The Larry Bodnovich Files, Vol. 3

Isn’t that just a cap with a protective liner being worn by Ernie Banks? Even if he weren’t wearing a helmet at the plate in those days, he needed to have some protection for his head.

Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.

[quote comment=”340232″]Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.[/quote]

Maybe Reebok will hire Dallas Hicks to make up some of his awesome throwbacks to wear on the ice.

[quote comment=”340234″][quote comment=”340232″]Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.[/quote]

Maybe Reebok will hire Dallas Hicks to make up some of his awesome throwbacks to wear on the ice.[/quote]
One word: link!

Hey guys, HHH here…

Paul added the final batch of city flag jerseys to the Flickr set today. (Brace yourselves for teal and neon green Seahawks jerseys!) Just out of curiosity, I’d love to hear what your favorites are, and why. Thanx!

[quote comment=”340236″][quote comment=”340234″][quote comment=”340232″]Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.[/quote]

Maybe Reebok will hire Dallas Hicks to make up some of his awesome throwbacks to wear on the ice.[/quote]
One word: link![/quote]

Hahahahaha! Cooperalls would be great. But they could also go with a real retro Philly Quakers Uni set. That has plenty of potential.

Not sure what’s going on here, but it’s an interesting shot.

My guess is it a tryout of some sort.

I watched part of the Cal Ripkin Sr. League All-Star game on one of the sports channels. Almost everyone was in a colored jersey (on both sides). It is one of those collegiate summer leagues. Good news for the future, more than half the players were wearing their pants up around their knees. I will try to find pictures. It was on MASN (I think).

The writer is wrong about USF being a pioneer by wearing Under Armour basketball gear. Auburn has been wearing Under Armour hoops unis for 2 seasons now. They will also switch from Nike shoes to the new Under Armour shoes for the upcoming hoops season.

[quote comment=”340242″](I forgot to post the link to the city flag jersey Flickr set, so I am reposting this…)

Hey guys, HHH here…

Paul added the final batch of city flag jerseys to the Flickr set today. (Now included are the Cardinals, 49ers, Rams, L.A. Rams, L.A. Raiders, and I recommend bracing yourselves for teal and neon green Seahawks jerseys!)

Just out of curiosity, I’d love to hear what your favorites are out of all of them, and why. Go to this link to see them:
link

Those Phoenix ones are great. They should change the team name to the Phoenix Phoenixes.

[quote comment=”340244″][quote comment=”340232″]Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.[/quote]
Thats what I’m guessing, and I bet it’ll be the perfect lead-in to them using those as the full time aways in the 2010-2011 season like they’re planning to do with the orange jerseys this year at home.[/quote]

link
Or
link

[quote comment=”340245″]The writer is wrong about USF being a pioneer by wearing Under Armour basketball gear. Auburn has been wearing Under Armour hoops unis for 2 seasons now. They will also switch from Nike shoes to the new Under Armour shoes for the upcoming hoops season.[/quote]
Well… to the writers credit, how was he supposed to know? Auburn is a rarely televised bottomfeeder in a pretty miserable basketball conference. As good as SEC football is, SEC basketball is bad. I would have only known about Auburn’s basketball team wearing UA if I assumed the UA contract was for all of Auburn and not just their football team.

[quote comment=”340239″][quote comment=”340238″]Hey guys, HHH here…

Paul added the final batch of city flag jerseys to the Flickr set today. (Brace yourselves for teal and neon green Seahawks jerseys!) Just out of curiosity, I’d love to hear what your favorites are, and why. Thanx![/quote]

Can’t explain. Guilty pleasure I suppose…

link

I think the horseman is supposed to represent Andrew Jackson, for whom the city is named.

[quote comment=”340255″][quote comment=”340253″][quote comment=”340249″][quote comment=”340244″][quote comment=”340232″]Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.[/quote]
Thats what I’m guessing, and I bet it’ll be the perfect lead-in to them using those as the full time aways in the 2010-2011 season like they’re planning to do with the orange jerseys this year at home.[/quote]

link
Or
link
I highly, HIGHLY doubt they’ll go with Quakers unis. Not for the fact that the team was sooo bad that the city would like to forget they even existed, but for the fact that it wasn’t even the same franchise, and I don’t think the Flyers would own the rights to even be able to wear them. They’d have to ask for permission from whoever owns the rights and then probably split the proceeds of any sales, and you know that’ll never happen.

They’re most likely going to go with their look from the 70s to match their current home orange jerseys.[/quote]

True, but remember the Uni’s that Detriot wore this past WC were based on the Old Detriot Cougars.[/quote]

Yes but the Cougars became the Falcons and the Falcons became the Wings. All one franchise. The Quakers did not become the Flyers. I would think the NHL would still have the rights to teams which have done out of business. I could be wrong but that would seem to be part of the deal of being a member.

[quote comment=”340255″][quote comment=”340253″][quote comment=”340249″][quote comment=”340244″][quote comment=”340232″]Should be interesting to see what the Bruins and Flyers cook up for the Winter Classic Uni’s. Although the Flyers don’t have much to go with. Probably a white version of the Throwback they have. The Bruins on the other hand have plenty to draw from.[/quote]
Thats what I’m guessing, and I bet it’ll be the perfect lead-in to them using those as the full time aways in the 2010-2011 season like they’re planning to do with the orange jerseys this year at home.[/quote]

link
Or
link
I highly, HIGHLY doubt they’ll go with Quakers unis. Not for the fact that the team was sooo bad that the city would like to forget they even existed, but for the fact that it wasn’t even the same franchise, and I don’t think the Flyers would own the rights to even be able to wear them. They’d have to ask for permission from whoever owns the rights and then probably split the proceeds of any sales, and you know that’ll never happen.

They’re most likely going to go with their look from the 70s to match their current home orange jerseys.[/quote]

True, but remember the Uni’s that Detriot wore this past WC were based on the Old Detriot Cougars.[/quote]
The Red Wings used to be the Detroit Cougars. That was their original name. They were the Cougars from 1926-1930, the Falcons from 1930-1932, and the Red Wings from 1932-present.

They still have the rights to any Cougars or Falcons merchandise because those were just previous names of the franchise.

[quote comment=”340257″][quote comment=”340251″][quote comment=”340245″]The writer is wrong about USF being a pioneer by wearing Under Armour basketball gear. Auburn has been wearing Under Armour hoops unis for 2 seasons now. They will also switch from Nike shoes to the new Under Armour shoes for the upcoming hoops season.[/quote]
Well… to the writers credit, how was he supposed to know? Auburn is a rarely televised bottomfeeder in a pretty miserable basketball conference. As good as SEC football is, SEC basketball is bad. I would have only known about Auburn’s basketball team wearing UA if I assumed the UA contract was for all of Auburn and not just their football team.[/quote]

Yes, obviously, the SEC has no basketball tradition:

link

link

link

And Auburn has NEVER been any good in basketball.

link

And you know, Auburn even played a game in Tampa not too long ago. I guess that writer missed this story, because I know Wake Forest fans remember:

link
So how does this mean that the SEC isn’t a bad basketball conference? Florida has been the only SEC program that has been consistently good over the last 5 years. Its been a 1 team show. Vandy, Kentucky, and Tennessee have all had their moments in recent years, but they haven’t been able to sustain it. Its a bad conference that, if not for 2 years of Florida basketball, would be considered by far the weakest of the BCS confereces in basketball. Even with Florida’s success, they’re still only slightly above average.

Utah beat Alabama last year in the Sugar Bowl. Doesn’t mean the MWC is all that and a bag of chips.

[quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I think Teebz explained that because football fields are crowned there’s a major engineering issue with leveling the area where the ice will be to get a flat sheet. I believe it was after the Penguins-Sabres game in Buffalo that the NHL realized football stadia were virtually untenable. Time is money, and the record is showing that playing in ballparks doesn’t hurt ticket sales or TV revenue, so the whole “fill to get level” effort likely is seen as an unwarranted expense.

Doesn’t make it right from a fans’ point of view, I know. But it sure makes sense from a business/promoter’s standpoint. Why spend (probably) six figures for something that is proving to be, in actuality, unnecessary.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340261″]On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

Tell that to the people of Chicago. They filled Wrigley pretty well last season, and appeared to have a phenomenal time.

Limiting the tickets in a baseball stadium will allow them to charge more for these tickets. It’s always about supply and demand with the NHL because they are the one sport that relies heavily on walk-up ticket sales.

[quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I think that in every winter classic they have used the first jersey of the team or very close to the first jersey the team wore. I don’t see why they would not do that with the Bruins.

“I’m calling it The Sears Tower”

link

What’s the deal with this cap? Almost looks like he’s wearing two caps, or like there’s a pocket or fold in the cap. Anyone..?

I think it’s simply just the leather band on the inside of the hat. Looks like he pulled it down and it got caught inside the band…

[quote comment=”340270″]What’s the deal with this cap? Almost looks like he’s wearing two caps, or like there’s a pocket or fold in the cap. Anyone..?

I think it’s simply just the leather band on the inside of the hat. Looks like he pulled it down and it got caught inside the band…[/quote]

See post #33. :)

[quote comment=”340263″]Banks wore one of those internal liners for a long, long while.

I believe Ted Williams did, too.

Banks, however, did eventually switch to typical helmet. Williams did not.

—Ricko[/quote]

Wonder if he will in the future?
:)

[quote comment=”340273″]
Aren’t a lot of the older baseball field sloped in the outfield to allow for better drainage. I thought Wrigley sloped downhill from the infield to the outfield wall. Am I wrong about that? Wouldn’t that be a problem for a flat ice surface, too?[/quote]

That’s why the ice surface was built on the infield at Wrigley. Most MLB infields are built flat for truer bounces. I would expect that the ice at Fenway would be similar.

[quote comment=”340273″][quote comment=”340262″][quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I think Teebz explained that because football fields are crowned there’s a major engineering issue with leveling the area where the ice will be to get a flat sheet. I believe it was after the Penguins-Sabres game in Buffalo that the NHL realized football stadia were virtually untenable. Time is money, and the record is showing that playing in ballparks doesn’t hurt ticket sales or TV revenue, so the whole “fill to get level” effort likely is seen as an unwarranted expense.

Doesn’t make it right from a fans’ point of view, I know. But it sure makes sense from a business/promoter’s standpoint. Why spend (probably) six figures for something that is proving to be, in actuality, unnecessary.

—Ricko[/quote]

Aren’t a lot of the older baseball field sloped in the outfield to allow for better drainage. I thought Wrigley sloped downhill from the infield to the outfield wall. Am I wrong about that? Wouldn’t that be a problem for a flat ice surface, too?[/quote]

Have to ask Teebz, but I’m certain the angle isn’t as pronounced as a football field. I recall standing on the sidelines at one Big Ten stadium and you could see the team on the other sideline only from the waist up. There was a friggin’ HILL running from goal post to goal post. I asked one of the QB’s about it, and he said he had to adjust his throws on squareouts, etc., or the ball would sail over the receiver’s head, because the guy got so much lower as he ran the route.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340277″][quote comment=\”340266\”][quote comment=\”340261\”]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B\’s to break out the 1926-31 style, but they will probably end up going with 1969-74 style whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I think that in every winter classic they have used the first jersey of the team or very close to the first jersey the team wore. I don\’t see why they would not do that with the Bruins.[/quote]
One reason they may not, is the different eras of the teams. With the other classics, the sweaters were fairly close in years worn, but were both to wear the \’70s era sweaters, it would hearken back to the days of the Big Bad Bruins and the Broad Street Bullies.[/quote]

I’d bet you’re right, Chris. After last year’s game several of us mentioned that for Flyers-Bruins they’d promote that great rivalry of the ’70s.

—Ricko

I think I amy be missing something. Water seeks it’s own level, so theoretically the bed can be sloped, potholed, furrowed, whatever. so wouldn’t logic dictate that the ice is going to freeze level also? maybe i don’t get how the ice is created.

Hey can anyone tell who the sponsor is for that hockey game? The writing is too small for me to make out.

link
Harvey Haddix?

link
Cubs wore ’em, too. In ’57 only.

link
Look, Ma, seafoam green!!!!

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340283″][quote comment=”340276″][quote comment=”340273″]
Aren’t a lot of the older baseball field sloped in the outfield to allow for better drainage. I thought Wrigley sloped downhill from the infield to the outfield wall. Am I wrong about that? Wouldn’t that be a problem for a flat ice surface, too?[/quote]

That’s why the ice surface was built on the infield at Wrigley. Most MLB infields are built flat for truer bounces. I would expect that the ice at Fenway would be similar.[/quote]

Teebz, dude, I want to believe you, but that rink has to be on part of the outfield, not just the infield:

link

link

And there is definitely a slope to Wrigley’s outfield, or at least there was the last time I saw a game there, circa 2003:

link

But it looks like they made some changes to the slope for the 2008 season that may have lessened the severity:

link

The sloping is not as severe in football stadiums. If there is a slight slope, the pipes are still laid flat on the surface – exactly what one needs when making good ice. The ice freezes uniformly and is much, much stronger.

On another note about the logo, what’s the deal with the lamppost?

If a dimpled surface makes a golf ball go farther, why not apply the same principle to a car?

These are speed holes. They make the car go faster.

[quote comment=”340288″][quote comment=”340283″][quote comment=”340276″][quote comment=”340273″]
Aren’t a lot of the older baseball field sloped in the outfield to allow for better drainage. I thought Wrigley sloped downhill from the infield to the outfield wall. Am I wrong about that? Wouldn’t that be a problem for a flat ice surface, too?[/quote]

That’s why the ice surface was built on the infield at Wrigley. Most MLB infields are built flat for truer bounces. I would expect that the ice at Fenway would be similar.[/quote]

Teebz, dude, I want to believe you, but that rink has to be on part of the outfield, not just the infield:

link

link

And there is definitely a slope to Wrigley’s outfield, or at least there was the last time I saw a game there, circa 2003:

link

But it looks like they made some changes to the slope for the 2008 season that may have lessened the severity:

link

The sloping is not as severe in football stadiums. If there is a slight slope, the pipes are still laid flat on the surface – exactly what one needs when making good ice. The ice freezes uniformly and is much, much stronger.[/quote]
The entire playing surface was link.

Coney Island babies, pre-Wilco…

So if it’s pre-Wilco, does that mean you were at an Uncle Tupelo show? ;-)

Here’s a new t-shirt for you. link

[quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I know brown can be a problematic uni color, but as an anal-retentive editor type, it has always bothered me that a team called the Bruins (derived from the Dutch word for brown) no longer features brown as one of its colors.

I know brown can be a problematic uni color, but as an anal-retentive editor type, it has always bothered me that a team called the Bruins (derived from the Dutch word for brown) no longer features brown as one of its colors.

The UCLA colors must leave you downright apoplectic!

[quote comment=”340264″]
Tell that to the people of Chicago. They filled Wrigley pretty well last season, and appeared to have a phenomenal time.[/quote]

Yeah, but Teebz I have to think that a huge part of both Wrigley and Fenway is the “old time charm” of the oldest stadia around.

Do they put the WC in Comiskey? No. When it was being proposed for New York, would they put it in Shea (new or old)? I’d say no again. For that matter, plenty of people here in Chicago said we had no chance of getting last year’s game: they thought the NHL would like to have the “last event ever” in Yankee Stadium.

Flip the host site for this game from one city to the other: do they put it in the Phillies place as readily as they put it in Fenway? Or do they look more closely at the Eagles stadium?

[quote comment=”340298″]Here’s a new t-shirt for you. link[/quote]The radio this morning had someone proposing a new nickname: Big Willy.

Ahh, the irony of racism…

“The only thing my grandfather knew about him is that he was Native American and was sent up to try out for the Cleveland Indians in the ’30s but was sent back because his skin color was too dark.”

[quote comment=”340300″][quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I know brown can be a problematic uni color, but as an anal-retentive editor type, it has always bothered me that a team called the Bruins (derived from the Dutch word for brown) no longer features brown as one of its colors.[/quote]

Origin of the word notwithstanding, isn’t the range of the brown bear pretty much limited to the western U.S, and the northeast is black bear country?

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340310″][quote comment=”340300″][quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I know brown can be a problematic uni color, but as an anal-retentive editor type, it has always bothered me that a team called the Bruins (derived from the Dutch word for brown) no longer features brown as one of its colors.[/quote]

Origin of the word notwithstanding, isn’t the range of the brown bear pretty much limited to the western U.S, and the northeast is black bear country?

—Ricko[/quote]

When they wore brown, Art Ross was given the task of picking a name. Ross chose “Bruins” because of brown bears’ ferocious natures. It was quite suitable before the change to black-and-yellow.

[quote comment=”340309″][quote comment=”340304″][quote comment=”340264″]
Tell that to the people of Chicago. They filled Wrigley pretty well last season, and appeared to have a phenomenal time.[/quote]

Yeah, but Teebz I have to think that a huge part of both Wrigley and Fenway is the “old time charm” of the oldest stadia around.

Do they put the WC in Comiskey? No. When it was being proposed for New York, would they put it in Shea (new or old)? I’d say no again. For that matter, plenty of people here in Chicago said we had no chance of getting last year’s game: they thought the NHL would like to have the “last event ever” in Yankee Stadium.

Flip the host site for this game from one city to the other: do they put it in the Phillies place as readily as they put it in Fenway? Or do they look more closely at the Eagles stadium?[/quote]

If you’re playing a throwback game, would you put the game in a brand-new stadium?

The whole idea behind these games is history. They wear old jerseys, they play outdoors, they hype the NHL’s history. Putting the games in old venues like Wrigley, Fenway, and others only makes too much sense.[/quote]

Makes for a better TV attraction, too, and they certainly are entitled to consider that, especially since, as a TV event, they’re two years away or less from taking New Year’s Day away from the meaningless college bowl games (‘cept maybe Rose Bowl, but not an issue because it’s later in the day). Y’know, that may become the new tradition of the day: Watch the NHL game with everyone freezing their asses off but having a good time, take a break, watch the warm weather “Granddaddy of ’em all” on nice green grass.

A nice contrast…a paradox, even…to start the New Year.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340311″][quote comment=”340295″]Uh, yeah. Guess I should have clicked on some of those links in WDE’s comment.[/quote]

JTH, I’m surprised at you. How could you not remember that Wrigley brought in the best groundskeeper in baseball to fix that mudhole?

;-)[/quote]
The Sodfather is mentioned in the first sentence of the article that WarDamnEagle and I both linked.

[quote comment=”340315″][quote comment=”340309″]

If you’re playing a throwback game, would you put the game in a brand-new stadium?

The whole idea behind these games is history. They wear old jerseys, they play outdoors, they hype the NHL’s history. Putting the games in old venues like Wrigley, Fenway, and others only makes too much sense.[/quote]

Well, that Buffalo stadium isn’t exactly OLD, is it?

Anyway, the point isn’t so much old vs. new but rather baseball stadium vs. football stadium. When they have a choice of new baseball vs. new football, let’s see what happens.

I don’t know the answer to this question but I’ll throw it out anyway: does War Memorial still exist?[/quote]

All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

Harvard Stadium is miserable in November; January would be awful, especially on those concrete seats.

[quote comment=”340316″]
The Sodfather is mentioned in the first sentence of the article that WarDamnEagle and I both linked.[/quote]
Gotcha! I was working my way up the comment list and responded to #65; then after I posted I got to #64 and I was a bit confused as to why you were responding to yourself.

Confused; and to be honest, I was a bit concerned too. ;-)

[quote comment=”340319″]One if by land, two if by sea?
:)[/quote]
Well, I guess it COULD be a lantern… with a long base.

And no handle.

:-)

“On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.”

While it will not be toasty at Fenway, it would be hard to pick a worse place to watch an event on January 1 than Harvard Stadium. No seats; just concrete risers to sit on. Lots of wind blowing in from the river (although it is better now that they built the new squash courts at the open end). I froze my butt off there many Saturdays in October and November. January would be ridiculous.

However, it is true that hockey has been played at Harvard Stadium in the past. (Scroll down the page): link

[quote comment=”340318″]
All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.[/quote]
After I started thinking about Teebz’ posting, I was thinking about new old and who might also have an open date for their football team/stadium then. The list seems to be short: NY, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh, all no. We seem to be in an up cycle for some of the northern NFL teams right now.

At least for northern cities with a classic NHL franchise AND an outdoor football stadium.

[quote comment=”340328″][quote comment=”340318″]
All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.[/quote]
After I started thinking about Teebz’ posting, I was thinking about new old and who might also have an open date for their football team/stadium then. The list seems to be short: NY, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh, all no. We seem to be in an up cycle for some of the northern NFL teams right now.

At least for northern cities with a classic NHL franchise AND an outdoor football stadium.[/quote]

I’m guaranteeing you that the NHL goes west for the next one. Don’t book your flights to the east coast for next season just yet.

[quote comment=”340325″]If you notice, they have yet to play the game on an artificial baseball surface as well.[/quote]
Outdoor fake grass baseball stadiums seem to be getting rarer and rarer, don’t they?

Even Green Bay valiently tries to stick with natural grass. Personally, I like it.

[quote comment=”340318″]All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.

—Ricko[/quote]
Not sure if Washington will ever get a Winter Classic. Not that the NHL doesn’t drool over wanting AO in the game, but he’s quite literally the only piece of that team that people would care to see, and if were to ever get hurt and miss the game, the whole event would blow up in their face. Its too much of a gamble for the NHL to schedule the Caps for a 1 night event like that.

Washington was supposed to get this one against Boston, but NBC steadfastly demanded for Philly to be included over Washington. My guess is for the exact reason stated above.

[quote comment=”340333″][quote]I’m guaranteeing you that the NHL goes west for the next one. Don’t book your flights to the east coast for next season just yet.[/quote]

unless they want to exhaust the last of the original six

then you’re setting up rangers v. canadiens, unfortunately…and probably at new meadowlands[/quote]

The Canadiens already played an outdoor game. The Leafs have yet to play outdoors.

[quote comment=”340330″]I’m guaranteeing you that the NHL goes west for the next one. Don’t book your flights to the east coast for next season just yet.[/quote]
Someone on the ice crew was asked about LA. He said that anything is possible in theory.

[quote comment=”340315″]
I don’t know the answer to this question but I’ll throw it out anyway: does War Memorial still exist?[/quote]

Nope. It was torn down soon after the ball team moved downtown [was it really 20 years ago?].

I think a large corner of it still stands at the corner of Jefferson and Best over a neglected park.

[quote comment=”340301″]so..yeah

was in DD getting joe this morning and i saw a dude wearing a sherwin williams t-shirt which was a takeoff on the link…didn’t get a cell grab (and im not too sure the fella would have appreciated it in a ‘uw sort of way’)…but was pretty cool … they replaced the batter with a dude holding a paintbrush

did a quick google search and din’t find any examples…but it struck me — did we cover that one before on here?

how many other examples are there out there of “takeoffs” on jerry dior’s graphic? there’s gotta be some, right?[/quote]

I used to have a Less Than Jake (band) t-shirt a while back that was a take off on the MLB logo. Found one old picture where you can barely see it – but found another shirt on their website that has the same figure on a maple leaf instead of the MLB logo. Here’s a pic side to side.

link

[quote comment=”340339″]…I don’t think it has the fire power in the long run to outshine a college football tradition.[/quote]
Good choice of words: sitting here freezing my butt off on NYD, I sort of look forward to seeing some sunshine, football and cheerleaders.

[quote comment=”340317″][quote comment=”340290″]On another note about the logo, what’s the deal with the lamppost?[/quote]
Thanks! I had that question yesterday.

Any Bah-stun experts here today?[/quote]

Go walking around some of your more historic neighborhoods (North End, Beacon Hill, etc.) and you’ll still see gaslights everywhere. Where they are not is anywhere around Fenway Park, so why they chose that is beyond me. I was expecting to see link.

And if they had it in Phila., maybe Franklin Field would’ve been a good choice.

Damnit! I gotta type faster!

[quote]The Canadiens already played an outdoor game. The Leafs have yet to play outdoors.[/quote]

yeah, i meant to put that in my original post which i amended shortly afterwards…you prolly caught it (and quoted it) before the edit

i remember that heritage classic game (and if memory serves, the damn thing wasn’t broadcast live in my viewing area–which pissed me off)…but the idea of nightime puck in -30 temps was awesome

[quote comment=”340301″]so..yeah

was in DD getting joe this morning and i saw a dude wearing a sherwin williams t-shirt which was a takeoff on the link…didn’t get a cell grab (and im not too sure the fella would have appreciated it in a ‘uw sort of way’)…but was pretty cool … they replaced the batter with a dude holding a paintbrush

did a quick google search and din’t find any examples…but it struck me — did we cover that one before on here?

how many other examples are there out there of “takeoffs” on jerry dior’s graphic? there’s gotta be some, right?[/quote]

I brought it up over a year ago, but nobody bit. Per usual.
The logo I saw, however, wasn’t a guy holding a brush. The one I saw was the mlb logo with only a brush.

[quote comment=”340343″][quote comment=”340335″][quote comment=”340331″]… Beaver Stadium in College Park.[/quote]
Now that would be something.

A place that’s famed for being the epitome of “you can’t get there from here” hosting a game during a short daylight time…

Anyway, the NHL wants that press buildup. You aren’t getting that in SC, PA.[/quote]
If you played a Pens-Flyers game in Beaver Stadium, the event alone would be enough of a press buildup. The game would sell out and it would be one heck of an atmosphere. Give it 5 years, I could see it happening.[/quote]

Yeah, will be awhile before a team repeats…or there’s a Canadian team in it. This is a U.S. show, don’t forget that. Not about attracting Canadian viewers, not first and foremost, anyway. They’ll be there. They’re a given.

Anyone have the TV ratings comparing the 2009 Winter Classic to the bowl games it was up against?

It thought it was “Common” but a mess of websites came up with “Commons” and I figured I had it wrong.

–Ricko

[quote comment=”340349″]
I’ll say this: Calgary wants one badly. They tried to get a second one this year. The rumour was Calgary vs. Toronto which would satisfy both Toronto’s outdoor game, and Calgary’s wish to host one.[/quote]
Oh hell, I don’t blame anyone in Canada for wanting this: and I can sure see how it would REALLY piss them off if it suddenly went to anywhere outside the northern US. The entire idea is the kids-on-a-rink-with-stocking-hats look, not the “can someone get me a cold beer, I’m boiling in the sun” look.

With all that said, TV rules the roost. The number of TV’s in Calgary vs the number of TV’s in LA is a hard sell.

[quote comment=”340353″][quote]you’re going to start having leisurely hockey fans in the West start tuning out[/quote]

all three of them?[/quote]

I’m quite certain that you would sell out a game in Calgary at McMahon Stadium, holding 40000+, in mere minutes.

Denver at Mile High, Minneapolis at the new “olde-tyme” Target baseball complex, St. Louis at Busch Stadium… there are a number of places to hold it.

The difference is that there just are so many more teams on the East Coast, so all the NHL has to do is toss one out west once in a while.

[quote comment=”340301″]so..yeah

was in DD getting joe this morning and i saw a dude wearing a sherwin williams t-shirt which was a takeoff on the link…didn’t get a cell grab (and im not too sure the fella would have appreciated it in a ‘uw sort of way’)…but was pretty cool … they replaced the batter with a dude holding a paintbrush

did a quick google search and din’t find any examples…but it struck me — did we cover that one before on here?

how many other examples are there out there of “takeoffs” on jerry dior’s graphic? there’s gotta be some, right?[/quote]

link

[quote comment=”340351″]If the games are continually played in the Eastern Time Zone with teams that have no effect on the Western Conference, you’re going to start having leisurely hockey fans in the West start tuning out.[/quote]
Continually? This year’s game was played in the Central Time Zone between two Western Conference teams.

[quote comment=”340278″][quote comment=”340273″][quote comment=”340262″][quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I think Teebz explained that because football fields are crowned there’s a major engineering issue with leveling the area where the ice will be to get a flat sheet. I believe it was after the Penguins-Sabres game in Buffalo that the NHL realized football stadia were virtually untenable. Time is money, and the record is showing that playing in ballparks doesn’t hurt ticket sales or TV revenue, so the whole “fill to get level” effort likely is seen as an unwarranted expense.

Doesn’t make it right from a fans’ point of view, I know. But it sure makes sense from a business/promoter’s standpoint. Why spend (probably) six figures for something that is proving to be, in actuality, unnecessary.

—Ricko[/quote]

Aren’t a lot of the older baseball field sloped in the outfield to allow for better drainage. I thought Wrigley sloped downhill from the infield to the outfield wall. Am I wrong about that? Wouldn’t that be a problem for a flat ice surface, too?[/quote]

Have to ask Teebz, but I’m certain the angle isn’t as pronounced as a football field. I recall standing on the sidelines at one Big Ten stadium and you could see the team on the other sideline only from the waist up. There was a friggin’ HILL running from goal post to goal post. I asked one of the QB’s about it, and he said he had to adjust his throws on squareouts, etc., or the ball would sail over the receiver’s head, because the guy got so much lower as he ran the route.

—Ricko[/quote]

So it should be interesting in February when the Badgers host Michigan outdoors at Camp Randall Stadium.

Also Ford Field hosts the Frozen Four next year, so that should be interesting as well

[quote comment=”340365″][quote comment=”340359″]
They won’t change the time slot. Would be suicide to give up a daypart they are on the verge of owning. They would be seriously brain dead to go up against the Rose Bowl. The early New Year’s Day Bowls have lost much of their oomph and the NHL’s early start is a perfect way to trump them. Not totally, but in that time slot…and that’s all that matters. Who cares what’s on at 4:30, NHL wants to own noonish on New Year’s Day…and they’re just about there. Why would they be so stupid as to surrender it?

—Ricko[/quote]

They can still own the timeslot. Have a double-header of a regular game at noon, and follow-up with the later Winter Classic at 4:00pm (which would be 1pm in the west).

I fail to see how this is a problem.[/quote]

Doubleheader? Never get the number to justify the expense, nor would a network devote that much time to hockey on New Year’s Day. Maybe one of the games CBC or something, but what’s the point, Canada’s already a customer. And again, no way they’d be dumb enough to take on the Rose Bowl head-to-head. They’d lose. Or not win enough.

Interesting article, including something of a look at TV ratings in non-northeast US markets…
link

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340365″][quote comment=”340359″]
They won’t change the time slot. Would be suicide to give up a daypart they are on the verge of owning. They would be seriously brain dead to go up against the Rose Bowl. The early New Year’s Day Bowls have lost much of their oomph and the NHL’s early start is a perfect way to trump them. Not totally, but in that time slot…and that’s all that matters. Who cares what’s on at 4:30, NHL wants to own noonish on New Year’s Day…and they’re just about there. Why would they be so stupid as to surrender it?

—Ricko[/quote]

They can still own the timeslot. Have a double-header of a regular game at noon, and follow-up with the later Winter Classic at 4:00pm (which would be 1pm in the west).

I fail to see how this is a problem.[/quote]

I am going to have to agree with Ricko on this one. If the WC is getting outdrawn by the likes of the Gator Bowl and the Capital One Bowl…I would hate to see it against the Rose Bowl. And it isn’t like no one cares about the Rose Bowl out west. I like the WC in the 1:00 time slot.

[quote comment=”340351″][quote comment=”340347″][quote comment=”340330″][quote comment=”340328″][quote comment=”340318″]
All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.[/quote]
After I started thinking about Teebz’ posting, I was thinking about new old and who might also have an open date for their football team/stadium then. The list seems to be short: NY, Boston, Philly, Pittsburgh, all no. We seem to be in an up cycle for some of the northern NFL teams right now.

At least for northern cities with a classic NHL franchise AND an outdoor football stadium.[/quote]

I’m guaranteeing you that the NHL goes west for the next one. Don’t book your flights to the east coast for next season just yet.[/quote]

Geography irrelevant. It’s all about the best showcasing of the league without repeating a team that’s been in it…in a cold weather city…that will make the best TV event and garner the largest TV audience. NHL would gain much, much more out of AO/Capitals vs. Gaborik/Rangers at Yankee Stadium than any other three-way combo I can come up with that fits the criteria I mentioned.

This isn’t about reaching people who have already been sold, remember.

—Ricko[/quote]

Geography is entirely relevant.

If the games are continually played in the Eastern Time Zone with teams that have no effect on the Western Conference, you’re going to start having leisurely hockey fans in the West start tuning out.

All you’re doing is dangling carrots with this game every season. Throw the West a carrot once in a while, and then hammer away on the East Coast again.[/quote]

Wings/Balackhawks last year was a Western Conference matchup, played in the CTZ

[quote comment=”340369″]I’m exactly the sort of “casual” fan this event is designed to capture. I live in the Bay Area and watch a handful of regular season Sharks games and most of the playoffs (my wife always complains, “why do you need to watch the playoffs, you don’t even like hockey!”). I’ve always wanted to watch the Winter Classic, but noon-ish EST is nine-ish out here and there’s just no way I’m getting up that early on the morning after New Years Eve to watch a hockey game. Moving it later in the day would certainly add at least one West Coast viewer.[/quote]
With the Rose Bowl being played in the afternoon just minutes outside of LA every NYD, I highly doubt the Winter Classic will really make any dent in the West Coast audience regardless of what they do on NYD.

[quote comment=”340318″][quote comment=”340315″][quote comment=”340309″]

If you’re playing a throwback game, would you put the game in a brand-new stadium?

The whole idea behind these games is history. They wear old jerseys, they play outdoors, they hype the NHL’s history. Putting the games in old venues like Wrigley, Fenway, and others only makes too much sense.[/quote]

Well, that Buffalo stadium isn’t exactly OLD, is it?

Anyway, the point isn’t so much old vs. new but rather baseball stadium vs. football stadium. When they have a choice of new baseball vs. new football, let’s see what happens.

I don’t know the answer to this question but I’ll throw it out anyway: does War Memorial still exist?[/quote]

All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.

—Ricko[/quote]

Ricko

When do you think they will put a game at Target Field?? Wild vs. Stars, perhaps??

[quote comment=”340370″][quote comment=”340365″][quote comment=”340359″]
They won’t change the time slot. Would be suicide to give up a daypart they are on the verge of owning. They would be seriously brain dead to go up against the Rose Bowl. The early New Year’s Day Bowls have lost much of their oomph and the NHL’s early start is a perfect way to trump them. Not totally, but in that time slot…and that’s all that matters. Who cares what’s on at 4:30, NHL wants to own noonish on New Year’s Day…and they’re just about there. Why would they be so stupid as to surrender it?

—Ricko[/quote]

They can still own the timeslot. Have a double-header of a regular game at noon, and follow-up with the later Winter Classic at 4:00pm (which would be 1pm in the west).

I fail to see how this is a problem.[/quote]

I am going to have to agree with Ricko on this one. If the WC is getting outdrawn by the likes of the Gator Bowl and the Capital One Bowl…I would hate to see it against the Rose Bowl. And it isn’t like no one cares about the Rose Bowl out west. I like the WC in the 1:00 time slot.[/quote]

1 pm EST seems to work okay for the NFL..and the NHL’s target audience for the WC isn’t those who are too hung over to watch. This is their mass appeal showcase game in the US. Young adult males aren’t that hard to reach; they’re a slam dunk, comparatively speaking. This is about moms, dads, famillies, grandma and grandpa.

I’m trying to explain how the execs think. I’m sure some fans in LA thinks it would be “totally awesome” to lay a sheet of ice in Dodger Stadium. But it ain’t gonna happen. Not for a while, anyway. Too artificial, too gimmicky (has NOTHING to do with the pond hockey tradition that even players love; you can see it in their faces)…and lacks the cold, inclement weather possibilities that make for better TV.

If someone doesn’t think the snow in Buffalo in 2008 had a lot to do with the way that game was received and didn’t help set up the 2009 game, they really don’t understand packaging.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340367″][quote comment=”340362″][quote comment=”340351″]If the games are continually played in the Eastern Time Zone with teams that have no effect on the Western Conference, you’re going to start having leisurely hockey fans in the West start tuning out.[/quote]
Continually? This year’s game was played in the Central Time Zone between two Western Conference teams.[/quote]

The broadcast started at noon Central time (or earlier in Canada), which means it started at 10am in Vancouver at the latest. It’s still too far east for leisurely western fans to care.

The east and central time zones watched, but if you were partying on NYE until 1am/2am on the west coast, would you have been up for 9:30am?[/quote]
Yeah, well I was just sayin’ that the two teams most certainly had an effect on the Western Conference, seeing as how they played each other in its final playoff series.

East of the Mississipi? Yes. Eastern Conference/Time Zone? No.

And my kids would see to it that I was up well before 9:30.

[quote comment=”340376″][quote comment=”340318″][quote comment=”340315″][quote comment=”340309″]

If you’re playing a throwback game, would you put the game in a brand-new stadium?

The whole idea behind these games is history. They wear old jerseys, they play outdoors, they hype the NHL’s history. Putting the games in old venues like Wrigley, Fenway, and others only makes too much sense.[/quote]

Well, that Buffalo stadium isn’t exactly OLD, is it?

Anyway, the point isn’t so much old vs. new but rather baseball stadium vs. football stadium. When they have a choice of new baseball vs. new football, let’s see what happens.

I don’t know the answer to this question but I’ll throw it out anyway: does War Memorial still exist?[/quote]

All about the “draw”.
2011? If things stay as they are today, it’ll be AO and the Capitals against the Rangers at one of the new NY ballparks, probably Yankee Stadium.
Not necessarily what I think they should do, but what I think they will do.
Write it down.

—Ricko[/quote]

Ricko

When do you think they will put a game at Target Field?? Wild vs. Stars, perhaps??[/quote]

2012, maybe. That’s what I’m thinking now, but hate to envision THAT far out. But it would be pretty logical, assuming 2011 did turn out to be Capitals/Rangers, or some similar matchup.

—Roclkp

[quote]Have a double-header…I fail to see how this is a problem[/quote]

that in and of itself is a problem

it’s hard enough to get people, even those who used to love hockey (like myself)and those who still do but aren’t rabid fans, to watch one game

seriously, i loved the idea of the game at noon…no way in hell am i watching 6 hours of hockey in NYD…but keeping it right where it is, before the football, is basically perfect

and as to the “it’s too early” argument? 9:00 (even if you participate in amateur night) is too early? don’t most people have to be to work (granted, not on new years day) by 9:00? aren’t a lot of left-coasters pretty much already used to seeing eastern sporting events earlier anyway?

nope…one game…12:00 EST…perfect

any more, and any later, and the dropoff in viewership will be precipitious

/and while we’re at it…you complain the games for left-coasters are too early … how’s about moving the world series games (and MNF games) up a couple of hours? not gonna happen either, because tv dictates those times, and the noon timeslot (EST) is perfect for tv

no matter where you play the game, that’s when it’s going to be played

LOL…that’s what I get for typing “Ricko” while someone was talking to me.

–Ricko

[quote comment=”340376″]

When do you think they will put a game at Target Field?? Wild vs. Stars, perhaps??[/quote]

I swear someone was pushing for an outdoor game right after Edmonton in 2003.

I think they’ve played an outdoor high school game every year as part of Hockey Day Minnesota.

[quote comment=”340384″]
/and while we’re at it…you complain the games for left-coasters are too early … how’s about moving the world series games (and MNF games) up a couple of hours? not gonna happen either, because tv dictates those times, and the noon timeslot (EST) is perfect for tv

no matter where you play the game, that’s when it’s going to be played[/quote]

So when the WS games are starting at 4pm for the east coasters’ 7pm timeslot, you’re telling me that there isn’t an east coast bias, Phil?

Notice how the west coast games for the NFL always take the middle time slot as the earliest they’ll be shown? Do you think there’s a reason for that? I’m quite certain NFL players aren’t playing the game at 9am on Sunday for the noon timeslot on the east coast.

Basically, what you’re saying is that Denver, Calgary, and Vancouver will forever be prohibited from hosting a Winter Classic because you, the viewer, live in NYC.

Essentially, it’s “too effing bad for them for living where they do, and eff those teams who want to earn the windfall of that immediate cash infusion”. And you wonder why teams in the west bitch and complain about east coast biases?

[quote comment=”340301″]so..yeah

was in DD getting joe this morning and i saw a dude wearing a sherwin williams t-shirt which was a takeoff on the link…didn’t get a cell grab (and im not too sure the fella would have appreciated it in a ‘uw sort of way’)…but was pretty cool … they replaced the batter with a dude holding a paintbrush

did a quick google search and din’t find any examples…but it struck me — did we cover that one before on here?

how many other examples are there out there of “takeoffs” on jerry dior’s graphic? there’s gotta be some, right?[/quote]

This reminded me of a shirt I saw over the weekend. The Hold Steady are originally from Mpls and their lead singer is a big Twins fan. They played a concert in Mpls on Saturday and a fan was wearing this shirt. Not an MLB logo takeoff, but a takeoff of a (classic) MLB team logo. I’m not a huge HS fan, but I thought it was pretty damn cool…

link

[quote comment=”340393″][quote]Basically, what you’re saying is that Denver, Calgary, and Vancouver will forever be prohibited from hosting a Winter Classic because you, the viewer, live in NYC.

Essentially, it’s “too effing bad for them for living where they do, and eff those teams who want to earn the windfall of that immediate cash infusion”. And you wonder why teams in the west bitch and complain about east coast biases? [/quote]

no, i’m saying they can’t have a game…i would HOPE they do get a game

it will just be played at 12:00 EST, that’s all

surely, you could find 60K hockey fans who are willing to be up and in their seats by 9:00 am (WST)

it’s all about the tv, not the actual fans in those cities teebz, you know that

has nothing to do with east coast bias, but tv time bias[/quote]

Hate to tell you this, but TV is east coast biased. That’s why they are broadcast in ET and replayed in PT. Live events are ALWAYS given an ET billing because, surprisingly, all the networks are based there.

link

can we get a ” I’m calling it the Sears Tower” shirt

[quote comment=”340388″][quote comment=”340376″]

When do you think they will put a game at Target Field?? Wild vs. Stars, perhaps??[/quote]

I swear someone was pushing for an outdoor game right after Edmonton in 2003.

I think they’ve played an outdoor high school game every year as part of Hockey Day Minnesota.[/quote]

A friend of mine works on for the U of MN athletic department. He told me there has been talk of trying to expand Hockey Day to more of a hockey weekend. The idea would be to set up ice at the new TCF Bank Stadium and play all weekend. Maybe some high school games on Friday and Saturday. Gophers women’s and men’s games on Saturday, Wild game on Sunday. I don’t think it has gotten past the idea stage, and I’m not sure it ever will (the logistics of scheduling, financial terms, etc, etc would make it a huge undertaking), but it’s a cool concept. If you’re going to go to the trouble of building temporary ice, might as well get as much use out of it as possible.

[quote comment=”340390″][quote comment=”340384″]
/and while we’re at it…you complain the games for left-coasters are too early … how’s about moving the world series games (and MNF games) up a couple of hours? not gonna happen either, because tv dictates those times, and the noon timeslot (EST) is perfect for tv

no matter where you play the game, that’s when it’s going to be played[/quote]

So when the WS games are starting at 4pm for the east coasters’ 7pm timeslot, you’re telling me that there isn’t an east coast bias, Phil?

Notice how the west coast games for the NFL always take the middle time slot as the earliest they’ll be shown? Do you think there’s a reason for that? I’m quite certain NFL players aren’t playing the game at 9am on Sunday for the noon timeslot on the east coast.

Basically, what you’re saying is that Denver, Calgary, and Vancouver will forever be prohibited from hosting a Winter Classic because you, the viewer, live in NYC.

Essentially, it’s “too effing bad for them for living where they do, and eff those teams who want to earn the windfall of that immediate cash infusion”. And you wonder why teams in the west bitch and complain about east coast biases?[/quote]

Teebz, you’re thinking like a fan, and that’s not wrong.
But we need to remember that the WC exists because there was an incredible soft spot in the New Year’s Day broadcast schedule. The NHL and NBC have created something that draws far better than virtually any other NHL telecast and blows away anything else NBC can imagine putting in that time slot.

Now, by those criteria, it is a resounding—though still young and brittle— success. If ever the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applied to something, it’s the WC. Outside that particular, quirky time slot the WC loses pretty much all its clout…and much of it audience…an audience that’s just sitting there early on New Year’s Day looking for something different and entertaining on TV that most everyone in the house might find enjoyable…for one reason or another.

Anywhere but that time slot, the WC might not even exist. All we know for sure is that right there, on that day, it works.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340400″]
Teebz, you’re thinking like a fan, and that’s not wrong.[/quote]

You mean, I’m thinking like the people this game is for? I’m thinking about the demographic that the NHL is trying to earn?

[quote comment=”340400″]But we need to remember that the WC exists because there was an incredible soft spot in the New Year’s Day broadcast schedule. The NHL and NBC have created something that draws far better than virtually any other NHL telecast and blows away anything else NBC can imagine putting in that time slot.

Now, by those criteria, it is a resounding—though still young and brittle— success. If ever the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applied to something, it’s the WC. Outside that particular, quirky time slot the WC loses pretty much all its clout…and much of it audience…an audience that’s just sitting there early on New Year’s Day looking for something different and entertaining on TV that most everyone in the house might find enjoyable…for one reason or another.

Anywhere but that time slot, the WC might not even exist. All we know for sure is that right there, on that day, it works.

—Ricko[/quote]

I’m not saying they have to change the strategy. I’m simply suggesting that they throw the west coast fans a bone. Otherwise, the business model sucks. If I was an owner of a Western Conference team, I’d would be adamant that any future games include a Western Conference team that is situated in a city west of St. Louis for every game going forward – no exceptions.

[quote comment=”340394″]Hate to tell you this, but TV is east coast biased. That’s why they are broadcast in ET and replayed in PT. Live events are ALWAYS given an ET billing because, surprisingly, all the networks are based there.[/quote]

Growing up you would hear things like “Nine, eight Central time”. No longer. When was the last time Jay or Dave ever said that they were on at anything BUT 11:30?

What really teed me off was when ESPN started a college network. All sorts of opportunities to get out to somewhere else for balance in their coverage, and they went to North Carolina.

[quote] this event is about the CASUAL fan. It was designed to attract the leisurely fans to the game. I’m guaranteeing you that the 60,000 that show up at 9am are die-hards and not the people the NHL are trying to reach.[/quote]

exactly…do you think the tv execs or bettman give a shit about the 60K?

no…they care about the millions (they hope) will be watching…those are the “casual” fans the game is aimed at

that’s why you can HAVE the game out west, but it will be played at NOON EST

i dragged my ass out of bed early (for me) to watch the open at 7 am this morning, and i will do so tomorrow (which is a vacation day for me) because i’m a golf fan…i fail to see why this event (which should attract even casual fans) is such a “chore” for left coasters to do at 9 AM (even on NYD)…seriously, is it THAT big a deal to be up (not showered, shaved and dressed, but merely awake) at 9:00 am on NYD?

[quote comment=”340406″][quote] this event is about the CASUAL fan. It was designed to attract the leisurely fans to the game. I’m guaranteeing you that the 60,000 that show up at 9am are die-hards and not the people the NHL are trying to reach.[/quote]

exactly…do you think the tv execs or bettman give a shit about the 60K?

no…they care about the millions (they hope) will be watching…those are the “casual” fans the game is aimed at

that’s why you can HAVE the game out west, but it will be played at NOON EST

i dragged my ass out of bed early (for me) to watch the open at 7 am this morning, and i will do so tomorrow (which is a vacation day for me) because i’m a golf fan…i fail to see why this event (which should attract even casual fans) is such a “chore” for left coasters to do at 9 AM (even on NYD)…seriously, is it THAT big a deal to be up (not showered, shaved and dressed, but merely awake) at 9:00 am on NYD?[/quote]

You entirely contradicted yourself.

You dragged your ass out of bed to watch the Open because you’re a die-hard fan. Your time zone is forced to adapt if they want to watch the live event being played at normal hours in Britian.

What you’re suggesting is that the West Coasters change THEIR scheduling for your time zone. That’s entirely the point of my diatribe against the east coast bias.

Would you prefer if the British Open was played in the dark so you can watch it in primetime?

[quote comment=”340407″][quote comment=”340402″]I’m not saying they have to change the strategy. I’m simply suggesting that they throw the west coast fans a bone. Otherwise, the business model sucks. If I was an owner of a Western Conference team, I’d would be adamant that any future games include a Western Conference team that is situated in a city west of St. Louis for every game going forward – no exceptions.[/quote]
Teebz, would you like to see a WC game in Phoenix?

(I mean, it even sounds silly: “Winter” and “Phoenix”.)[/quote]

No, but if you aren’t going to drop the east coast bias, then bring the Western teams to you.

Problem solved, rivalries be damned.

[quote comment=”340409″]
And, shoot, I think St. Louis and Denver are totally viable candidates (assuming only U.S. venues remain what they want)…I’m just saying the WC will stay in that time slot. NHL wants to owe noonish on New Year’s Day, and that should be their end game goal, to be come a tradition. That was my point. That, and they should hope it snows a little every year. LOL

—Ricko[/quote]

I get the noon timeslot. I’m not saying that part of it doesn’t work.

I’m saying that I’d be pissed if I owned a team west of the St. Louis Arch because the NHL is catering to a densely-populated area despite them having a national business model.

So bring the Western Conference teams east for the game, and forget nurturing the natural rivalries. Otherwise, the national business model is failing teams like LA, Anaheim, San Jose, Phoenix, etc, etc.

[quote comment=”340402″][quote comment=”340400″]
Teebz, you’re thinking like a fan, and that’s not wrong.[/quote]

You mean, I’m thinking like the people this game is for? I’m thinking about the demographic that the NHL is trying to earn?

[quote comment=”340400″]But we need to remember that the WC exists because there was an incredible soft spot in the New Year’s Day broadcast schedule. The NHL and NBC have created something that draws far better than virtually any other NHL telecast and blows away anything else NBC can imagine putting in that time slot.

Now, by those criteria, it is a resounding—though still young and brittle— success. If ever the phrase “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applied to something, it’s the WC. Outside that particular, quirky time slot the WC loses pretty much all its clout…and much of it audience…an audience that’s just sitting there early on New Year’s Day looking for something different and entertaining on TV that most everyone in the house might find enjoyable…for one reason or another.

Anywhere but that time slot, the WC might not even exist. All we know for sure is that right there, on that day, it works.

—Ricko[/quote]

I’m not saying they have to change the strategy. I’m simply suggesting that they throw the west coast fans a bone. Otherwise, the business model sucks. If I was an owner of a Western Conference team, I’d would be adamant that any future games include a Western Conference team that is situated in a city west of St. Louis for every game going forward – no exceptions.[/quote]
Teebz…

The NHL simply can’t delay the playing of the game to 4pm to accommodate the West Coast fans if they plan to play the game on New Years Day. They cannot go back-to-back with the Rose Bowl. If they try, they’re going to shoot themselves in the foot, especially if they try to pull the game off on the West Coast in the heart of the Pac-10. They will not win that battle, and they know that. Play it at 4, and you’ll have the stadium half empty before the 3rd period starts so people can get home and prepare their Rose Bowl parties, or worse yet, they might not even show at all, especially if the home town team makes the Rose Bowl.

[quote]You entirely contradicted yourself.

You dragged your ass out of bed to watch the Open because you’re a die-hard fan.[/quote]

no…i dragged my ass out of bed because im a sports fan and it’s a major event…i do happen to like golf, but if it’s a world cup match and that’s on at 6:00 am (or when MLB played in japan and the games started at 5:00 am)…i woke up for those too[/quote]

[quote]Your time zone is forced to adapt if they want to watch the live event being played at normal hours in Britian.[/quote]

that is correct — im sure the tv ratings for the open on tnt aren’t what drives the event…but that’s apples and oranges…we’re talking WHY THE GAME (WINTER CLASSIC) MUST KEEP IT’S CURRENT TIME SLOT…

[quote]What you’re suggesting is that the West Coasters change THEIR scheduling for your time zone. That’s entirely the point of my diatribe against the east coast bias.[/quote]

call it what you want…but the way games are set up on new years day (what with the huge football games beginning at 4:00 EST), what we’re ALL ARGUING is that the classic is best suited to a NOON time slot

is that ECB? maybe…deal with it, because that’s what’s driving this particular game in this particular slot — you’re not going to get the rose bowl moved to 7:00, and if you want to attract the “casual fan”, you’re not going to do it when you put the game up against the granddaddy

[quote]Would you prefer if the British Open was played in the dark so you can watch it in primetime?[/quote]

now you’re just being silly

i adapt to the game, i don’t ask the game to adapt to me…plus, you can play hockey at night (they have lights), but you can’t play golf in the dark *(unless we’re talking about that ‘battle at big horn’ or whatever it’s called where they truck in spot lights for the final few holes)

i don’t think its being unreasonable to ask fans to be awake at 9:00 am … i really don’t…an later for about 80% of the country (maybe not canada, but in the us)

im ALL FOR a west coast game, i’m all for west coast teams (or western division teams) to play in it

what im saying, for the 200th time, is that the way new year’s day television is set up, the ONLY good time to PLAY the game is at noon, est

[quote comment=”340262″][quote comment=”340261″]The Winter Classic seems like the perfect opportunity for the B’s to break out the link, but they will probably end up going with link whilst the Flyers wear their current thirds. On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.[/quote]

I think Teebz explained that because football fields are crowned there’s a major engineering issue with leveling the area where the ice will be to get a flat sheet. I believe it was after the Penguins-Sabres game in Buffalo that the NHL realized football stadia were virtually untenable. Time is money, and the record is showing that playing in ballparks doesn’t hurt ticket sales or TV revenue, so the whole “fill to get level” effort likely is seen as an unwarranted expense.

Doesn’t make it right from a fans’ point of view, I know. But it sure makes sense from a business/promoter’s standpoint. Why spend (probably) six figures for something that is proving to be, in actuality, unnecessary.

—Ricko[/quote]
not all football fields are crowned, as they have moved to the new turf, or have redone the natural surface w/ better drainage thye have removed a lot of the crowns. Wrigley had been crowned until last year, when they redid it. NIU’s football field was also frowned until they went to the fieldturf, the old astroturf was crowned but not the new stuff.

John Daly is at it again. Here is a picture from today’s Open Championship:

link

Here is another one. Check out his cool blue (or green? or teal?) grips as well:

link

Hand here is a pic from earlier in the week. Note his partner’s attire:

link
—————————

And just to make sure Daly wouldn’t upstage him… here is what Ian Poulter is wearing:

link

link
(that logo on his right pant leg is Ian’s own logo)
link

Just one more:
link

One more of Big John’s pants:
link

[quote comment=”340276″][quote comment=”340273″]
Aren’t a lot of the older baseball field sloped in the outfield to allow for better drainage. I thought Wrigley sloped downhill from the infield to the outfield wall. Am I wrong about that? Wouldn’t that be a problem for a flat ice surface, too?[/quote]

That’s why the ice surface was built on the infield at Wrigley. Most MLB infields are built flat for truer bounces. I would expect that the ice at Fenway would be similar.[/quote]

wrigley had a HUGE infield crown until they redid it 2 winters ago. players literally complained about almost falling going around 3rd base at full speed the drop was so bad.

Gotta go with teams that get the biggest TV numbers.
The success of this year gets them another WC next year. And so on.

When they think the event can handle the Sharks against the Blues in St. Louis at new Busch, they’ll do it….but not if they think the numbers will go soft. They can’t afford a ratings dip just to placate a particular team or group of teams or, frankly, the fans of those teams.

That’s just the fact of it. Isn’t like an All-Star Game where they can set up the rotation in advance. It’s isn’t that big yet. Not even close. It’s substantial and getting bigger but, as I said, it’s still brittle.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340282″]I think I amy be missing something. Water seeks it’s own level, so theoretically the bed can be sloped, potholed, furrowed, whatever. so wouldn’t logic dictate that the ice is going to freeze level also? maybe i don’t get how the ice is created.[/quote]

yes it will be lever but it will also be at varying thicknesses which will cause havoc with keeping the ice temp a consistent 27 or so at teh surface.

If you’re going to go to the trouble of building temporary ice, might as well get as much use out of it as possible.

I believe that’s exactly what they’re going to do at Fenway, with Boston College playing Boston University there a few days after the Bruins and Flyers game.

As a member of the East Coast Elite I’d like to register my displeasure with all the sporting events that take place in the Mountain and Pacific time zones that I can’t stay up late enough to watch. It’s been a few years since I’ve witnessed an entire World Series game as well.

[quote comment=”340425″][quote comment=”340423″][quote comment=”340417″]In getting away from my rant…

If you’re a female high school athlete, apparently the NCAA favors you going to school over your male counterparts. At least link, they do. LOL[/quote]
Thanks a lot, Teebz. If I get fired, it’s because of you and this filth, you filthy filthmongering filthmonger.

Request Blocked by URL Filter Database
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The following TrustedSource reputation level was assigned: Neutral.
URL Filter Database serial number: 17895 generated 16/Jul/2009:12:29:09 -0500 by CH2WebWasher1 (Webwasher 6.8.3 Build 4533)[/quote]

HUH? It’s a link directly to the CSC’s site with their report.

link

Worked for me. But for some reason I’m blocked from MLB sites it seems by MLB so go figure.

[quote comment=”340423″]The URL is listed under categories (Pornography), which are not allowed by your administrator at this time[/quote]

at this time?

so there’s hope for the future, eh?

[quote comment=”340434″][quote comment=”340423″]The URL is listed under categories (Pornography), which are not allowed by your administrator at this time[/quote]

at this time?

so there’s hope for the future, eh?[/quote]

JTH is holding on to his Great White Hype. LOL

(couldn’t resist the double entendre, JTH!)

link

I remember before Paul was one of the very few who liked this Cubs uni. But I was one the ones that also liked it.

As a kid I loved the old Pirates and Reds look of the early 1960’s

[quote comment=”340392″]
This reminded me of a shirt I saw over the weekend. The Hold Steady are originally from Mpls and their lead singer is a big Twins fan. They played a concert in Mpls on Saturday and a fan was wearing this shirt. Not an MLB logo takeoff, but a takeoff of a (classic) MLB team logo. I’m not a huge HS fan, but I thought it was pretty damn cool…

link
He was drunk and exhausted but he was critically acclaimed and respected.
He loved the golden gophers but he hated all the drawn-out winters.

I think I need that shirt.

link

[quote comment=”340423″]
Thanks a lot, Teebz. If I get fired, it’s because of you and this filth, you filthy filthmongering filthmonger.

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What’s going on here? I keep getting some report about the NCAA and scholarships.

Can someone provide a link to the interesting website??

:-)

[quote comment=”340442″][quote comment=”340423″]
Thanks a lot, Teebz. If I get fired, it’s because of you and this filth, you filthy filthmongering filthmonger.

Request Blocked by URL Filter Database
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What’s going on here? I keep getting some report about the NCAA and scholarships.

Can someone provide a link to the interesting website??

:-)[/quote]

I need to find where it’s hidden within the domain name. If I find it, I’ll post it here. LOL

[quote comment=”340394″][quote comment=”340393″][quote]Basically, what you’re saying is that Denver, Calgary, and Vancouver will forever be prohibited from hosting a Winter Classic because you, the viewer, live in NYC.

Essentially, it’s “too effing bad for them for living where they do, and eff those teams who want to earn the windfall of that immediate cash infusion”. And you wonder why teams in the west bitch and complain about east coast biases? [/quote]

no, i’m saying they can’t have a game…i would HOPE they do get a game

it will just be played at 12:00 EST, that’s all

surely, you could find 60K hockey fans who are willing to be up and in their seats by 9:00 am (WST)

it’s all about the tv, not the actual fans in those cities teebz, you know that

has nothing to do with east coast bias, but tv time bias[/quote]

Hate to tell you this, but TV is east coast biased. That’s why they are broadcast in ET and replayed in PT. Live events are ALWAYS given an ET billing because, surprisingly, all the networks are based there.[/quote]

A. There is no WST. There is Pacific and Mountain.

B. If you have never lived out West you have no idea what it is like to try to watch live sports at 9am after doing anything the night before.

C. Phil, with all due respect, everything you are saying is only serving to reinforce the typical east coast bias.
“aren’t a lot of left-coasters pretty much already used to seeing eastern sporting events earlier anyway?”

Since we always have to watch games 3 hours earlier anyway, why should be be allowed to actually watch the games at noon. I am sure the players would love to show up for a game at 7 am.

This is not to say that I think going against the Rose Bowl is a great idea, but rather that the east coast biased arguments are tired and insulting.

[quote comment=”340445″][quote comment=”340410″]No, but if you aren’t going to drop the east coast bias, then bring the Western teams to you.

Problem solved, rivalries be damned.[/quote]Yeah, but at some point a throwback uniform from say, the Rangers doesn’t work against the throwback uni of the San Jose Sharks. :-)[/quote]

Since all of the Western teams were incorporated into the NHL after 1967, you’re facing the same problem with this season’s Winter Classic. Philly, as a franchise, didn’t exist before 1967 either. There were teams who moved and setup shop there, but none are connected to the Flyers.

I’d like to put this into production myself…
link

[quote comment=”340263″]Banks wore one of those internal liners for a long, long while.

—Ricko[/quote]

Which led to Bank’s less-than-famous quote, “Let’s wear two.” ;)

[quote comment=”340326″]”On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.”

While it will not be toasty at Fenway, it would be hard to pick a worse place to watch an event on January 1 than Harvard Stadium. No seats; just concrete risers to sit on. Lots of wind blowing in from the river (although it is better now that they built the new squash courts at the open end). I froze my butt off there many Saturdays in October and November. January would be ridiculous.

However, it is true that hockey has been played at Harvard Stadium in the past. (Scroll down the page): link

that image reinforces why a football field is not a good place for hockey. The rink is so much smaller than the football field there are not good seats anywhere near the game. At least in a smaller venue like a BB stadium you have some close seats. Granted it would have made much more sense to run teh field down 3rd base line at wrigely and for fenway down the 1st base line.

[quote comment=”340455″][quote comment=”340326″]”On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.”

While it will not be toasty at Fenway, it would be hard to pick a worse place to watch an event on January 1 than Harvard Stadium. No seats; just concrete risers to sit on. Lots of wind blowing in from the river (although it is better now that they built the new squash courts at the open end). I froze my butt off there many Saturdays in October and November. January would be ridiculous.

However, it is true that hockey has been played at Harvard Stadium in the past. (Scroll down the page): link

that image reinforces why a football field is not a good place for hockey. The rink is so much smaller than the football field there are not good seats anywhere near the game. At least in a smaller venue like a BB stadium you have some close seats. Granted it would have made much more sense to run teh field down 3rd base line at wrigely and for fenway down the 1st base line.[/quote]
Baseball fields are even larger than football fields.

And the closest seats to the ice at Wrigley Field were the “Youth Hockey Limited View” tickets.

[quote comment=”340453″][quote comment=”340263″]
Which led to Bank’s less-than-famous quote, “Let’s wear two.” ;)[/quote]

And you got that in while I was typing mine. Well played!

This guy has done some terrific work making these motorcycle helmets.

link

One of the pics shows examples of his other work.

[quote comment=”340457″][quote comment=”340455″][quote comment=”340326″]”On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.”

While it will not be toasty at Fenway, it would be hard to pick a worse place to watch an event on January 1 than Harvard Stadium. No seats; just concrete risers to sit on. Lots of wind blowing in from the river (although it is better now that they built the new squash courts at the open end). I froze my butt off there many Saturdays in October and November. January would be ridiculous.

However, it is true that hockey has been played at Harvard Stadium in the past. (Scroll down the page): link

that image reinforces why a football field is not a good place for hockey. The rink is so much smaller than the football field there are not good seats anywhere near the game. At least in a smaller venue like a BB stadium you have some close seats. Granted it would have made much more sense to run teh field down 3rd base line at wrigely and for fenway down the 1st base line.[/quote]
Baseball fields are even larger than football fields.

And the closest seats to the ice at Wrigley Field were the “Youth Hockey Limited View” tickets.[/quote]

but as I stated they should have run teh rink up the 3rd base line then, everything from about the RF bullpen plate to behind the plate all they way up the left field side would actually be good seats. The only bad seats then would be the far RF corner and RF bleachers. A FB field is 53 yards wide not counting the sidelines a rink is only 85 feet wide. It looks like a postage stamp when centered on a football field. on a baseball field the rink run up a baseline would cover the entire infield base area and extend another 110 feet into the outfield.

[quote comment=”340458″]
Or…just open up the Mellon Arena roof. When was the last time they did that for anything?
[/quote]

Don’t quote me, but I think is was for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in the all time classic “Sudden Death” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme

An Art Director at work came back from his daily walk around the Mall of America at lunch and said there’s some kind of booth set up about the Negro Leagues.

I can’t get over there today. Maybe tomorrow.

Any Twin Cities folks here know anything about it?

—Ricko

Winter Classic in LA? Turn it into a giant bubble hockey game. Replica, that is. Put a plexy glass dome over the rink, and have giant rods/handles, whatever they’re called, coming out of the boards. They would be superfluous, but funny. The fans would be out in the beautiful Cali weather while the players skate in the frigid dome. I’d imagine it would have to be extra cold in there to counteract any greenhouse effect. Who wouldn’t watch that?

[quote]A. There is no WST. There is Pacific and Mountain.[/quote]

my bad

[quote]B. If you have never lived out West you have no idea what it is like to try to watch live sports at 9am after doing anything the night before.[/quote]

no, i’ve never lived out west, but i have visited many times…while i know the ‘lifestyles’ are different (sorta ‘laid back’ vs. ‘hustle and bustle’), but i have to say, i really ENJOYED watching sporting events 3 hours earlier (although, i guess, technically i was still on east coast time) — but specifically i remember being at a wedding in death valley (furnace creek, to be specific) and watching the mets destroy the giants in the 2000 NLCS…and the game ended well before the wedding started…was great; every time in vegas was great to see “early” games

and, while im sure i wouldn’t enjoy this, i remember in hawaii catching part of a mets espn telecast (so must have been an 8 pm game) at two in the afternoon — watched a couple innings before scuba, then another inning or so before luau

maybe i just enjoyed the novelty of having games earlier than i was used to; i certainly won’t say i have any idea what it is like to watch live sports at 9am out there…i just know i can do it here (don’t want it every day of course, but for a big/special event…not a problem)

[quote]C. Phil, with all due respect, everything you are saying is only serving to reinforce the typical east coast bias.
“aren’t a lot of left-coasters pretty much already used to seeing eastern sporting events earlier anyway?”

Since we always have to watch games 3 hours earlier anyway, why should be be allowed to actually watch the games at noon. I am sure the players would love to show up for a game at 7 am.[/quote]

like i said, call it east coast bias if you want — but it’s all about pleasing the largest tv audience possible in a time slot that makes the most sense…if the pro bowl were still in hawai’i and it might please hawai’ians to no end to have the game at 8:00 hawai’i time, you’d have an even smaller audience for the game than already is in place…it’s not a slap at hawai’ians as much as it’s to accommodate a NATIONWIDE audience…and if 80% of that audience happens to reside in the eastern and central time zones, then that’s when they’re gonna dictate the game be played

[quote]This is not to say that I think going against the Rose Bowl is a great idea, but rather that the east coast biased arguments are tired and insulting.[/quote]

not trying to be insulting…just pragmatic

if you move the game, or make it a double header (no matter WHERE it’s played or by WHOM), that will spell the death knell for the winter classic

[quote comment=”340470″][quote comment=”340462″][quote comment=”340458″]I haven’t seen anyone suggest PNC Park for a Winter Classic

i think we covered this before you started reading

because the pens were already in a classic (albeit not at home), chances are slim and none that they’ll get in another one any time soon

good idea, but, nat gahn happen[/quote]

Fair ‘nuf. I’ll stick with a sport I know more about anyway – how about doing a Fall or Spring Classic for what’s left of indoor soccer? The Baltimore Blast would be the obvious choice, and they could play at Camden Yards. Actually the stadium for the Orioles AA Bowie team would be a better fit – I am grounded somewhat in reality…

Back to hockey, though. Did anyone mention Natinals Park for a Caps game?[/quote]

If the Arena Football League is coming back, maybe they could do a game outside as well? Might be the kick start they need to stay alive.

[quote] Did anyone mention Natinals Park for a Caps game?[/quote]

i think the consensus is that anything south of philly (on the east coast anyway) is too far south for outdoor puck…something to do with temps likely above freezing…possibly having something to do with ice melt?

[quote]If the Arena Football League is coming back, maybe they could do a game outside as well? Might be the kick start they need to stay alive.[/quote]

that’s a good one

wait…you were serious, right?

Frankly, as a Californian I think most sporting events (although don’t get me started on how they screw us on Wimbeldon) on TV work out perfectly for us. I don’t know what those on the east coast do on Sunday morning and I know I’m going to see the end of World Series games and Monday night football.
That being said, a live event that early would never fly. You would be asking players to be in at 6am. I don’t see that working.
East coast for the WC it is.

[quote comment=”340476″][quote comment=”340475″][quote] Did anyone mention Natinals Park for a Caps game?[/quote]

i think the consensus is that anything south of philly (on the east coast anyway) is too far south for outdoor puck…something to do with temps likely above freezing…possibly having something to do with ice melt?

[quote]If the Arena Football League is coming back, maybe they could do a game outside as well? Might be the kick start they need to stay alive.[/quote]

that’s a good one

wait…you were serious, right?[/quote]

If you’re talking fringe sports, check out this news on the WWL today: link?[/quote]

I might have been serious, Phil… ;)

I’d watch Twenty20 cricket at least once, but with this little thing we have here called baseball, I don’t see it lasting. Good luck to them, though.

[quote comment=”340469″]Winter Classic in LA? Turn it into a giant bubble hockey game. Replica, that is. Put a plexy glass dome over the rink, and have giant rods/handles, whatever they’re called, coming out of the boards. They would be superfluous, but funny. The fans would be out in the beautiful Cali weather while the players skate in the frigid dome. I’d imagine it would have to be extra cold in there to counteract any greenhouse effect. Who wouldn’t watch that?[/quote]

Brilliant!

Pro cricket before pro rugby? Really? We can’t sell 30 guys with no pads bashing each other but we can sell a guy in catcher’s gear running back and forth for three days?

Yer killing me Larry.

[quote comment=”340482″][quote comment=”340481″][quote comment=”340469″]Winter Classic in LA? Turn it into a giant bubble hockey game. Replica, that is. Put a plexy glass dome over the rink, and have giant rods/handles, whatever they’re called, coming out of the boards. They would be superfluous, but funny. The fans would be out in the beautiful Cali weather while the players skate in the frigid dome. I’d imagine it would have to be extra cold in there to counteract any greenhouse effect. Who wouldn’t watch that?[/quote]

Brilliant![/quote]

You’d be stuck with this little issue called steam and/or condensation.

Not so brilliant.[/quote]
But it’s a dry heat…

[quote comment=”340483″]Pro cricket before pro rugby? Really? We can’t sell 30 guys with no pads bashing each other but we can sell a guy in catcher’s gear running back and forth for three days?

Yer killing me Larry.[/quote]

I think the only way to sell fringe sports on TV now is to bring back a “Wide World of Sports” type of show – either on ESPN or one of the major networks. All the leagues would chip in to buy the air time and a different league would be featured each week. They could even have a single management group with different branches. For example, you’d have the Wide World Cricket League, the Wide World Rugby League, etc. That way a network isn’t committed to a single sport and they all get some exposure they wouldn’t get on their own. Whaddaya think?

Cricket in the U.S.?
Good idea, MLB and NFL games don’t run long enough for American tastes.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340487″][quote comment=”340483″]Pro cricket before pro rugby? Really? We can’t sell 30 guys with no pads bashing each other but we can sell a guy in catcher’s gear running back and forth for three days?

Yer killing me Larry.[/quote]

I think the only way to sell fringe sports on TV now is to bring back a “Wide World of Sports” type of show – either on ESPN or one of the major networks. All the leagues would chip in to buy the air time and a different league would be featured each week. They could even have a single management group with different branches. For example, you’d have the Wide World Cricket League, the Wide World Rugby League, etc. That way a network isn’t committed to a single sport and they all get some exposure they wouldn’t get on their own. Whaddaya think?[/quote]

Works for me. Anything to get more rugby on free TV or basic cable. I think if rugby were done right rugby could catch on. Not as a major sport, but on the level of MLS or something like that.

Just one small point. It would be called Wide World Rugby Union. In rugby the term “League” refers to a different set of rules sort of like how arena football is different than just football.

[quote comment=”340465″][quote comment=”340458″]
Or…just open up the Mellon Arena roof. When was the last time they did that for anything?
[/quote]

Don’t quote me, but I think is was for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in the all time classic “Sudden Death” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme[/quote]

Sorry but the words classic and Jean-Claude Van Damme should not be in the same sentence.

[quote comment=”340494″][quote comment=”340450″]I’d like to put this into production myself…
link

Or, link[/quote]
I like it, but you’d better fix that apostrophe before Paul sees it.

[quote comment=”340496″][quote comment=”340473″][quote comment=”340470″][quote comment=”340462″][quote comment=”340458″]I haven’t seen anyone suggest PNC Park for a Winter Classic

i think we covered this before you started reading

because the pens were already in a classic (albeit not at home), chances are slim and none that they’ll get in another one any time soon

good idea, but, nat gahn happen[/quote]

Fair ‘nuf. I’ll stick with a sport I know more about anyway – how about doing a Fall or Spring Classic for what’s left of indoor soccer? The Baltimore Blast would be the obvious choice, and they could play at Camden Yards. Actually the stadium for the Orioles AA Bowie team would be a better fit – I am grounded somewhat in reality…

Back to hockey, though. Did anyone mention Natinals Park for a Caps game?[/quote]

If the Arena Football League is coming back, maybe they could do a game outside as well? Might be the kick start they need to stay alive.[/quote]

Sorry, but I think there is less than a 5 percent chance the AFL will be back. It died when David Baker stepped down.[/quote]

And in to the void steps…

cricket?

[quote comment=”340465″][quote comment=”340458″]
Or…just open up the Mellon Arena roof. When was the last time they did that for anything?
[/quote]

Don’t quote me, but I think is was for Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in the all time classic “Sudden Death” starring Jean-Claude Van Damme[/quote]

Since they installed the new scoreboard, it is not impossible to open the roof.

[quote comment=”340487″][quote comment=”340483″]Pro cricket before pro rugby? Really? We can’t sell 30 guys with no pads bashing each other but we can sell a guy in catcher’s gear running back and forth for three days?

Yer killing me Larry.[/quote]

I think the only way to sell fringe sports on TV now is to bring back a “Wide World of Sports” type of show – either on ESPN or one of the major networks. All the leagues would chip in to buy the air time and a different league would be featured each week. They could even have a single management group with different branches. For example, you’d have the Wide World Cricket League, the Wide World Rugby League, etc. That way a network isn’t committed to a single sport and they all get some exposure they wouldn’t get on their own. Whaddaya think?[/quote]

Sounds good to me. If it means there’s ONE less friggin’ poker broadcast, even better.

[quote comment=”340466″][quote comment=”340463″][quote comment=”340457″][quote comment=”340455″][quote comment=”340326″]”On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.”

While it will not be toasty at Fenway, it would be hard to pick a worse place to watch an event on January 1 than Harvard Stadium. No seats; just concrete risers to sit on. Lots of wind blowing in from the river (although it is better now that they built the new squash courts at the open end). I froze my butt off there many Saturdays in October and November. January would be ridiculous.

However, it is true that hockey has been played at Harvard Stadium in the past. (Scroll down the page): link

that image reinforces why a football field is not a good place for hockey. The rink is so much smaller than the football field there are not good seats anywhere near the game. At least in a smaller venue like a BB stadium you have some close seats. Granted it would have made much more sense to run teh field down 3rd base line at wrigely and for fenway down the 1st base line.[/quote]
Baseball fields are even larger than football fields.

And the closest seats to the ice at Wrigley Field were the “Youth Hockey Limited View” tickets.[/quote]

but as I stated they should have run teh rink up the 3rd base line then, everything from about the RF bullpen plate to behind the plate all they way up the left field side would actually be good seats. The only bad seats then would be the far RF corner and RF bleachers. A FB field is 53 yards wide not counting the sidelines a rink is only 85 feet wide.

It looks like a postage stamp when centered on a football field. on a baseball field the rink run up a baseline would cover the entire infield base area and extend another 110 feet into the outfield.[/quote]

But that wouldn’t look as good on TV.
And that’s one place where it does break down. Really would be better to configure things that way. But, they’re interested in “framing things” properly. The end result is that at least the fans get treated equally:They’re all way the hell away from the rink.

—Ricko[/quote]

How would it look bad on TV? The camera gets put essentially in CF behind the benches. The camera shoots over the benches across the ice and penalty box and right into a huge crowd that’s 15 feet from the glass.

[quote comment=”340495″][quote comment=”340494″][quote comment=”340450″]I’d like to put this into production myself…
link

Or, link[/quote]
I like it, but you’d better fix that apostrophe before Paul sees it.[/quote]

Ha! Too true.

“…but we can sell a guy in catcher’s gear running back and forth for three days?”

Cool. Like a really low budget Transformers movie.

[quote comment=”340503″][quote comment=”340466″][quote comment=”340463″][quote comment=”340457″][quote comment=”340455″][quote comment=”340326″]”On another note, baseball stadia are terrible venues for hockey, the NHL would have done the fans attending a service if they held the game at Harvard Stadium instead of Fenway, because it would not only provide decent viewpoints because of its design, but also because were they needed, temporary bleachers could be erected in the open end of the bowl.”

While it will not be toasty at Fenway, it would be hard to pick a worse place to watch an event on January 1 than Harvard Stadium. No seats; just concrete risers to sit on. Lots of wind blowing in from the river (although it is better now that they built the new squash courts at the open end). I froze my butt off there many Saturdays in October and November. January would be ridiculous.

However, it is true that hockey has been played at Harvard Stadium in the past. (Scroll down the page): link

that image reinforces why a football field is not a good place for hockey. The rink is so much smaller than the football field there are not good seats anywhere near the game. At least in a smaller venue like a BB stadium you have some close seats. Granted it would have made much more sense to run teh field down 3rd base line at wrigely and for fenway down the 1st base line.[/quote]
Baseball fields are even larger than football fields.

And the closest seats to the ice at Wrigley Field were the “Youth Hockey Limited View” tickets.[/quote]

but as I stated they should have run teh rink up the 3rd base line then, everything from about the RF bullpen plate to behind the plate all they way up the left field side would actually be good seats. The only bad seats then would be the far RF corner and RF bleachers. A FB field is 53 yards wide not counting the sidelines a rink is only 85 feet wide.

It looks like a postage stamp when centered on a football field. on a baseball field the rink run up a baseline would cover the entire infield base area and extend another 110 feet into the outfield.[/quote]

But that wouldn’t look as good on TV.
And that’s one place where it does break down. Really would be better to configure things that way. But, they’re interested in “framing things” properly. The end result is that at least the fans get treated equally:They’re all way the hell away from the rink.

—Ricko[/quote]

How would it look bad on TV? The camera gets put essentially in CF behind the benches. The camera shoots over the benches across the ice and penalty box and right into a huge crowd that’s 15 feet from the glass.[/quote]

I was being sarcastic. They wouldn’t get that wonderful hero shot of the rink nicely centered just behind the mound.

—Ricko

In the week of the British Open – Some of the memorable lines in sports commentating:

1. It’s in the burn!! – C. Strange?
2. Down goes Frazier, Down goes Frazier – H. Cosell
3. Do you believe in miracles ? – A. Michaels
4. And they’re going home !! – B. Cole (Flyers – Red Army)

[quote comment=”340498″][quote comment=”340495″][quote comment=”340494″][quote comment=”340450″]I’d like to put this into production myself…
link

Or, link[/quote]

I like it, but you’d better fix that apostrophe before Paul sees it.[/quote]

i was thinkin’ maybe he did that on purpose

/btw, nice shirt michael![/quote]

A dream, I wanted to share. Thank you.

[quote comment=”340512″]I know that the Canadians have played in an outdoors game and we aren’t really trying to attract more Canadian viewers, wouldn’t it have been much better for the Canadians or another one of the Original Six to be playing the Bruins? As a casual fan, i.e. who they are supposed to be attracting this would get me much more excited than the capitals or flyers.[/quote]

It’s an American TV show aimed at as many Americans as possible. For the time being, anyway. Can’t cut your target prime viewing markets in half by making one of them Canadian. I know that offends hockey fans but, again, think like an NHL or TV exec. For the purpose the WC serves, they are doing exactly what they should do. It isn’t the Stanley Cup, or even the All-Star Game. It’s a U.S.-oriented New Year’s Day NHL and hockey history/background showcase.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340467″]… daily walk around the Mall of America at lunch …

—Ricko[/quote]
That’s about a three-hour tour, isn’t it? :-)

[quote comment=”340501″]If it means there’s ONE less friggin’ poker broadcast, even better.[/quote]
I’ll bet you’re watching all of the poker games…..

[quote comment=”340516″][quote comment=”340482″]You’d be stuck with this little issue called steam and/or condensation.

Not so brilliant.[/quote]
Teebz, the ice guru in town for the WC said he could do a game in LA: of course he went right on to say that there would be a lot more prep time, etc. But he wouldn’t rule it out.[/quote]

I realize you can do it. The Kings do it in Las Vegas every year.

You can’t do it with a bubble over top, though. That’s where the problems start.

[quote comment=”340519″][quote comment=”340501″]If it means there’s ONE less friggin’ poker broadcast, even better.[/quote]
I’ll bet you’re watching all of the poker games…..[/quote]

Man, I don’t watch any. And I like poker – it just drives me crazy that it’s on ESPN so much. It could – and probably should – have its own channel.

[quote comment=”340448″]
Since all of the Western teams were incorporated into the NHL after 1967, you’re facing the same problem with this season’s Winter Classic. Philly, as a franchise, didn’t exist before 1967 either. There were teams who moved and setup shop there, but none are connected to the Flyers.[/quote]Sure, that’s why I went with the word “classic” franchise instead of O-6. I didn’t want to limit myself too much. :-) But most (if not all) of the franchises up to the Buffalo/Vancouver class could muster up some sort of throwback, no?

(How about the Stars with that “N” on their shirts?)

[quote comment=”340523″][quote comment=”340519″][quote comment=”340501″]If it means there’s ONE less friggin’ poker broadcast, even better.[/quote]
I’ll bet you’re watching all of the poker games…..[/quote]

Man, I don’t watch any. And I like poker – it just drives me crazy that it’s on ESPN so much. It could – and probably should – have its own channel.[/quote]

Yes! Poker is a game, ESPN is for sports.

[quote comment=”340523″][quote comment=”340519″]
I’ll bet you’re watching all of the poker games…..[/quote]

Man, I don’t watch any. And I like poker – it just drives me crazy that it’s on ESPN so much. It could – and probably should – have its own channel.[/quote]
See, I wanted to have someone say “I’ll see that, and raise you….”

[quote comment=”340524″]

a three hour tour..

(had to be said)[/quote]
Hott Rodd gets it! :-)

[quote comment=”340530″]

Yeah! Like tractor pulling![/quote]
Nobody ever pulls a tractor on those shows! It’s always some guy DRIVING a tractor, pulling a sled of some sort.

Now if they had some guy with a rope, who would spit on his hands and try to drag a tractor out of a mudhole, then it would be tractor pulling.

(And I’ll bet the ratings would be higher too.)

[quote comment=”340526″][quote comment=”340521″]You can’t do it with a bubble over top, though. That’s where the problems start.[/quote]Okay, I didn’t get far enough back in the comments.

Man, this place! Miss a few minutes of posting and you’re behind for the rest of the day. :-)[/quote]

Found that out today as well…

By the way, no disrepect meant to the tradition-rich game of hockey, at least on my end. I’m sure most of us are just brainstorming for fun here.

[quote comment=”340535″][quote comment=”340526″][quote comment=”340521″]You can’t do it with a bubble over top, though. That’s where the problems start.[/quote]Okay, I didn’t get far enough back in the comments.

Man, this place! Miss a few minutes of posting and you’re behind for the rest of the day. :-)[/quote]

Found that out today as well…

By the way, no disrepect meant to the tradition-rich game of hockey, at least on my end. I’m sure most of us are just brainstorming for fun here.[/quote]

Oh, I know, but the fun is trying to figure out what they’re gonna do…be a little pre-cognitive based on our combined knowledge and experience. To do that in this case, you gotta stay inside the box, not think outside it.

No sense debating whether a portion of the Great Salt Lake could be frozen for a game in Utah. That’s “Could Mighty Mouse beat Superman?” territory.

—Ricko

[quote comment=”340536″][quote comment=”340535″]I’m sure most of us are just brainstorming for fun here.[/quote]
I’m only capable of brainmisting these days.[/quote]

I sort of brain spitz, I think.
And it settles into some kind of brain dew.

[quote comment=”340528″][quote comment=”340510″]link link in 2009.
That’s the BAYLOR Bears.

I already had my torch in hand and was trying to find my pitchfork, then I clicked on the link and it wasn’t linked to the Chicago Bears. Phew.[/quote]

Sorry about any confusion there…yah, that’s the BAYLOR Bears.

[quote comment=”340540″][quote comment=”340539″][quote comment=”340536″][quote comment=”340535″]I’m sure most of us are just brainstorming for fun here.[/quote]
I’m only capable of brainmisting these days.[/quote]

I sort of brain spitz, I think.
And it settles into some kind of brain dew.[/quote]

You guys need some brain gatorade, I think…

Actually, brainstorming is a great way to get to a good idea. Once I’ve verbalized some of my stupider ideas, the good ones usually follow.[/quote]

Absolutely. Always said, Get the goofball ideas said and out in the open so they don’t clog up the chute.

[quote comment=”340512″]I know that the Canadians have played in an outdoors game and we aren’t really trying to attract more Canadian viewers, wouldn’t it have been much better for the Canadians or another one of the Original Six to be playing the Bruins? As a casual fan, i.e. who they are supposed to be attracting this would get me much more excited than the capitals or flyers.[/quote]

I agree that the Canadiens-Bruins game would have been best. It is the best rivalary in hockey.

The Rose Bowl kicks off at 5PM Eastern. Any hockey fan knows that a game lasts 2-1/2 hours. Even with a shootout 3 hours tops. The farthest Western US city you could have an outdoor game would be Denver. Start that game at 1 Eastern. It would be 11AM Denver time, not terribly early. NBC would still have plenty of time to bore you with the pregame snoozefest. Problem sovlved.

I’ll also go on record to say that a second Winter Classic in say, Vancouver would be awesome! Canadien viewers will eat it up. Show it on Versus in the States. U.S. hockey fans, like myself, would gladly watch it over USC kicking the snot out of some Big 10 chump.

I know it is not sports related but I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that today is the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 launch.

link

[quote comment=”340485″][quote comment=”340482″][quote comment=”340481″][quote comment=”340469″]Winter Classic in LA? Turn it into a giant bubble hockey game. Replica, that is. Put a plexy glass dome over the rink, and have giant rods/handles, whatever they’re called, coming out of the boards. They would be superfluous, but funny. The fans would be out in the beautiful Cali weather while the players skate in the frigid dome. I’d imagine it would have to be extra cold in there to counteract any greenhouse effect. Who wouldn’t watch that?[/quote]

Brilliant![/quote]

You’d be stuck with this little issue called steam and/or condensation.

Not so brilliant.[/quote]
But it’s a dry heat…[/quote]

Come on! LA! Hollywood! Couldn’t NBC hire Spielberg’s or Lucas’ special FX people to cook up a good old fashioned Hollywood snowstorm?

As far as the bubble goes, maybe the NHL could ditch Bridgestone and hook up with Super Chexx as the sponsor. Just sayin’ That would be brilliant.

[quote comment=”340538″][quote comment=”340514″][quote comment=”340511″]In the week of the British Open – Some of the memorable lines in sports commentating:

1. It’s in the burn!! – C. Strange?
2. Down goes Frazier, Down goes Frazier – H. Cosell
3. Do you believe in miracles ? – A. Michaels
4. And they’re going home !! – B. Cole (Flyers – Red Army)[/quote]

5. And we’ll see ya…tomorrow night! – J.Buck (Twins-Braves, W-S game 6, 1991[/quote]

6. “You can kiss it goodbye!” – Bob Prince (game 7, 1960 WS-winning homer by Bill Mazeroski)[/quote]

I prefer this classic. “It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole!” C. Spackler

Al Michaels had another very famous call:

link

Tecmo Bo

Shoes:
link

to match the shirt:
link

[quote comment=”340529″][quote comment=”340523″][quote comment=”340519″]
I’ll bet you’re watching all of the poker games…..[/quote]

Man, I don’t watch any. And I like poker – it just drives me crazy that it’s on ESPN so much. It could – and probably should – have its own channel.[/quote]
See, I wanted to have someone say “I’ll see that, and raise you….”[/quote]

Oh, I get it. :) Sorry – a few too many Miller Lites last night…

[quote comment=”340398″][quote comment=”340388″][quote comment=”340376″]

When do you think they will put a game at Target Field?? Wild vs. Stars, perhaps??[/quote]

I swear someone was pushing for an outdoor game right after Edmonton in 2003.

I think they’ve played an outdoor high school game every year as part of Hockey Day Minnesota.[/quote]

A friend of mine works on for the U of MN athletic department. He told me there has been talk of trying to expand Hockey Day to more of a hockey weekend. The idea would be to set up ice at the new TCF Bank Stadium and play all weekend. Maybe some high school games on Friday and Saturday. Gophers women’s and men’s games on Saturday, Wild game on Sunday. I don’t think it has gotten past the idea stage, and I’m not sure it ever will (the logistics of scheduling, financial terms, etc, etc would make it a huge undertaking), but it’s a cool concept. If you’re going to go to the trouble of building temporary ice, might as well get as much use out of it as possible.[/quote]

There was talk of the Gophers and Badgers playing outdoors at TCF, but the WCHA wouldn’t allow it for this season.

[quote comment=”340538″][quote comment=”340514″][quote comment=”340511″]In the week of the British Open – Some of the memorable lines in sports commentating:

1. It’s in the burn!! – C. Strange?
2. Down goes Frazier, Down goes Frazier – H. Cosell
3. Do you believe in miracles ? – A. Michaels
4. And they’re going home !! – B. Cole (Flyers – Red Army)[/quote]

5. And we’ll see ya…tomorrow night! – J.Buck (Twins-Braves, W-S game 6, 1991[/quote]

6. “You can kiss it goodbye!” – Bob Prince (game 7, 1960 WS-winning homer by Bill Mazeroski)[/quote]

*”Go crazy folks! Go crazy” – Jack Buck after Ozzie Smith hit a GW home run in Game 5 of the NL championship.

WHOA! Beckham is wearing short sleaves!

[quote comment=”340563″][quote comment=”340538″][quote comment=”340514″][quote comment=”340511″]In the week of the British Open – Some of the memorable lines in sports commentating:

1. It’s in the burn!! – C. Strange?
2. Down goes Frazier, Down goes Frazier – H. Cosell
3. Do you believe in miracles ? – A. Michaels
4. And they’re going home !! – B. Cole (Flyers – Red Army)[/quote]

5. And we’ll see ya…tomorrow night! – J.Buck (Twins-Braves, W-S game 6, 1991[/quote]

6. “You can kiss it goodbye!” – Bob Prince (game 7, 1960 WS-winning homer by Bill Mazeroski)[/quote]

*”Go crazy folks! Go crazy” – Jack Buck after Ozzie Smith hit a GW home run in Game 5 of the NL championship.[/quote]
Yeah. Good call, Johnny. I was gonna bring that one up earlier today but some bullshit called “work” got in my way and I got sidetracked.

So, I’ll go with “Devin Hester… You are RIDICULOUS!”
– Jeff Joniak after Hester’s second kickoff return for a touchdown vs. the Rams in St. Louis, Monday, December 11, 2006

I was at a Bob’s Store (North-East chain) tonight and found at Red Sox away cool base BP jersey for $55. I contemplated and decided against it, but then on the way home decided I wanted it, turned back around, and they were closed. I will be going back tomorrow… that’s a deal.

[quote comment=”340552″]

6. “You can kiss it goodbye!” – Bob Prince (game 7, 1960 WS-winning homer by Bill Mazeroski)[/quote]

I am sorry but number 1 has to be Giants win the pennant, Giants win the pennant.[/quote]

Unfortunately, Prince did not call the Maz homer live. Any recording of that moment was a recreation. On a similar note, most Steelers fans know that Myron Cope never saw the Immaculate Reception.[/quote]

The callers of Maz’s homer were Mel Allen on the TV side (sadly, we’ll never know what he said as nothing exists of the NBC video of the ’60 WS) and Chuck Thompson’s call on NBC radio (which does exist and Chuck misidentifies Ralph Terry as Artrt Ditmar).

[quote comment=”340572″][quote comment=”340552″]

6. “You can kiss it goodbye!” – Bob Prince (game 7, 1960 WS-winning homer by Bill Mazeroski)[/quote]

I am sorry but number 1 has to be Giants win the pennant, Giants win the pennant.[/quote]

Unfortunately, Prince did not call the Maz homer live. Any recording of that moment was a recreation. On a similar note, most Steelers fans know that Myron Cope never saw the Immaculate Reception.[/quote]

The callers of Maz’s homer were Mel Allen on the TV side (sadly, we’ll never know what he said as nothing exists of the NBC video of the ’60 WS) and Chuck Thompson’s call on NBC radio (which does exist and Chuck misidentifies Ralph Terry as Artrt Ditmar).[/quote]

I believe Prince did the local call for KDKA. If he didn’t he went to a lot of trouble making a recreation, because I bought a recording of the entire game 7 on tape years ago for my dad.

little roller up along first…

[quote comment=”340571″]2010 Winter Classic Uniforms.

I guess:

1967-68 Philadelphia Flyers road white uniforms.
1948-49 Boston Bruins home uniforms.[/quote]
Keep in mind that this year’s uniforms were not full reproductions of classic unis. The Wings wore red pants, not white. They also wore the modern winged wheel logo as shoulder patches. The Hawks essentially took the crest they wore in the ’40s and put it on the jersey they wore in the mid-’30s. For the pants, they used the design from the ones they wore with those mid-’30s jerseys and flipped the colors so that they were black instead of beige.

So don’t be surprised to see the Flyers do something like put their modern logo on a Quakers jersey or the Bruins take one of their early designs and make them black instead of brown.

[quote comment=”340579″][quote comment=”340577″]Now, are we at the record for most # of posts?
This post sponsored by BRIDGESTONE, baby.

(Could that WC logo have that any more prominently?)[/quote]

not even close

but we have got to be waaaaay over the number of posts completely unrelated to the main article[/quote]

Uni Watch by the numbers! ;)

Terrible punctuation

[quote comment=”340548″]8. “It gets through Buckner!” -V. Scully[/quote]
Heh. Now I’m watching one of those 1986 year in review shows. Every one of the talking heads (Rich Eisen and a few others) that quoted Vin Scully on that one fucked it up. They all said “gets by Buckner.”

Well, back to the beginning then.
Pitchers took pre-game warmups near the dugouts at old Met Stadium, too.
At least in the early years. Honestly can’t remember if they still did in the late ’70s, during the final seasons.

—Ricko

And in the midst of all that history, I’m a kid watching on TV and also thinking, “Gee, he sure looks a lot different than in his Indians uniform.”

(Talk about a lifetime of the arcane)

—Ricko

Back to the column.
In my opinion, that A’s image would be better if they had a yellow “KC” on the cap. I loathe it when football helmets and baseball caps don’t represent all of the team’s colors.
Chiefs, White Sox (iffy), Sayer’s era Bears, who else?
Notre Dame kind of works, but Ucla doesn’t. I can’t explain that.

[quote comment=”340592″][quote comment=”340591″]Back to the column.
In my opinion, that A’s image would be better if they had a yellow “KC” on the cap. I loathe it when football helmets and baseball caps don’t represent all of the team’s colors.
Chiefs, White Sox (iffy), Sayer’s era Bears, who else?
Notre Dame kind of works, but Ucla doesn’t. I can’t explain that.[/quote]

If you have all the colors on the headgear that could be more of a temptation to do a BFBS on the uniform. I know, the Mets did it anyway, but I’m speaking in overall terms.

Kinda liked the old Bears helmet, but yeah, I’d like to see some yellow on the Chiefs helmet.

It works with ND becasue the helmet is gold and the jersey is blue – they complement each other.[/quote]
What about extra colors on the headgear that aren’t on the jersey? The Steelers only got red and blue on the jersey with the matching patch on the left shoulder. So once upon a time, the Steelers’ helmet had more colors than the jerseys.

[quote comment=”340593″][quote comment=”340592″][quote comment=”340591″]Back to the column.
In my opinion, that A’s image would be better if they had a yellow “KC” on the cap. I loathe it when football helmets and baseball caps don’t represent all of the team’s colors.
Chiefs, White Sox (iffy), Sayer’s era Bears, who else?
Notre Dame kind of works, but Ucla doesn’t. I can’t explain that.[/quote]

If you have all the colors on the headgear that could be more of a temptation to do a BFBS on the uniform. I know, the Mets did it anyway, but I’m speaking in overall terms.

Kinda liked the old Bears helmet, but yeah, I’d like to see some yellow on the Chiefs helmet.

It works with ND becasue the helmet is gold and the jersey is blue – they complement each other.[/quote]
What about extra colors on the headgear that aren’t on the jersey? The Steelers only got red and blue on the jersey with the matching patch on the left shoulder. So once upon a time, the Steelers’ helmet had more colors than the jerseys.[/quote]

Call me a heretic, but this is one Steelers fan who would rather see this link on the helmet (one side only, of course).

Any Cheeseheads out there watch the Crew from the FS WI feed and notice the Batting Stance Guy do an impression of Fielder and then un-tuck his jersey around 1st base, and then his jersey goes down to his feet.

Anyways, I have been meaning to DVR this but I always forget. If I forget again, and chance someone else can tape it? I think the UW world would like to see this commercial as well.

[quote comment=”340598″][quote comment=”340575″][quote comment=”340553″][quote comment=”340538″][quote comment=”340514″][quote comment=”340511″]In the week of the British Open – Some of the memorable lines in sports commentating:

1. It’s in the burn!! – C. Strange?
2. Down goes Frazier, Down goes Frazier – H. Cosell
3. Do you believe in miracles ? – A. Michaels
4. And they’re going home !! – B. Cole (Flyers – Red Army)[/quote]

5. And we’ll see ya…tomorrow night! – J.Buck (Twins-Braves, W-S game 6, 1991[/quote]

6. “You can kiss it goodbye!” – Bob Prince (game 7, 1960 WS-winning homer by Bill Mazeroski)[/quote]

I prefer this classic. “It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole!” C. Spackler[/quote]

Great call!

Here’s a newer one:
“Santa Maria!” Matt Vasgersian after the TB Bucs’ 1st ever KO return for a TD.[/quote]

SANTA MARIA!
link

Better video:
link

[quote comment=”340600″]..and followed Fantastic Voyage with the late 60’s British sci-fi favorite, Gerry Anderson’s UFO.
Another great..uni.

link

Loved that show!

Did anyone grab a screen shot of the AAA All Star game. The one catcher had a brimless cap on.