Tired Of Watching Dives!

[jakejj]

As much as I enjoy watching NHL hockey, I am so sick and tired of watching guys taking dives in an effort to draw a penalty! I am not sure if the increasing european influence in the NHL has anything to do with guys taking more dives in the NHL or if the players have finally realized that the majority of the officials in the NHL are so pathetic and such ingrates that more often than not these morons buy into a dive, hook, line and sinker! I feel like I am watching one of those European soccer games. For instance, in tonight's WINGS/BLUES game Yzerman was called for a hooking penalty against Podein. That call was such a joke! Podein was holding Yzerman's stick and then he falls down, cmon! What happened to that wonderful "embelishing" call? That call has never made any sense to me. Not only does the official call a penalty on the player/actor who embelishes the penalty, but more often than not the official will call a penalty on the player who causes the player/actor to embelish! Does that make friggin sense to anyone else? Nice rule Bettman! What happen to the good old days when the officials swallowed their whistles during the playoffs and would let these teams win games on the basis of talent and skill at even stength, instead of which team can take more dives, get more calls and score more goals on the power play!

 

[Allwrong]

There is a big push by the NHL and Marouelli (sp?) to make all the penalty calls in the playoffs.

I think we are watching the NHL try to change the game. In particular the playoff game.

Not long before the playoffs started I heard an interview with Bettman and he indicated he had met with the officials and the intent this year was to try and make the playoffs more appealing to the average fan. They felt if they called the games the same way they call the regular season the games would have more PP's and more scoring, or at least have more action because the play would be more open.

What we as cappers are seeing is three things.

1. Teams who lack outright offensive punch have been able to succeed in past playoff games through sheer grit and chippy dirty play. This year an example would be Toronto. Quinn openly admitted through the season that he built his team for playoff hockey. The problem is, playoff hockey has changed. What was a marginal or laughable call in the past is now a penalty. What was gritty determined hockey is now a series of trips to the box. Defensive duels are less likely because just when a team settles in to protecting a one goal lead for three periods they get called for a penalty or the give up a chance in fear of getting a penalty.

2. Hockey players aren't the most flexible guys when it comes to changing the game. If a team feels the ref is making bad calls they get frustrated quickly and they take it out on the other team... hence more penalties. This leads to more frustration and new and inventive names to describe the refs genetic heritage. You can see where this all leads.

3. The NHL does not like the trap and they will do all they can short of enlarging the rinks to diminish it's usefulness. I can't say I've seen much effective trap played as a constant team system through playoffs this year. ie. NJ or FLA or many other teams of the past.

 

[jakejj]

Good stuff Allwrong! Thanks for the input! I totally agree with you!
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