Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site alberta.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!bellcore!allegra!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!alberta!ken From: ken@alberta.UUCP (Ken Hruday) Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey Subject: Re: Offence vs. Defence Message-ID: <477@alberta.UUCP> Date: Mon, 6-May-85 13:48:34 EDT Article-I.D.: alberta.477 Posted: Mon May 6 13:48:34 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 7-May-85 07:09:45 EDT References: <1537@dciem.UUCP> Distribution: na Organization: U. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB Lines: 73 >> 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? .... Apparently the erudite Mr. Richardson equates excitement with the uncer- tainty of a game's outcome. Of course uncertainty and high stakes are cause for excitement in any endeavour, but then you don't really need to know any- thing about hockey to derive this sort of enjoyment from the game - a total "novice" to the game with a $1000 bet would appreciate the "excitement" of a close match. I would think that an educated fan would appreciate the display of some of the skills which make the game. Of late, only the more defensive of these skills have emphasized. What Rob and I appreciate about the Oilers is their emphasis on offensive skills. A well executed offensive combination can be very exciting even if you know (with virtual certainty) that the other team is going to lose - but then enjoyment of the game shouldn't depend soley on winning or losing. >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. ... Certainly ineptitude in anything detracts from enjoyment but you digress from Rob's point, which is simply that the offensive play of the Oilers is exciting. It would be far better to see the Oilers play a very strong defensive team i.e. the "irresistable force meets the immovable object" (pardon my pro-Oiler bias :-> ). To me this is far more interesting than "the immovable object meets the immovable object"!! :-)> >It's much more exciting when teams >have to earn their goals. I agree whole heartedly with this point. > 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. Excuse me Mr. Richardson, but the final score of the game is no indication of its entertainment value. >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. Thanks for setting us novices straight on hockey! But even you have to agree that without offense, an opposing team cannot fully show the prowess of it's defense nor can the skills of a good offensive team be fully exposed without the strength of a good opposing defense. Rob's point was simply that the offensive play of the Oilers is exciting because it is fresh - they are probably the only team today which combines an excellent offensive squad with a sound defense, rather than the reverse. Ken Hruday P.S. I'll bet you're a Maple Leafs fan! (:-))