Comments on: They really do like hockey in Florida...

They really do like hockey in Florida...

KS — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 13:54:48 -0800

Lightning begin their Stanley Cup Defense During the lockout and cancelled season, a Tampa Tribune sports writer has been using a popular hockey simulation game to play out the 2004-2005 season, and has been covering each game as if it were real. Yesterday the SimBolts took a 2-0 lead in their first round match, on the strength of Ruslan Fedotenko's hat trick. Final standings and league leaders. ¶ The Virtual Ottawa Senators have a 2-0 lead over the SimLeafs. I'll be checking back to see faux Ottawa choke.

By: cmonkey

cmonkey — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 15:27:12 -0800

Ugh. Does this guy really need to rub it in?

By: jazon

jazon — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 15:37:26 -0800

Lots of markets are doing this. Here is the Denver Post's version with the Avalanche playing the Eagles.

By: smackfu

smackfu — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 16:15:23 -0800

They did this on TechTV too, with actual commentators. (Also stupid and pointless.)

By: booner

booner — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 16:30:50 -0800

The Leafs have ousted the Sens from the playoffs four times in the past five years. I suspect even the Virtual Leafs will make it 5-0. Damn I miss hockey. A Stanley Cup-less April truly sucks.

By: Dark Messiah

Dark Messiah — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 20:23:52 -0800

The Leafs have ousted the Sens from the playoffs four times in the past five years. I suspect even the Virtual Leafs will make it 5-0. You know why Montreal fans are better than Toronto fans? At least they have a colour photo of their last Stanley Cup.

By: juv3nal

juv3nal — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 20:25:56 -0800

irbe becomes god of goaltenders and take columbus to 2nd in the west. shane doan makes the goal scoring leader list and markus naslund doesn't. um...what?

By: five fresh fish

five fresh fish — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 20:33:21 -0800

I'll pretend to be virtually interested in these virtual playoffs, then.

By: KS

KS — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 20:44:42 -0800

They did this on TechTV too, with actual commentators. (Also stupid and pointless.) Oooh.... that seems even more stupid and pointless. It's just a bit more fun to read and imagine real hockey than to actually watch a computer play hockey, even with today's broadcast imitating graphics. Ugh. Virtual Ottawa now has a 3-0 lead against the Leafs. Clearly some variable is missing in this simulation. (PS Virtual Montreal missed the playoffs.)

By: drezdn

drezdn — Sun, 17 Apr 2005 21:07:22 -0800

::Waving a virtual foam finger, and enjoying a virtual cold one::

By: Succa

Succa — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 04:44:41 -0800

I hope the point of your post wasn't to get in that little Go Leafs rar-rar thingy. Go virtual Ottawa! But really, this is painful to watch. I want to say I'm done with the NHL, but I know those heartless pricks will draw me back somehow. Maybe if in getting a new CBA they also realized "hey, we're not a major sport" and decided to focus on their core markets (there is a team in Nashville and no team in Quebec City...'splain), there might be a few more diehards like us. Sigh.

By: KS

KS — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 06:14:17 -0800

I hope the point of your post wasn't to get in that little Go Leafs rar-rar thingy. Nah. I just find it interesting that the Cup ended up in Florida, and now even with the inane lockout, there is someone working daily to keep folks interested in a sport that probably does not belong that far south.

By: NorthernLite

NorthernLite — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 06:50:23 -0800

So how'm I supposed to be interested in the pretend comuterized hockey when the pretend comuterized Red Wings aren't even in the playoffs? Bah. As for where hockey (or any ice sport) belongs - The year that Winnipeg lost its team to Phoenix, I was at an open skate here in Detroit. It was May. I was babbling about how they should only play hockey in places that naturally have ice. My companion gave me one of those "You're nuts" looks and pointed toward the rink door, where outside it was sunny and 70-plus Fahrenheit. Point taken. But still ... [And I reiterate my previous complaint about Chelios' stoopid comment that Detroiters, being in a union town, can understand the players strike. "Millionaire workers of the world unite." Shut the hell up and play, ya sweaty overpaid freaks.]

By: smcniven

smcniven — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 07:11:08 -0800

Shut the hell up and play, ya sweaty overpaid freaks Umm, you do realize that the players were locked-out by the owners. They were (at the time) willing to play the season while negotiating the CBA but Bettman would have none of that. I'm not sure what the players' position would be now if the owners were willing to end the lockout and continue the negotiation while the season was underway. My feelings: Fire Bettman and Goodenow ASAP, stop the lockout and get the season started in the fall.

By: GhostintheMachine

GhostintheMachine — Mon, 18 Apr 2005 10:20:17 -0800

Eagles?