Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site dciem.UUCP Path: utzoo!dciem!jeff From: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey Subject: Re: Offence vs. Defence Message-ID: <1537@dciem.UUCP> Date: Fri, 3-May-85 15:06:38 EDT Article-I.D.: dciem.1537 Posted: Fri May 3 15:06:38 1985 Date-Received: Fri, 3-May-85 16:14:09 EDT References: Reply-To: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson) Distribution: na Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada Lines: 38 Summary: > One of the reasons I like the Oilers (aside from the obvious one of > them being my home-team) is the new insights they have provided with > the game of hockey. I cannot recall any team in the past (especially > a Stanley Cup competitor) which has emphasized offence over defence the > way the Oilers have. I find their play to be very refreshing and inno- > vative .... > The net result from this will > be even more exciting hockey, and probably some of the best Stanley > Cup finals ever played. NONSENSE!! I think the Oilers are one of the most boring teams in the league. Who wants to watch the Oilers blow someone away 8-3 all the time? At least half of the Oiler games are over before the middle of the second period. What's so exciting about that? Even 7-6 games are usually boring because it's hard to get excited about a goal when the other team will probably come right back and get another one, and because games that are that high scoring usually contain so much defensive ineptitude that it's sickening to the educated hockey fan. It's much more exciting when teams have to earn their goals. I'll take a 2-1 game anytime. The best and most exciting games of the playoffs so far have been the defensive ones like Montreal-Boston and Washington-Islanders. > To me, the Oilers with their style > of play combined with Gretzky's skills have done more for the game of > hockey in North America than anything else since the league expanded in > the late '60s. > Robert Lake (alberta!lake) > University of Alberta I'll admit that they've done a lot for the game. Offence appeals most to novice, uninitiated fans and therefore will take more people off the streets and put them in arenas or in front of their TV sets, which is probably good for the game, but true hockey fans appreciate a classic defensive struggle. -- Jeff Richardson, DCIEM, Toronto (416) 635-2073 {linus,ihnp4,uw-beaver,floyd}!utcsrgv!dciem!jeff {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!dciem!jeff