy Tudors]

I actually thought that the All-Star game was this weekend coming up, and I heard an ad for it on the radio while I was driving last night. I was stunned. Mid-week might be fine for the ECHL All-Star game, but the NHL? It's ridiculous.

Obviously, it's my fault for not checking the schedule, but I'm kinda pissed off about missing the skills competition, which is my favorite part of the All-Star festivities. I was all prepared to watch the skills competition on Saturday, and then I discovered that I missed it.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Dola

I was watching when this happened, and it caused me to say "fuck this shit" and turn the game off:

http://content.imagesocket.com/images/chara889.jpg (http://imagesocket.com/view/chara889.jpg)

Zdeno Chara is standing in the crease scoring a goal with nobody around him. Seriously, fuck this shit.

[Maple Leafs]

Actually, I prefer the weeknight games. First of all, hockey sucks in the afternoon. And also, it means we don't lose out on Saturday night (real) hockey.

[rkmsuf]

hockey sucks in the afternoon???????

[Oilers9911]

Not sure why you're surprised. This is the all-star game. It's always been a no-hitter just like the Pro Bowl which is the worst all-star game of them all.

Dola

I was watching when this happened, and it caused me to say "fuck this shit" and turn the game off:

http://content.imagesocket.com/images/chara889.jpg (http://imagesocket.com/view/chara889.jpg)

Zdeno Chara is standing in the crease scoring a goal with nobody around him. Seriously, fuck this shit.

[Maple Leafs]

hockey sucks in the afternoon???????
Yes.

[scooter]

Zdeno Chara is standing in the crease scoring a goal with nobody around him. Seriously, fuck this shit.

Then you must have missed the goal the East scored earlier in the game where Brendan Shanahan was standing almost on top of the goalie in the crease, or maybe the clear breakaway chance that Patrick Marleau had where he was tripped at his own blueline by the last defenseman.

Give me a break, it's the All-Star Game! It's an exhibition. I thought is was fun to watch. But then I was also watching on CBC instead of Versus. I much prefer the Canadian coverage.

[rkmsuf]

Yes.

oh, I had no idea.

[Maple Leafs]

oh, I had no idea.
Feel free to check with me first next time.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Then you must have missed the goal the East scored earlier in the game where Brendan Shanahan was standing almost on top of the goalie in the crease, or maybe the clear breakaway chance that Patrick Marleau had where he was tripped at his own blueline by the last defenseman.

Give me a break, it's the All-Star Game! It's an exhibition. I thought is was fun to watch. But then I was also watching on CBC instead of Versus. I much prefer the Canadian coverage.
I think maybe you're misunderstanding me.

Zdeno Chara.

In the crease.

Nobody around him.

Zdeno Chara.

Zdeno Chara.

[bbor]

I think maybe you're misunderstanding me.

Zdeno Chara.

In the crease.

Nobody around him.

Zdeno Chara.

Zdeno Chara.

No one saw him :D

[bbor]

Dola...the new uni's have an invisiblity function.

[rkmsuf]

When you think afternoon sucking, think of Maple Leafs.

[Pumpy Tudors]

I guess just to clarify, I should point out that I only watch the Bruins when they're playing against the Devils. Is it normal for Zdeno Chara to be anywhere near the crease in the offensive zone? Does this happen often?

If this is a normal occurrence, I guess I should watch more Bruins games, because that sounds like comedy to the ninth power.

[bbor]

I guess just to clarify, I should point out that I only watch the Bruins when they're playing against the Devils. Is it normal for Zdeno Chara to be anywhere near the crease in the offensive zone? Does this happen often?

If this is a normal occurrence, I guess I should watch more Bruins games, because that sounds like comedy to the ninth power.

When in Ottawa,Chara used to play in front of the net on the PP for the Sens...dunno if they use the same technic in Boston.

[Pumpy Tudors]

When in Ottawa,Chara used to play in front of the net on the PP for the Sens...dunno if they use the same technic in Boston.
On the PP, sure, I can see it. What about even-strength?

[Travis]

It does only take him two strides to get from the blue line to the crease, so a quick jump up into the play does catch anybody under 7 feet tall by surprise.

It was a nice pass to set him up though.

[Pumpy Tudors]

Clearly, my joke crashed and burned.

[bulletsponge]

whats the NHL?

[SteelerFan448]

The mic on Turco was outstanding. By far one of the best features I have ever seen for an All Star game. I loved how he was in the middle of a question and then told the guys to hold on so he could make a save, then picked up where he left off.

[Rizon]

All-star games: MLB > NBA > NHL > NFL

PS: I have never seen an NHL all-star game, but it cannot possibly be worse than the Pro-Bowl.

[Honolulu_Blue]

All-star games: MLB > NBA > NHL > NFL

PS: I have never seen an NHL all-star game, but it cannot possibly be worse than the Pro-Bowl.

This is probably right, though I think the Pro-Bowl is better than the NHL All-Star Game.

I dislike all "all-star" games, but it's much easier to sort of "go through the motions" and appear to be competitive in baseball than it is in any of the other "major" sports (I use quotes since hockey probably isn't considered a major sport by most).

[Maple Leafs]

PS: I have never seen an NHL all-star game, but it cannot possibly be worse than the Pro-Bowl.
Overall, it's not quite as bad as the Pro Bowl. But at least in football, the players will try to score. Imagine the Pro Bowl if every time a team got close to goal line, they started lateralling to each other over and over to make sure they didn't look selfish.

[NoSkillz]

Overall, it's not quite as bad as the Pro Bowl. But at least in football, the players will try to score. Imagine the Pro Bowl if every time a team got close to goal line, they started lateralling to each other over and over to make sure they didn't look selfish.

:D So true...