Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Are You Still a Hockey Fan?

Well it turns out my Stanley Cup Final prediction was absolutely, positively 100% correct - at least in principle. The details were just a little bit off.

About a month ago, I said that Vancouver and Pittsburgh would meet in the Final based on the recent history of one Canadian team and one American team from a struggling, non-traditional hockey market meeting in the Final. And as of about 9 pm last night my theory proved to be correct...

...this years Stanley Cup Final will be...

...drum roll please...

...Anaheim vs. Ottawa...I know, I know, try to contain your excitement please.

Ottawa, being a city in Canada, meets the criteria of half of my theory. And Anaheim, being in Orange Country, California definitely meets the criteria for the other half of my theory - that of a struggling, non-traditional hockey market.

Are you going to watch this? Is anyone going to watch this? I know I'm sure not. I don't think anyone outside of those two cities is going to watch it with anything other than a passing interest, if that. I can't see people in Canada getting behind Ottawa like they've gotten behind Edmonton and Calgary in recent years. It's just not going to happen. Based on the results of the last two Stanley Cups, we already know how this is going to end anyway.

Because I am tired of how much the NHL frustrates me and how little I actually care about hockey right now - I'm through with it for the time being. Unless something major happens in the Finals, I'm not going to think about hockey and I'm definitely not going to write about hockey until July 1st, when free agency starts.

Based on the last two Cup results - I think I'm going to have to go with Anaheim in 7.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You would still be watching if it was the Leafs and not the Sens. The Sens have been a much better and more exciting team for many years. It's about time Hockey Night in Toronto starts showing some other teams play the early half of the double header (besides when they're playing the buds). I'm still behind them. Despite the fact that the buffalo/ottawa series was 5 games, it was still good hockey, and from what i recall all one goal games, except for game 1 which had plenty of great goals.

Three short years ago, while being stuck in Ottawa during the Flames run, all of Ottawa was behind our team. There were people in teh streets after the games and the bars were full. I'll give them the same courtesy and have more than a passing interest in the cup final. Much more interest than in that oiler series last year.

Beyond being a fan of the sens, i still can't believe you're not picking them to win. They have been dominant. Detroit outplayed anaheim for at least 4 of their 6 games. Sens are due. They'll win it in 6.

Anonymous said...

I was never really a hokcey fan to begin with and though i watched most of the games during the 1st and 2nd rounds not much interest anymore. Maybe it's the season finales that have been on lately, but I'm not even tuning in anymore, i go to the net to get updates on the game rather than flip to cbc.
I've also noticed that the NBA has gotten really boring as well. I too watched the lottery and wow, why even put that on tv. As for the actual games, phoenix is gone, GS gone... no stories left excpet for how the suns got screwed. San antonio in the finals again... how exciting. Then the east never really was exciting.. detroit in the finals again.... guess shouldn't count out the jazz and cavs but...
If only there were some other sport to watch during the summer, something outdoors, in a park perhaps ??? Nope can't think of anything guess i'll just have to wait for football to start up