Wow - almost 3 weeks since my last post.
I discovered I am addicted to television at 6:00pm on Tuesday night. When I realized the last season finale for my shows was on Monday, I felt a little sad. I think it is because I am comfortable with my routines. On Sundays, I watch the Amazing Race. Mondays are How I Met Your Mother and 24, Tuesdays are the Biggest Loser, Wednesdays are Lost, Thursday mornings are for talking with my co-worker Mark about Lost, Thursday nights are for Survivor, the Office, and 30 Rock. I wake up between 8 and 8:40 (I can even squeeze in 8:50 some days) and I go to bed around 11. That last sentence probably made Mike's stomach turn.
Now that those shows are over, I feel like I have to try and get excited for some crappy summer reality show like "America's Got Talent". It's not like I only watch TV - I love getting books from the library and I aspire to play hockey once again when I am not spending money on a wedding and a new house. It's just that I love a cheap, reliable way to be entertained each night.
Saving Hockey
Bill Simmons has had some great ideas of how to save hockey. I think the game play itself is solid and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are enjoyable. I have a feeling, if they play things correctly, that hockey can return to a real network within the next few years.
Here are my proposed divisions - we'd have to rename them, of course, since Toronto isn't exactly on the Atlantic. I selected teams based on the "smell test" - does this city seem like they should have an NHL team? Carolina is a sketchy one, but I know they really draw fans, so we have to keep them. Also, I feel like Texas is too large of a part of our country to ignore and the Stars are saved by having a good history. I also considered Salt Lake City as another potential venue.
Eastern Conference
Atlantic
NY Rangers
Boston Bruins
Connecticut team - Hartford?
Toronto Maple Leafs
Northeast
Montreal Canadiens
Ottawa Senators
Winnipeg or Quebec team
Pittsburgh Penguins
Southeast
Carolina Hurricanes
Columbus Blue Jackets
Philadelphia Flyers
Buffalo Sabres
Western Conference
Central
Detroit Redwings
Chicago Blackhawks
Wisconsin team - Milawaukee?
Toronto 2 team
Northwest
Calgary Flames
Minnesota Wild
Edmonton Oilers
Colorado Avalanche
Pacific
San Jose Sharks or Anaheim Ducks
Dallas Stars
Seattle team
Vancouver Canucks
The season is 63 games. You play the other 3 teams in your division 5 times, the other 8 teams in your conference 3 times, and the 12 teams in the other conference twice.
The playoffs would consist of each of the 6 divisional winners plus 3 wild cards from each conference. The top 2 teams in each conference get a first round bye. The first round is a best of 5 series, but the other 3 rounds are best of seven.
5 comments:
I feel the same about my TV shows. Now that all the shows are done for the summer, it throws off my whole routine.
2 Toronto teams? Seattle? I understand the impulse to re-instate teams in places like Hartford or Winnipeg, but I think the reason teams left those cities is because they couldn't create a viable business model.
I have no problem with contracting teams like the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lighting, Nashville Preadators, etc., but it seems weird to force teams back to cities that they chose to leave.
I like a smaller league with a shorter regular season, but I don't like byes for the playoffs. I would say just take the 6 division winners and 2 wild card teams. And all series should be 7 games.
How is Buffalo in the southeast, and Pittsburgh in the northeast? I'm no geography expert, but isn't one above the other?
I like how you eliminated the crap organizations- Florida, Nashville, Phoenix- but left Columbus. Hmmm...a little bias sinking into your contraction plans =)? What has Columbus ever done? And how are they Southeast???
I really think you need to rename the 'Southeast' division, haha.
So you kept Columbus...but got rid of the Washington Capitals and New Jersey Devils. You're going to have to explain that one to me, with the history of the Devils and the passion of Caps fans. All Caps season ticket packages for next year are sold! You can't buy them! Gone! Zippo! Nada! They love their hockey...and you're going to take it away from them, haha. Do it so I can watch them firsthand go in a tizzy =).
Out West I don't really care...but Seattle? They can't even support a basketball team, and barely a baseball team. Seems like a risky move...
And the playoffs, let's go 7 games for all series. And like Kev, I don't prefer byes, especially with how long series can be sometimes. If I was a fan of a team with a bye, I wouldn't want it...a 2-3 week layoff? Any rythym or momentum we had going in would be lost. I think you'd see a lot of second round upsets.
Fun post.
I can understand if there isn't enough of a fan base in markets like Winnipeg - I just want more teams in Canada.
In terms of the Buffalo/Pitt mix up, that was a mistake. I had the Penguins and the Toronto Maple Leafs switched, but that made the Northeast an all-Canadian division, so I made the change. And as I said, we would need to change the divisions. Columbus MUST be in the southeast because they are one of the furthest south teams left after I axe florida/georgia/etc.
And yes, I am biased. The reason why Columbus keeps a team is because it is our only pro team in the 4 majors and Columbus fans are regularly rated among the most avid in the country. Plus, Ohio is more of a hockey state than the DC area due to its proximity to Canada. The NJ Devils and Washington Caps were the two bubble teams, however.
I think Seattle would support hockey, but I could be wrong. They really support the Seahawks - don't they?
I wasn't in love with the bye system, but I was reluctant to cut it to only 8 teams in the playoffs and make it only 3 rounds. I figured byes would mess with the playoffs less.
"Plus, Ohio is more of a hockey state than the DC area due to its proximity to Canada." What?!?! Seriously? If you're not near Canada, well, you're not much of a hockey state. Come on now...
I'm telling you, they talk Redskins, and then it's all Capitals...there is no airtime for the Nationals and Wizards...I know I sound like a broken record, but it's BIG down here. Don't sell the market short...
It just bothers me that you have New Jersey and their Stanley Cup wins and history out and Washington a legit franchise out, and a team like Columbus with its one playoff appearance in 9 years of existence in...And I get that they're rabid fans, but hey, so are the Caps and Devils fans!!!
DON'T MESS WITH THE DEVILS BUDDY, WE'RE NUMBER ONE, WE BEAT ANYBODY! WE'RE THE DEVILS!!! THE DEVILS!!!!!!! HEEEEEEHHHHHH!
Haha, Seinfeld is a funny show.
And I remember when I hated it...sigh, stupid me.
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