Dignity takes back seat to gimmickry

[The REAL Sabres]

They don't put the ball on a tee and have three batters swing for the fences when a baseball game hits extra innings. They don't have place-kickers attempt field goals from progressively longer distances to determine the winner of an NFL overtime game. So can we please come to realize the cheap gimmickry of it all and do away with the shootout as the National Hockey League's ultimate tie-breaker?

Don't get me wrong. Shootouts are interesting in, say, an All-Star Game skills competition. They have no place in the NHL regular season, an 82-game endurance test after which a point or two might separate the final playoff teams from those left behind.

Full Editorial... (http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20051123/1037055.asp)

:clapper:

[GrapeDRINK]

WAHHHHH..end it before the shootout comes or don't bitch. It makes the game more interesting.

[г]

I agree. The game used to have dignity prior to the introduction of the Denny Theriault Dance Fever Dance-Off to 'end' the game.

[Bay Side]

Its the most exciting play in hockey, right?

[bduff54]

it was in it happened once every 2 weeks.

[Forum21]

I like it, BUT I wonder if teams aren't starting to hold out for the shootout (through OT of course). The Isles looked like they were.

[dwoz9093]

I don't think buffalo plays for the shootout , they seem to throw everything but the kitchen sink at the other team when it is in the 4 on 4 O.T.....Then again they are 2 and 1 in shootouts....

[Darksyde]

It's here, like it or not......learn to live with it or shut off the tv after the OT

[ninecarpileup]

If teams are holding back, so be it. They will get burned more often than not. As for the shootout and rules changes, I think they are the best thing that has happened for hockey in the last 20 years. 20 years from now, when the NHL still exists you can always turn on ESPN Classic and watch a nice boring 0 - 0 game from 2003. All things must change and evolve to survive. The game had gone as far as it was going to go in the form it was in.

[beTough54]

I somehow knew this was a Bob DiCesare article before I clicked.

This is the same man that says you shouldnt draft a first round QB because Tom Brady did well.

[24Impala]

i agree with him somewhat..IMO, teams should be fighting for 1 point in the shootout, getting 2 points through a shootout win seems sort of cheap after a long fought game.

[buffalofan19]

I like it, BUT I wonder if teams aren't starting to hold out for the shootout (through OT of course). The Isles looked like they were.
If that is the case, it sure bit them in the ass.

[Player6600]

I agree

[г]

All things must change and evolve to survive.

It's so 'evolved' that they don't use it to decide important games....

like THE PLAYOFFS.

[foster]

I'd rather see a longer OT than a shootout.

Some games just deserve to end in a tie.

[Papaduke]

D3 If that is you big case against it why have the 5 minute OTand the 4 on 4 too. They change both rules for the playoffs too. Please find a new arguement.

If I were to change it, it would be 2 points for Regulation and OT win 1 pt for OT loss and 0 points for shootout loss. That way you reinstill some urgency for the OT. Thats all, the shootout is here to stay.

[г]

There's a difference. The two teams actually play HOCKEY in the 5 minute overtime, not some sort of Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies side-show.


If you want show-biz, go to Branson, Missouri. They've got plenty of cheap & tawdry second-rate acts. This is HOCKEY, son.

[anEinherjer]

"Some games should end in a tie".... yeah, right.

The regular season can't last forever the way playoff games do - noone's going to sit through 3 OT periods in the middle of November. So, you gotta end the game somehow. The majority don't like ties. Too bad for you if you do. So, how do you want to end it? There are myriad ways. The way the NHL chose for now is the shootout, and from what I see, most people like it.

Certainly there's room to try out other options; look for the AHL to test out different rules over the years to come.

In the meantime, quit yer griping and enjoy the show. Most people are.

[DropTheGloves]

"Some games should end in a tie".... yeah, right.

The regular season can't last forever the way playoff games do - noone's going to sit through 3 OT periods in the middle of November. So, you gotta end the game somehow. The majority don't like ties. Too bad for you if you do. So, how do you want to end it? There are myriad ways. The way the NHL chose for now is the shootout, and from what I see, most people like it.

Certainly there's room to try out other options; look for the AHL to test out different rules over the years to come.

In the meantime, quit yer griping and enjoy the show. Most people are.


Agreed.

[LALAFONTAINE]

Ties suck.

But so does pretending that you are deciding who was the better hockey team with a damn shootout.

[Thumper]

Again, its a nice marketing tool to display some of the creativity and talent in players you might not have expected to have. Malik from the Rangers for instance pulled off a Jagr move to win the game the other night.

I was in the arena when the Sabres played against the Rangers. When the OT came to an end, and a shootout was about to happen, the fans in the arena roared. The majority of the fans, whether they're die hard fans or not, want to see this new aspect of the game. Its exciting, it makes for great highlight real material for all of the over blown dramatic sports shows. Don't blame the higher ups in the game for it...Blame modern day television ratings and big money industries. Its unavoidable.

[The REAL Sabres]

I was in the arena when the Sabres played against the Rangers. When the OT came to an end, and a shootout was about to happen, the fans in the arena roared.They roared because of the great penalty kill we pulled off. At least that's what I was cheering for as I was leaving.

[Thumper]

You left before the shootout, eh?

[The REAL Sabres]

You left before the shootout, eh?Of course. Why wouldn't I leave when the game is over??

[Thumper]

This is the '05-'06 season, Sabrejeff. In the '05-'06 season, the game isn't over after the OT period ends with the same score. I was suprised to see a few fans from a few sections leave at that point. Why not watch and enjoy it just to see something new? You payed for the game, anyways. Might as well squeeze every penny out of that ticket.

[stuuuuuuuuuuu]

Its fun but this league is so tight that shootout points are gonna decide playoff positions. I wish there were a way we could award half a point instead of a full point for a shootout victory. Its like saying sixty minutes of hard work hockey gets you a point, and a 5 minute skill contest is worth just as many points

[Papaduke]

There's a difference. The two teams actually play HOCKEY in the 5 minute overtime, not some sort of Richard Simmons Sweatin' to the Oldies side-show.


If you want show-biz, go to Branson, Missouri. They've got plenty of cheap & tawdry second-rate acts. This is HOCKEY, son.


Cheap and tawdry, I thought you were talking about the Leafs there for a second. Wait.... yep, you are talking about the Leafs.

[mjd1001]

I'm not a big fan of the shootout..but for a reason different than I thought initially.

When I watch the Sabres in a shootout...it's almost like I'm nervous...the 'sitting on the edge of your seat' feeling, but not in a good way. It's a way where I want it to be over with.

It's kinda like when they win the shootout..the high isn't as high as the low is low when the lose one.

I hope I'm explaining that the right way. Like when they win one it's a sense of moderate relief...when they lose the feeling is much worse.

Honestly, I really enjoy watching a shootout when the Sabres aren't in it...as long as there are two teams that I don't care about..it's great. But I'd just rather not see the Sabres in one.

[Papaduke]

Why the hell do people want to desperately hold onto the day of tied scores?They did NOTHING for the game of hockey! If you want ties again, end the game after 60 minutes and be done with it, 4 on 4 5 minute periods should be just as big an abomination to the game as a 3 skater shootout.

[ckg68]

News flash: We're bitching about something that has only been used in about 9% of games through mid-November. Do you REALLY want to get worked up about this?

[г]

9% too much...bring back hockey!

[ckg68]

We'll do that when you get Deney Terrio's name right.

Which I just did.

(Man,I just dated myself...:) )

[The REAL Sabres]

News flash: We're bitching about something that has only been used in about 9% of games through mid-November. Do you REALLY want to get worked up about this?The Rangers are on pace to get 13 extra points by "winning" a shootout. That will probably be enough to put them in the playoffs and leave a team, that actually won their games by playing hockey, out of the playoffs. Yeah, that makes sense. I'm sure it's worth it too. :rolleyes2

[Pondslider]

The Rangers are on pace to get 13 extra points by "winning" a shootout. That will probably be enough to put them in the playoffs and leave a team, that actually won their games by playing hockey, out of the playoffs. Yeah, that makes sense. I'm sure it's worth it too. :rolleyes2

Every team is eligible for those points. If they don't get them it's because they already lost the game.

[The REAL Sabres]

Every team is eligible for those points. If they don't get them it's because they already lost the game.And then there are teams that get those 2 points by actually playing hockey...

[Pondslider]

They don't play hockey at the Olympics then?

[The REAL Sabres]

They don't play hockey at the Olympics then?Until they go to a shootout.

Geesh, what is so hard to understand?!?!

[Pondslider]

I'm just saying, it's not like it's a new concept. The NHL didn't invent it this year and it's a far cry from doing a hardest shot competition or some sort of All Star Game skills competition. There's strategy involved in a shootout. It's my three best scorers against your goalie. It is exciting and it's better than ties.

I'm not in love with the shootout. It's not a great feeling to see the team lose a hard fought game on a shootout goal. But losing is never good. If it were up to me it would be the playoff format of 20 minute sudden death overtime perioids until there's a winner. That's far more exciting than a shootout, but in an 82 game season it's not practical. I agree they should tweak the point system. Take away the point for losing in overtime and make a shootout win one point. That makes the most sense to me. All this hyperbole, though, about it not being hockey is getting old.

[The REAL Sabres]

... it's a far cry from doing a hardest shot competition or some sort of All Star Game skills competition.Funny you should say that...

And it's not hockey, it's hockey practice. Only practice that has bearing in the standings.

[Papaduke]

Sorry I would rather see the game end in a (Deney Terrio Dance Off) shootout, that a team like Minnesota end the season with 20 (Richard Simmons Sweating to the Oldies) ties as in 03-04.

[LALAFONTAINE]

Again, its a nice marketing tool to display some of the creativity and talent in players you might not have expected to have. Malik from the Rangers for instance pulled off a Jagr move to win the game the other night.

I was in the arena when the Sabres played against the Rangers. When the OT came to an end, and a shootout was about to happen, the fans in the arena roared. The majority of the fans, whether they're die hard fans or not, want to see this new aspect of the game. Its exciting, it makes for great highlight real material for all of the over blown dramatic sports shows. Don't blame the higher ups in the game for it...Blame modern day television ratings and big money industries. Its unavoidable.

Unavoidable? Nothing is unavoidable.

I was at the Northlands Coliseum watching the Amerks "win" (with a Miller "shutout") due to a shootout. Miller gets a shutout, but lets in goals? Silly. Sure, the majority of the fans, myself included, watched. I would rather see a game determined on its merits.

Speaking of Malik, how many goals does he have, officially? ZERO. Apparently the real game of hockey is quite different than a shootout.

[Thumper]

Unavoidable? Nothing is unavoidable.

I was at the Northlands Coliseum watching the Amerks "win" (with a Miller "shutout") due to a shootout. Miller gets a shutout, but lets in goals? Silly. Sure, the majority of the fans, myself included, watched. I would rather see a game determined on its merits.

Speaking of Malik, how many goals does he have, officially? ZERO. Apparently the real game of hockey is quite different than a shootout.

No reason really to argue with me on this issue. Take it up with Bettman and the players for agreeing to it.

That's what makes it unavoidable.