More Links

RaychelSnr · 09-13-2010, 12:49 PM

It was the biggest year for the Boston Bruins in decades, and I honestly could not have cared any less. Me, a sports writer for a major Boston newspaper and "die-hard" fan of everything Boston, was more concerned about the state of the putrid New England Revolution (MLS) than I was the conference-leading B's.

Like most (ex-)fans, you could blame the lockout. After that, hockey just did not have the same appeal to me. They just became grunts scooting around the ice while scoring less than a geeky high-school student.

Read More - Carraggi's Corner: How EA's NHL Sucked Me Into Hockey

DJDReW3102 · 09-13-2010, 12:56 PM

this game is great, i'm not a hockey fan whatsoever, but find this game to be a refreshing change of pace to the staleness of other yearly sports games. .... I can't believe I'm saying this, but i think I'm addicted to a hockey game more than sports I actually enjoy!

Skullduggery · 09-13-2010, 01:24 PM

"Catch you guys at halftime."

Joke.... right?

Mikey88 · 09-13-2010, 01:51 PM

Nice read.. i can't relate to your abandoning this great sport after the lockout though.. I would never even think of it. I still don't understand why hockey isn't bigger in the US than it is right now. Does not make any sense to me.. who doesn't like faced paced, hard hitting, high octane action? Oh, i guess its the same people that like golf and baseball or something. I have nothin against baseball, I love the sport but it's slow as molasses and you'd think with modern technology making everyone's attention spans dwindle into nothingness, that sports like baseball and golf would die a slow death and hockey would rise above.

GivenWings · 09-13-2010, 01:52 PM

I love it !. =D

I can relate, but not 100%...
... I mean, I'm Canadian, so hockey's just simply in my blood.

Great article Mike !.

DJ · 09-13-2010, 03:15 PM

Good article, Mike. Hey, we need to chat sometime; I used to work in sports journalism myself.

I grew up in NY and all of my cousins played hockey (I chose basketball. There was no way to play both b/c they were both winter sports) so I had a good understanding of the sport from them and followed the sport very closely in the 1990's. NHL 94 was my favorite game of that decade, without question.

When I moved to Florida, I stopped following the sport as closely as I once did and then when the lockout hit, I threw in the towel ... that is until I got my hands on NHL 08 (got that in 2009 used) and NHL 10. I think it also helps living in CO as the Avs have a good following out here and pretty good coverage in the local paper. But, I can say without question that EA's hockey game has helped re-kindle my interest in the sport and that makes me happy.

I've said the same thing about MLB The Show, too.

buckeyedude33 · 09-13-2010, 04:57 PM

My story is similar, but is different in that before I ever played any of the NHL games I thought hockey was the stupidest sport that was at least somewhat featured in mainstream America. I mean really, who doesn't play for an entire year now-a-days? I do live in the South so hockey takes a back seat most of the time, but now NHL 11 is my 3rd NHL game to own. I have now taken the next step and am currently in the process of playing recreational hockey, and hope to play for my high school team next year.

russwg1970 · 09-13-2010, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mikey88


	Nice read.. i can't relate to your abandoning this great sport after the lockout though.. I would never even think of it. I still don't understand why hockey isn't bigger in the US than it is right now. Does not make any sense to me.. who doesn't like faced paced, hard hitting, high octane action? Oh, i guess its the same people that like golf and baseball or something. I have nothin against baseball, I love the sport but it's slow as molasses and you'd think with modern technology making everyone's attention spans dwindle into nothingness, that sports like baseball and golf would die a slow death and hockey would rise above.

I'm a recent convert to the NHL, and I love it now. It's a sport full of tradition, dedication, and excitement. The only reason I think the NHL isn't more mainstream here in the US is unlike baseball, football, and basketball the sport is considered a Canadian pastime, and it's beginnings lie within their history.

The more I watch hockey, the more I'm amazed at the toughness of the players. And You don't see nearly as many prima donnas in the NHL as say the NFL, and it's not even close compared to the NBA. Football is still clearly my favorite sport, but the NHL is a very close second now.

Thanks for the article.

09-13-2010, 12:49 PM	#1
RaychelSnr Executive Editor OVR: 57 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Oklahoma City, OK Posts: 4,846 Blog Entries: 490	Carraggi's Corner: How EA's NHL Sucked Me Into Hockey It was the biggest year for the Boston Bruins in decades, and I honestly could not have cared any less. Me, a sports writer for a major Boston newspaper and "die-hard" fan of everything Boston, was more concerned about the state of the putrid New England Revolution (MLS) than I was the conference-leading B's. Like most (ex-)fans, you could blame the lockout. After that, hockey just did not have the same appeal to me. They just became grunts scooting around the ice while scoring less than a geeky high-school student. Read More - Carraggi's Corner: How EA's NHL Sucked Me Into Hockey Platform: PS3 / Xbox 360

09-13-2010, 01:24 PM	#3
Skullduggery Rookie OVR: 3 Join Date: Oct 2009	Re: Carraggi's Corner: How EA's NHL Sucked Me Into Hockey "Catch you guys at halftime." Joke.... right?

09-13-2010, 04:57 PM	#7
buckeyedude33 Rookie OVR: 1 Join Date: Mar 2009	Re: Carraggi's Corner: How EA's NHL Sucked Me Into Hockey My story is similar, but is different in that before I ever played any of the NHL games I thought hockey was the stupidest sport that was at least somewhat featured in mainstream America. I mean really, who doesn't play for an entire year now-a-days? I do live in the South so hockey takes a back seat most of the time, but now NHL 11 is my 3rd NHL game to own. I have now taken the next step and am currently in the process of playing recreational hockey, and hope to play for my high school team next year.

	The Best Sports Gaming Year of All-Time
	Arcade Sports Games Need a Revival
	What Does a 'True' Competitive Setting Look Like in MLB The Show?

09-13-2010, 12:56 PM	#2
DJDReW3102 Rookie OVR: 7 Join Date: Mar 2005	this game is great, i'm not a hockey fan whatsoever, but find this game to be a refreshing change of pace to the staleness of other yearly sports games. .... I can't believe I'm saying this, but i think I'm addicted to a hockey game more than sports I actually enjoy!

09-13-2010, 01:51 PM	#4
Mikey88 Rookie OVR: 5 Join Date: Aug 2005	Nice read.. i can't relate to your abandoning this great sport after the lockout though.. I would never even think of it. I still don't understand why hockey isn't bigger in the US than it is right now. Does not make any sense to me.. who doesn't like faced paced, hard hitting, high octane action? Oh, i guess its the same people that like golf and baseball or something. I have nothin against baseball, I love the sport but it's slow as molasses and you'd think with modern technology making everyone's attention spans dwindle into nothingness, that sports like baseball and golf would die a slow death and hockey would rise above.

09-13-2010, 01:52 PM	#5
GivenWings Rookie OVR: 7 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cornwall, ON	I love it !. =D I can relate, but not 100%... ... I mean, I'm Canadian, so hockey's just simply in my blood. Great article Mike !.

09-13-2010, 03:15 PM	#6
DJ Hall Of Fame OVR: 47 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Florida Posts: 17,771 Blog Entries: 101	Good article, Mike. Hey, we need to chat sometime; I used to work in sports journalism myself. I grew up in NY and all of my cousins played hockey (I chose basketball. There was no way to play both b/c they were both winter sports) so I had a good understanding of the sport from them and followed the sport very closely in the 1990's. NHL 94 was my favorite game of that decade, without question. When I moved to Florida, I stopped following the sport as closely as I once did and then when the lockout hit, I threw in the towel ... that is until I got my hands on NHL 08 (got that in 2009 used) and NHL 10. I think it also helps living in CO as the Avs have a good following out here and pretty good coverage in the local paper. But, I can say without question that EA's hockey game has helped re-kindle my interest in the sport and that makes me happy. I've said the same thing about MLB The Show, too.