Shame on the NHL and the Hockey Media!!!
Posted 3:06 PM ET | Comments 11
Personally I am sickened but not shocked by the lack of press Martin Brodeur's 500th win gets in the media...To me this is like the 800 goal club, or 700 home run club, a club so exclusive only 2 or 3 people in thier given sport have been able to obtain it....yet the NHL has done nothing special to acknowledge the moment....not even todays "frozen moment"
You can make all the arguements you like (steroids not being one of them, but other steriod tainted records got 1000% more press )but consider this...of the 500 wins, 208 have been by one goal....if thats not the goalie making the difference im not sure what is.
If the NHL and its media doesnt respect its own history, how does it expect others to?
You can make all the arguements you like (steroids not being one of them, but other steriod tainted records got 1000% more press )but consider this...of the 500 wins, 208 have been by one goal....if thats not the goalie making the difference im not sure what is.
If the NHL and its media doesnt respect its own history, how does it expect others to?
This is what is wrong with hockey. The media needs to do their part to promote the game they cover and not make up stories about wallets getting stolen or whatever biased opinions they have. We should embrace every new milestone and I believe that the media should have done more for Modano and Roenick being American born players reaching milestones. Instead, they are interested in what "he" said or whatever cheap shots players deal out.
Sam, the media's job is not to "promote" the game. That's the NHL and individual team marketing/pr departments' job. There's a big enough issue just getting coverage in sports sections. The NY Times used an AP brief this morning for last night's Rangers win over Pittsburgh. It just isn't happening.
It's a very nice record, it's good for hockey.But... it was no Steroids, it was part of the Time he played in and how the Game was played then. First there was a long time when very defensive hockey was played, where NJ had one of the best defensive system for years, and he clearly was favored by this. And then there was the Shootout, which made it easier for him to win games ultimately after they were a draw.
Let's say Marty plays 3 more years, he goes 6 years with shootouts deciding draws. Patrick Roy had 57 Draws in his last 6 years. Not to mention that Marty did not shine like before, after losing Stevens and Niedermayer. A big part of the record is ultimately because of the other circumstances surrounding him. That's also why i don't see it as the bombastic achievement you see it.There are and were a lot more goalies, who could have done the same, perhaps even better, under those circumstances. We all have seen what a extremely well defensive corps in front of the Netminder can do in the last playoffs. Don't get me wrong, J.S. Giguerre is a great goalie, but not a worldclass caliber goalie.Brodeur is a future HoF-er, but his defense he had during the years is also loaded with future HoF-ers.
True and at 35 this year he has looked ordinary for long stretches but lets examine a few things, not the least of with was Marty being the major reason that the Devils have won consecutive Atlantic Division Crowns without Stevens and Neidermayer, as Ive stated 208 of 500 wins were one goal wins.....think about the pressure of knowing one goof up loses you those games. Yes the era he played in is a factor, as it was for Wayne, no doubt the greatest offensive force the game has seen but if he started his career in oh i dunno 91 , 92 does he get a sniff at some of his records? Shootouts? I dont like em but talk about a spot where a win or a loss is heavily and almost solely on the Goaltender...we can argue symantics, Devils haters, and there are many will point to the things you point to, I may be biased but in almost 100 years there have been 2 guys to reach this plateau.......and truth is, unless a similar set of extrodinary circumstances occur, I don't see this club being approched in my life time. A bad job by all but the Flyers organization for the lack of acknowledging this acheivment.
here in philly marty was pictured on the sports section cover of the philadelphia inquirer. he had the headline and all. im happy for him. best goalie of all time, and one of my favorites. glad it was against the flyers so i got to see him do it. i totally disagree with the other comment about other goalies doing the same in the same circumstance. marty IS the main reason for the cups, and without marty, stevens may not be inducted into the hall of fame.
jprobber:You are right. But here are my thoughts. If they do not write about the game or teams in a positive manner, they will write negative things that will detriment the sport. And when that happens, then people, the casual fans, will stop following the sport and believe what they are writing or saying. As a result, less TV ratings and less demand to read about hockey, which means less money in their wallets. Or something on those lines.
Not to sound pro canadian, and anti american. I love america but i am a canadian. But this is what is wrong with the sport of hockey, it truly is not recognized as one. When i watch most american teams and i look at the stands its empty and its upsetting but understanding. There are so many professional sports in America and Hockey is at the bottom of the list for some states, and ur right this should be promoted more but it won't because america doesnt care about hockey.this is why i wish that canada could have more teams. But they won't allow Nashville for example to move to canada because they want more of an american market, yet the NHL won't promote jack shit.
500 wins is a great career. Always critics, new rules, different era, say whatever, only two players have done it. NHL should highlite these great moments. the NHL needs stronger marketing,ESPN, a flexible national game of the week to show the best it has and promote its stars. Higher scoring games could attract more fans. Home whites and eliminating ticky-tac penalties might brig back some old fans. Hockey is missing from sports talk radio. NFL,NBA,MLB draw higher ratings due to gambling. Fans criticize players from these leagues complaining "overpaid","dont play hurt","big heads","troublemakers." Maybe hockey players need to be the same way and its fans need to bet on it.
Brodeur is just so good, he is taken for granted. As a hockey fan, and a Ducks fan, I am very happy for him and lucky I was able to see the best 2 goaltenders ever in Marty and Roy
Broduer is better than Roy ever was. Statistically he beats Roy in just about every catagory. To bad he plays for a boring devils team no one cares to watch. Unfortunate really.