One Guy's Viewpoint

Soccer and Hockey

Recently I've been watching a good deal of soccer. Of course, the World Cup is underway, to the semi-finals now. While I don't generally watch any of the MLS games, I do get excited by the World Cup every four years. I do watch the MLS championship match now and then.

This got me to thinking about hockey. Although one is played on turf and the other on ice, hockey and soccer are similar in a lot of ways. Both have a goalkeeper. Both have an off-side rule. In one you dribble (correct term?)and pass with a stick but in the other it's with the foot. In both there is a lot more action around the goal that don't lead to scores than that do.

So, why is it that I never watch hockey, not even the Stanley Cup finals? The last hockey game that really excited me was watching the U.S.'s victory over Finland for the 1980 Winter Olympics' championship. That's a long time ago.

Where's the difference? Maybe it's just that hockey is harder to follow on TV. In 1954 I got to see one of the great NHL teams of all time live, and I certainly enjoyed that. This was in Madison Square Garden when my unit was processing for overseas. The great team was the Detroit Red Wings with Gordie Howe, Red Kelly, Terry Sawchuk, and other notables. It was the Red Wings more than the game I went for. But to see hockey on TV I have zero interest.

Soccer is easy to follow on TV because of the ball. It's big, and it's white which stands out against the green of the playing field. Contrast that to a black, three-inch diameter hockey puck. Yeah, that's what would maybe get me watching more hockey: make the puck the size of a pie plate and paint it florescent pink. That ought to do the trick.

posted by Burt @ 10:18 AM