(WGR 550) -- If this were hockey's version of "Back to the Future," Dave Hannan's arm would be slowly disappearing from an old photograph being held by Marty McFly, er, Biron.
Right off the bat, I'll admit that I'm nuts about the sport, and an old-time hockey fan. However, I'm not a codger crying willy-nilly about how Rod Langway didn't have to wear a helmet. I can accept regular season shoot-outs, advertisements on the glass and all kinds of other crazy stuff.
But don't take away the thrice-at-most-per-year multiple overtimes of 5-on-5 play. Just don't do it. It's the one time I'll say don't worry about new fans, or new revenue or expanding the great game of hockey.
I remember multiple overtimes for the losses as much as the wins. I remember forcing myself to stay awake during Game Six between the Sabres and Stars by playing SEGA in my parents basement with some grunge or metal band blaring on a CD player. They lost. I was crushed. It became folklore.
I remember trying to hide next to the seats in my parents' living room during the intermissions of the great Dominik Hasek four-overtime-70-save-a-thon in the hopes that neither Mom nor Pops would say, "You are 12-years old. Go to bed." They didn't. Buffalo won. It became legend.
Heck, just five-on-five single overtime has given me Brad May and Jason Pominville etched into my brain. If you started watching hockey this year, he didn't miss.
When I was young, my dad would sneak me out of bed for two things: no-hitters and double overtime. That's how ingrained the institution of multiple overtimes on both sides of the Mendola family tree.
Will Zapruder-like film of a four-on-four or shoot-out goal in a non-Final give anyone chills 15 years later? No, but only because Zapruder-like film has been replaced by video taping your DVR and putting it on Youtube. Truthfully, If the NHL made the change, fans would adapt and love the moment just as much.
I know why they want to do it, and my best rebuttal is it just won't be the same. That probably won't hold up for too many more years, but I'll argue for as long as it takes: a minute, an hour, or a day.
Even if it takes (at least) my thirteenth shot of the night.
I'm going to actually gonna have to disagree with you, I think it's time to bring in the regular season, o.t. into the playoffs. going into multiple o.t. makes the excitement, goes away they play 60 minutes, of regulation time, then on top of that, 20 minute O.T., that's pretty harsh for the players, and wares them down
05/05/2009 10:32AM
I Agree
There have been a lot of changes the NHL has made over the years that I didn't like but understood why they did it and grudgingly accepted. This is one of the things I will have a VERY hard time accepting! Watching guys with huge beards playing exhausted and the elation that follows the winning shot, is simply amazing! Watching the guys poor over the bench and the shaking of hands that follows in the rare instance... well I've said enough. How many times can the NHL spit in the faces of life-long fans in search of new ones before the fans say enough?
05/05/2009 10:36AM
Dont
i agree with you nick there's nothing better than sudden death overtime playoff hockey NOTHING! Jason woolley in 99?? Even keith primeau in there the flyers 4 overtime game it last a long time in the hearts of true hockey fans, sure shootouts are exciting but you can lose in a shootout with having your third player shoot which could be your ovechkin or crosby if your lookin at it in a marketing standpoint, DONT get rid of overtime!
05/05/2009 10:44AM
OT
Spot on as usual, Mendola.
05/05/2009 10:55AM
ot
yeah spot on! spot on
05/05/2009 12:07PM
Grow Up
Seriously Nick, i do understand where you are coming from, the integrity of the actual win or loss is in danger of overtime rule changes, espeacially a shootout or 4 on 4 change in the second overtime. But honestly, hockey is a dead sport. Anything that can be done to help bring hockey to the mainstream is needed. Also, remember that people today have the attention span of pigeons on crack, and the long drawn out overtime will bore all but the most patient fans. I'm Sorry, but imagine if a West Coast time game lasted an extra 3 overtimes. Does the win seems so grand or memorable at 3AM??? I welcome change that "wastes" less of my time, even though i really enjoy hockey.
05/05/2009 12:45PM
Get a life
How do you get so much joy in watching other people do things? Life should be played not watched.
05/05/2009 12:49PM
what?
cause its impossible to do both? last comment doesnt make sense.
05/05/2009 12:52PM
Mainstream?
As long as we still have the game it doesnt need to go mainstream.
05/05/2009 12:53PM
meh?
mainstream, do we really want hockey to be mainstream?
05/05/2009 1:25PM
Would Prefer a Shootout, Let the NHL Stars Shine!
I think it would be tough to beat the excitement of a game 7 OT playoff shootout between the Pens and Caps. Crosby and Ovechkin going 'head to head' with the season on the line! Much rather have that than endless overtimes with the winner scored on some fluke shot by a 4th line grinder.
05/05/2009 1:44PM
Dit Clapper's Spinning Corpse
Other than the 1st weekend of the NCAA Basketball tournament, NHL Playoff Overtime hockey is absolutely fantastic and needs none of the tinkering, quick-fixing or 21st century bastardization that other sports have undertaken. Uwe Krupp, Keith Primeau, Jason Woolley, Dave Hannan, even Brett F. Hull - when their names are mentioned, you go back to their goals. Why do anything to eff this up??
05/05/2009 3:12PM
Playoff OT, can't be beat
The stories and lore of playoff OT lasts forever. Robert scoring in the Forum. Don't let non or new hockey people make decisions for TV. The shootout is fine for the regular season, but let them play. Start the West Coast games earlier if they're worried about the time. More people from the northeast watch the games anyway. This is what happens when you take a basketball guy and put him in charge
05/05/2009 4:18PM
OT, Keep it the same
The person who commented about bring people to the game. We have fans, we risk it to get a few more dollars from people who realy do not care? Keep it simple.
05/05/2009 7:33PM
love OT the way it is
Please keep OT the way it is. My greatest hockey memories are of OT goals scored for and against the Sabres. Hannan, May, Plante, Woolley, Pominville. Those are the plays that make the game so great.
05/05/2009 9:05PM
OT makes the playoff special
The real sports fan stays up and watches OT, give me continous OT anyday of the week, sucks that it was almost instituted. You don't hear anybody complaining about the triple OT basketball game with the celtics/bulls series. For those people complaining, its called TiVo. Bettman has screwed up the league, please don't screw up the one thing that makes the NHL playoffs unique from all other sports.
05/06/2009 12:05AM
OT 4 Ever
No question OT must remain 5/5... change what you will but don't change the post season..
05/06/2009 12:38AM
Shootout?
A shootout in the playoffs? No way! To me, the playoffs are about the best TEAM winning..and not about it being decided by a single player during a shootout. Of course the players get worn down, and tired..which makes it more interesting to watch. Who wants it more? Who's got the eye of the tiger? Keep OT the way it is!
05/06/2009 6:06AM
OT playoff hockey rules
The shootout is a gimmick that has no place in the game as it is. Ratings for the sport are still down, and I hope that the powers that be realize that and go back to the way things used to be. Don't change the one thing that has remained about the sport. Multiple OT games are awesome, not only because of how long some of the games can go on for, but also for the suddenness of it all. One minute you're in the 4th OT, and the next the game is over. It's the most exciting thing in the sport. Screw the shootout, I'll take 3 OT's any day!
The Jim Rome Show
Mon-Fri 12pm-3pm
Are you interested in Donovan McNabb as the starting QB of the Bills in 2010?
To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 1 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 2 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; tournament; WGR; Jeremy White; Golf; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 3 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy tips.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 4 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 5 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 6 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 7 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala; To prepare you for the WGR Celebrity Golf Tournament 2008, this video focuses on Hole 8 at Tri-County Country Club's course. Video hosts Jeremy White and Steve Warzala will share each hole's layout and strategy.; Golf; WGR; Jeremy White; Tri-County Country Club; Steve Warzala;
E-Mail Story
Print Story
