Is hockey the most underated sport on earth?

[cankid]

I still think Canadian Football is the best sport out there for the spectator, I can here the chuckles from Morgantown to San Diego....The rules make it more entertaining, ie... unlimited receivers in motion, wish the Nfl would allow more than one guy in motion.....Great to see the NFL Network pick some games up, 1st game last year was a great showcase 54-51 Overtime game Sask beating Montreal, they use the college type overtime system

[Samzilla]

@Nicky Santoro - the two line pass rule was ditched during the lockout.

Anyone remember the glowing puck on Fox so americans could see the puck?!?

[thetrinity]

honestly, to tell the truth, i would have laughed about this a year or 2 ago. i have been watching these playoffs intently though, even been betting on it quite a bit. most underrated, ah maybe not, but its quite intense. 2 things i hate about it still.

1. the 2 intermissions. maybe i dont understand enough about the game, but it seems ridiculous to have 2 halftimes essentially. these breaks make the game lose its flow badly IMO.

2. the whole presentation seems to be rinky dink to me IMO. being on nbc gives it a bit of legitimacy but versus i mean come on, you are on the same channel as cycling rodeo and mountain west football n basketball. also the homer announcers in pittsburgh on root sports (formerly fox sports) are about as clueless as it comes and sound like little league parents cheering on jonny.

im glad to see atlanta going back to winnipeg, im all in favor of canada having half the teams and the north and northeast having the other half. we dont need hockey teams in atlanta, phoenix, dallas, la, miami, etc.

[sonyman]

I love watching the NHL playoffs---fun to watch.

[Sunde91]

Probably Rugby. It being more prominent in the Southern Hemisphere tells it all.

Hockey is great, but playoffs are the only thing bearable to watch. A 0-0 game for 59 minutes and 42 seconds like last night in the regular season would be..

[svenodds]

i love watching hockey

[hels]

To the people wondering about not being able to follow the puck. I've watched hockey my whole life so following the puck is easy. However, when I'm watching a game with my parents my mom always comments "how did you see that?" "where was the puck?" "?????"

Also, I watched TB/Boston game 7 and they had a horrible camera that never got closer than being able to see half the ice all the time!!!! I think the TV is 38 inches high def (I'm certainly not trying to brag as this is probably below standard nowadays -- welcome to small town Canada) but you should be able to easily follow the puck. Nope, the camera was not zoomed in close enough and I was practically squinting at times.

So, how about the original fox puck?

[BetterBizness]

All hockey needs to do is take out offsides and we're good...

[watertight]

If people could actually see the puck it might be more popular. I can't see it. I just watch to see if a player lifts his arms in the air.

i have a hard time understanding this, are canadians just born with hawk eyes?

[BetterBizness]

i have a hard time understanding this, are canadians just born with hawk eyes?

It's not at all the speed of the puck... AT ALL... American sports audiences need everything handed to them...

You think ANY of us can watch a 112 Mph slapshot??? Canadians who have grown up with the game just understand that when the shot goes off, you stare at the net, NOT the shot.. Anticipating the Puck... if it misses the bounce off the boads takes it to a player to which the astute cameramen then follow and the cycle continues...

"Not being able to follow the puck" is as stupid as saying.. I can't watch a pitcher throw a 98 mph fast ball... you can't... But the camera angles we're give allow us to see the pitcher in windup, then the ball in the glove.. and we get used it because that's what's SUPPOSED to happen... ball goes from pitchers hand.. to catchers glove...

The ONLY time you can't see the puck in hockey is when it's going FAST ... when they are stickhandling, or passing, it's pretty easy to see...

Otherwise it's pretty easy to track a round Basketball, or egg shaped football being launched ...

[face]

i love the fact that many things dont get called penalties, and that usually the penalties are legit. also i like how there's not many penalty shots like in soccer, i think the power play is fair enough punishment most times. also i love the power play idea, you have an advantage, but you still have to show excellence to cash in on the advantage. different punishment than freethrows in nba or 15 yard penalty in nfl.

[hockey216]

great sport americans just never get into it probably bc theyve never played it. in the south hockey leagues are rare and HS' dont have teams

[FrizB]

I would agree that hockey is the most underrated sport, but that's just my opinion. Growing up in the north, hockey was apparent and found everywhere. Most understood the sport and most watched the sport. Now I live further south, where hockey is virtually unnoticed and unappreciated for the most part. It is almost impossible to find a bar that gets the hockey package. Even national chains like Bdubs that claim to cater to all sports fans and subscribe to all sports packages don't offer hockey packages here.

Some complain about not being able to see the puck. HD and a decent size tv should solve that issue. I sure hope that the foxTrax(glow puck) never reemerges. Just a mockery to the sport and to the people that are capable of watching it..

I think it comes down to what others here have said, most don't watch hockey because most don't understand it. Until hockey becomes more popular(or even offered) at the youth level across the US, hockey fans will have to be content watching and enjoying a second tier sport. No glowing puck or other gimmick are going to popularize the sport.

Awesome first game of the series last night btw. For the true fans, you can't get much better...

[sweethook]

i dont know , but i know for dam sure that golf is the most overated sport on earth , 100%

[darren125]

In the US, yes, definitely, hockey is.

[Davydave]

Nicest looking trophy in any sport too.

[coldhardfacts]

YES - It has all of the tension of baseball, but a more exciting pace.

[MarlinsFan2212]

Underrated as far as what? TV viewings? Maybe. As far as difficulty Hockey gets its due. If your talking about under-appreciated athletes swimmers,gymnasts, and triathletes are way more underrated.

[jennahazeplays]

super underrated, very exciting sports in person but its boring as a mfer on da tv

[jjgold]

I canada maybe but usa most do not even know finals is being played

I do not even know what channel it is on

[BRAVES1985]

I canada maybe but usa most do not even know finals is being played I do not even know what channel it is on

jj just stick to jersey shore you fuk

[jjgold]

90% of American People would not even know who is playing in Stanley cup

[Rod1010]

90% of American People would not even know who is playing in Stanley cup

Yeah sure .. Nhl Ratings in game 1 were higher then the celtics Lakers game 1 last year ..

[terpkeg]

Hockey could be much more if the refs just put the whistles away, they hurt the flow of the game.

I dont think it has anything to do with whistles. NBA, tons of whistles.

Every season I watch the playoffs closely and say that I am going to follow the Reg season the next year. But, I never do. Anyone else feel this way?

[bracerman]

there is a whistle every 34 seconds in hockey and 92% of the time, the fans in america have no clue why a whistle keeps happening.

Very true. Go watch a game in the Southern US and listen to the fans trying to figure out what the hell is going on. Worth the price of admission alone.

[WvGambler]

It has everything to do with the personalities. Hockey players are generally dull. Everything they say is cliche and "coach speak". They are like robots, and the general public has a hard time rooting for such boring folks. Sad but true. There are not enough guys to love or hate in the NHL.

[BRAVES1985]

It has everything to do with the personalities. Hockey players are generally dull. Everything they say is cliche and "coach speak". They are like robots, and the general public has a hard time rooting for such boring folks. Sad but true. There are not enough guys to love or hate in the NHL.

all athletes are dull and boring as fuk

except shaq and Jeremy Roenick

[Tk Fo Sho]

Love hockey. If people just took the time to watch 1 game and learn the rules I bet they would love it...

[Bengals28]

Yeah sure .. Nhl Ratings in game 1 were higher then the celtics Lakers game 1 last year ..

That's including Canada right?

[smitch124]

Hockey is definitely underrated, its a great sport! I wish they could find a way to make the regular season more meaningful, its almost like a warm up for the playoffs. Too many teams make the playoffs and home ice and better seeds doesn't count for much most times. But a (rare) meaningful regular season or playoff hockey game is the best!!

[Rod1010]

That's including Canada right?

Thats only boston ratings.. Goes to show you people in Boston are loving their hockey.

[Gio21]

Wasn't it kind of big in the USA before they had their lockout? I think they lost a lot of US fans

[coldhardfacts]

Yeah sure .. Nhl Ratings in game 1 were higher then the celtics Lakers game 1 last year ..

I would bet everything I own to a penny that this is not true.

[str]

T.V. does it no justice.

Went to a game once and it was great!

I just never got into it.

[BrickJames]

It is by far, it is the Rodny Dangerfield of sports. "I get no respect."