Gasalcoholics anonymous? whoever said this was a help group?

[Invisible Man]

Finally haha. My Dad has been a fan since the early 70's so he'd been waiting a long time. I flew home to be with him for the series against NJ. Best day of my life when they won. Years w my Dad going to games, watching on TV...all that history floods back during a moment like that. Couldn't believe it really. My mom was recording on her phone when the whistle blew and I immediately walked o my Dad and we hugged and cried. "They fucking did it." Still get emotional thinking about it haha.

Met Gretzky when I was 8 years old and even then it was like I shook the hand of God.

Sometimes it's sweeter to have to wait...looks like the Wings are finally entering a dormant phase after a quarter century of relevance and winning...sad.

But good on ya! That Gretzky thing is nuts--I would have wept. Kissed the cup when I was probably eleven--similar kind of thing.

[Strange Tales]

Coaching changes, not all your trades working out, etc. There is like a billion reasons a team could fall from grace, most of them either being very poor Front Office decisions or just shit outside their control happening.

[damnableman]

xo

[raj007]

Finally haha. My Dad has been a fan since the early 70's so he'd been waiting a long time. I flew home to be with him for the series against NJ. Best day of my life when they won. Years w my Dad going to games, watching on TV...all that history floods back during a moment like that. Couldn't believe it really. My mom was recording on her phone when the whistle blew and I immediately walked o my Dad and we hugged and cried. "They fucking did it." Still get emotional thinking about it haha.

Met Gretzky when I was 8 years old and even then it was like I shook the hand of God.

Sometimes it's sweeter to have to wait...looks like the Wings are finally entering a dormant phase after a quarter century of relevance and winning...sad.

But good on ya! That Gretzky thing is nuts--I would have wept. Kissed the cup when I was probably eleven--similar kind of thing.

Like, I don't watch sports, but is there any reason whatsoever for a team to enter a "dormant phase"? How come you can't get some new blood in there and keep up with the rest? sounds like weird reasoning. Kind of how if you flipped a coin 10 times and it came out heads the next one HAS to be tails, 11 in a row is what.. 1 in 50,000? but no. it's still 50/50, every single coin flip.


not bashing, genuinely wondering if there's like a reason for a team to enter a dormant phase

As mentioned...bad GM, bad coach, etc. could be a reason. Also, when your stars get old and your youth isn't as good or needs time to develop. Especially in hockey, the draft is beyond important as is your farm clubs (minor leagues). The Kings were terrible for about 10 years running and while they had a couple very good players...the collective was shit and the GM was a fuckwad. In the Kings' case, they eventually hired an experienced GM who came in, said, "give me 5 years to build and we will get to where we want to be" and boom, he did exactly that. Careful drafting, wise trades and he turned a shit team into winning the Stanley Cup twice. Hardest trophy to win in sports in my opinion considering season length, playoff length And physicality of it all.

Not just about the players on the ice...the brains behind the curtains matter a lot...

[fcknoise]

don't hate me but I honestly didn't realize there was that much brain in a sport that you know, pauses for the athletes to fight
I mean, that's like the most fun part of it but it really can't be good for them can it

[Ruiner]

clips. nao.

[BitchPudding]

waltdogg came over the other day and I got to play both his CT5 and FUCK OD. Now I have gas for both.

[raj007]

don't hate me but I honestly didn't realize there was that much brain in a sport that you know, pauses for the athletes to fight
I mean, that's like the most fun part of it but it really can't be good for them can it

Haha, fair point. They've actually started to try and trim fighting down from the game. It's still there...but the dedicated "fighter" on a squad is becoming less common.

Funny story...sometimes Pros would show up to the rink I played at during the offseason for conditioning and one of these fighters was out there by himself before our session...so we were watching him do skating drills, etc. He was fucking incredible. Flat out incredible...and at the highest level...merely a fighter. Blew my mind.

K, back to gear talk ! I love hockey so much so I tend to go on and on...

[Invisible Man]

clips. nao.

Demo to follow as soon as it's in my hot little paws.

[rustywire]

Hoops & hockey are the most exciting spectator sports (bloodsport notwithstanding) as the individuals are both offensive & defensive players who engage in (almost) constant action. There isn't the incessant waiting around for action (football, baseball) or long, drawn-out games of "keep-away" (soccer). Both sports are also global and far-reaching, yet still somewhat underdogs or even counterculture in the world of sports.
Naysayers will lament "It's just putting a ball/puck in a net" but if you're a fan of harmony, seeing a team come together and work as a unit is like poetry in motion. Also when there's a *peerless* player on the floor/ice who is really cooking.

[behndy]

waltdogg came over the other day and I got to play both his CT5 and FUCK OD. Now I have gas for both.

yurp. both of those are pimmmmmmmmmmp.

[goroth]

Hoops & hockey are the most exciting spectator sports (bloodsport notwithstanding)

[Iommic Pope]

This movie reference has won this thread.

[Invisible Man]

KUMATE

[Eivind August]

Ski jumping > other sports