Go Sharks!

[Dean_Youngblood]

That is all...

Not much to cheer about these last several seasons. Is this Boooog's last year behind the bench?

 

[Robotech]

I've never gotten into hockey. Is it possible for a 42 year old person to become a real fan at this point? I remember when the Sharks got to the Bay Area and I bought some Sharks gear because the uniform is so sweet, but I really know nothing about hockey.

 

[Judge Fudge]

I've never gotten into hockey. Is it possible for a 42 year old person to become a real fan at this point? I remember when the Sharks got to the Bay Area and I bought some Sharks gear because the uniform is so sweet, but I really know nothing about hockey.

Ask anything.

You guys have been to the finals once but ran into a dying Dystany in Pittsburgh.

The division is anyone can make the playoffs.

One Elite team
1 Very good
The rest are good

 

[Robotech]

Ask anything.

You guys have been to the finals once but ran into a dying Dystany in Pittsburgh.

The division is anyone can make the playoffs.

One Elite team
1 Very good
The rest are good

What is offsides? I don't really know soccer that well either. In American football, offsides is a very simple rule to understand.

 

[Robotech]

Ask anything.

You guys have been to the finals once but ran into a dying Dystany in Pittsburgh.

The division is anyone can make the playoffs.

One Elite team
1 Very good
The rest are good

Also, are you able to train your eyes to better see where the puck is? I know that a long time ago, Fox would highlight the puck in blue in their broadcasts, but that was silly.

 

[Judge Fudge]

What is offsides? I don't really know soccer that well either. In American football, offsides is a very simple rule to understand.

Hard one to explain.

1) You can't beat your teammate over the blue line if said teammate has the puck

2) If the puck leaves the blue line. Everyone on the attacking team must leave the attacking zone and cross the blue line.

3) You can't beat the puck over the blueline

 

[Judge Fudge]

Also, are you able to train your eyes to better see where the puck is? I know that a long time ago, Fox would highlight the puck in blue in their broadcasts, but that was silly.

Most cameras can spot it now

 

[Dean_Youngblood]

This board isn't dead!!!

Hockey is my favorite sport to watch live. Fast paced... all of the grace of basketball, but the physicality of football.

Sharks have mainly been a big disappointment come playoff time... except for their one "cup run". Still root for them and watch as many games as I can each year.

 

[Robotech]

This board isn't dead!!!

Hockey is my favorite sport to watch live. Fast paced... all of the grace of basketball, but the physicality of football.

Sharks have mainly been a big disappointment come playoff time... except for their one "cup run". Still root for them and watch as many games as I can each year.

I've never watched it live unlike the 3 sports that I passionately follow (football, basketball, and baseball). Maybe that's why I've never gotten into it.

 

[Dean_Youngblood]

I've never watched it live unlike the 3 sports that I passionately follow (football, basketball, and baseball). Maybe that's why I've never gotten into it.

My very first hockey game was the Shark's inaugural season when they played at the Cow Palace. My college room mate grew up in Boston and wanted to go see the Bruins when they came to town. I grew up in Phx, and didn't even know wth hockey was - heard of Wayne Gretzky, but that was the extent of it. Sharks lost 5-1 that day, if I remember right... still one of the best sporting experiences I can remember. Something about watching the game live, learning all the nuances and "traditions"... seeing players fight and having that be part of the game.

Then, I got to audit the sharks after getting out of college. I volunteered to read all the player contracts and tie them out to liability schedules. That was friggin cool. All the players were extremely down to earth as well. We'd take our bag lunches and watch practice while we ate.

I love the hockey vibe. There is definitely a "code" that you don't see in other sports.

 

[caliraftdude]

Haven't been here in a while, I joined a company a while back and was traveling globally most of the time.. really hard to keep up on 3-4 games a week. After I upgraded to a 77 inch oled screen, the wife could finally see the puck and she now really enjoys playoff hockey. She's >40, and from/grew up in Taiwan. So I would say that yes, hockey can and does appeal to anyone who enjoys competitive sports - I even have her screaming "CLEAR IT" during excessive defensive zone play.

On off-sides - the way I explained it to the wife was that the puck MUST proceed first across the blue line before any player. If a player was already in the offensive zone, they must come out and re-enter. There is a bit more to it than that in all honesty - but thats was easy enough for her to follow and get into the game.

My very first hockey game was the Shark's inaugural season when they played at the Cow Palace. My college room mate grew up in Boston and wanted to go see the Bruins when they came to town. I grew up in Phx, and didn't even know wth hockey was - heard of Wayne Gretzky, but that was the extent of it. Sharks lost 5-1 that day, if I remember right... still one of the best sporting experiences I can remember. Something about watching the game live, learning all the nuances and "traditions"... seeing players fight and having that be part of the game.

Then, I got to audit the sharks after getting out of college. I volunteered to read all the player contracts and tie them out to liability schedules. That was friggin cool. All the players were extremely down to earth as well. We'd take our bag lunches and watch practice while we ate.

I love the hockey vibe. There is definitely a "code" that you don't see in other sports.

I had an 8th grade teacher that would staple the covers of sports illustrated around the top of his room and had noticed a lot of EDM and Gretzky pictures, but back then we had about 1 1/2 channels of TV and none of them carried hockey. I started watching, when I could, when Wayne went to LA and could see a few games now and then but when I moved into the bay area I was able to watch full seasons. Sharks... have been a rough team to follow. The David that has beaten Goliath on a number of occasions but just not enough to bring home the hardware. The jumbling of teams to different divisions and conferences (something that needed to happen, I agree) ruined some storied rivalries with SJ-DET, SJ-DAL, SJ-PHX, SJ-COL being some of the great games to go live. When DET had 4 lines of HOF players (quite literally) and we could beat them it was awesome.

There's a lot of good hockey to watch.. this Conner guy in EDM is something else, a man among boys on the ice. Its a tough investment of time but I have always felt that hockey is pro sports with just some regular guys playing it.

True story: My buddy was a huge Blackhawks fan and predominantly a Chelios fan. Around the time he got traded to DET he would be in SJ a bit more often and my buddy liked to hang out at Mission Ale House. After a game Chelios was there and my buddy's friend sort of pushed his shy butt over to say hello. He shyly, and politely says hello and Chelios kicks over a chair and says, "join us." He sat there and shot the breeze with them (miller lights ONLY, gotta watch the waistline) for a couple of hours. Also at the table: Brett Hull, Brendon Shanahan, and Steve Yzerman. They met up a few more times over the years - my buddy told me most people had no idea who they were because they were so low key and unassuming.

My sort of sports guys. I agree with Dean - there is a vibe with just about all these guys that you just don't see with other sports most of the time.