Sports, eh?
November 26, 2017 4:23 PM Subscribe
One hundred years ago today, the National Hockey League was formed. With 5 of 6 owners of the National Hockey Association forming the new league, it was obvious what its purpose was: "It's like our old league except that we haven't invited Eddie Livingstone to be part of it." Meanwhile, right now in Ottawa, the 105th Grey Cup, the Canadian Football League championship, is turning into a bit of a snow bowl. Watch it if you can.
Happy centenary to the National Hockey League!
And fuck Gary Bettman.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:40 PM on November 26, 2017 [22 favorites]
And fuck Gary Bettman.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 4:40 PM on November 26, 2017 [22 favorites]
Longest passing play in Grey Cup history happened a few minutes ago: 100 yards for a touchdown in the snow.
posted by clawsoon at 4:49 PM on November 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 4:49 PM on November 26, 2017 [6 favorites]
Wow, I've been to Cobalt and Haileybury, I never knew they had professional hockey teams. The Montreal Canadiens played their first game ever against the Colbalt Silver Kings.
posted by furtive at 5:05 PM on November 26, 2017
posted by furtive at 5:05 PM on November 26, 2017
Shania is singing in the snow, after coming onto the field via dogsled and Mountie escort.
It's no Prince in the rain, but what is?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 5:19 PM on November 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
It's no Prince in the rain, but what is?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 5:19 PM on November 26, 2017 [4 favorites]
Found a live stream on YouTube of the Grey Cup. Enjoy.
posted by Fizz at 5:20 PM on November 26, 2017
posted by Fizz at 5:20 PM on November 26, 2017
My wife sang O Canada with the choir!
posted by chococat at 5:46 PM on November 26, 2017 [5 favorites]
posted by chococat at 5:46 PM on November 26, 2017 [5 favorites]
the most unlikely places, such as Cobalt
Other places in Canada named after toxic or dangerous substances:
Asbestos, Quebec
Petrolia, Ontario
Uranium City, Saskatchewan
Yellow Cake, Alberta
Polonium-210, NWT
Dimethylcadmium, British Columbia
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:55 PM on November 26, 2017 [17 favorites]
Other places in Canada named after toxic or dangerous substances:
Asbestos, Quebec
Petrolia, Ontario
Uranium City, Saskatchewan
Yellow Cake, Alberta
Polonium-210, NWT
Dimethylcadmium, British Columbia
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 5:55 PM on November 26, 2017 [17 favorites]
Colbalt Silver Kings
Hey one of my great great uncles played for them! And despite its name was mostly known for silver mining.
posted by Ashwagandha at 6:08 PM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Hey one of my great great uncles played for them! And despite its name was mostly known for silver mining.
posted by Ashwagandha at 6:08 PM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Given the uncertainty of weather forecasting, they must've made a last-minute decision on the dogsled for Shania. I'd like to imagine that it went down like a Bob and Doug sketch. "Looks like it's gonna snow, eh? Don't want her to slip and break her lip, eh?" "I got a buddy with a dogsled, eh, don't worry about it."
posted by clawsoon at 6:29 PM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by clawsoon at 6:29 PM on November 26, 2017 [2 favorites]
Another dramatic Grey Cup ending. Somehow the game never disappoints.
posted by clawsoon at 7:05 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by clawsoon at 7:05 PM on November 26, 2017 [1 favorite]
METAFILTER: And fuck Gary Bettman
posted by philip-random at 9:50 PM on November 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by philip-random at 9:50 PM on November 26, 2017 [3 favorites]
Fuck Bettman.
(and fuck the NHL)
Best sport, worst league.
posted by The Notorious SRD at 5:32 AM on November 27, 2017 [11 favorites]
(and fuck the NHL)
Best sport, worst league.
posted by The Notorious SRD at 5:32 AM on November 27, 2017 [11 favorites]
Best sport, worst league.
This sums it up so perfectly. The player safety department is a joke, and the refs seem to have a different rulebook depending on the situation (3rd period, tight game, playoff).
Also, as a Canadian it also infuriating that we keep being taken for granted while they expand in hopeless southern US hockey markets and have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Canadian towns to save their dying franchises. 33% of ticket revenue is from Canadian teams, and the TV rights deal for Canada is at least double what they get for the US. But still... Vegas, and why are the Coyotes still in Phoenix?
posted by WaterAndPixels at 6:20 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
This sums it up so perfectly. The player safety department is a joke, and the refs seem to have a different rulebook depending on the situation (3rd period, tight game, playoff).
Also, as a Canadian it also infuriating that we keep being taken for granted while they expand in hopeless southern US hockey markets and have to be dragged kicking and screaming to Canadian towns to save their dying franchises. 33% of ticket revenue is from Canadian teams, and the TV rights deal for Canada is at least double what they get for the US. But still... Vegas, and why are the Coyotes still in Phoenix?
posted by WaterAndPixels at 6:20 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
the refs seem to have a different rulebook depending on the situation (3rd period, tight game, playoff).
If you're around a pro ref, and are chummy enough with them (or a few beers in), they will more-or-less tell you it's "sports entertainment".
Like NBA refs who never call traveling, or double dribbles etc.
I've had a NHL ref imply that's how it's done - what makes the game more interesting/exciting, keeps the fans happy etc are more favored and desired/selected for than what the rulebook says. The refs all have their own judgement to stand on, they are regularly evaluated, but the league decides points of emphasis almost like a shadow rule book.
posted by k5.user at 7:11 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
If you're around a pro ref, and are chummy enough with them (or a few beers in), they will more-or-less tell you it's "sports entertainment".
Like NBA refs who never call traveling, or double dribbles etc.
I've had a NHL ref imply that's how it's done - what makes the game more interesting/exciting, keeps the fans happy etc are more favored and desired/selected for than what the rulebook says. The refs all have their own judgement to stand on, they are regularly evaluated, but the league decides points of emphasis almost like a shadow rule book.
posted by k5.user at 7:11 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
Since Trestman is doing so well, maybe someone should consider taking John Fox.
(Please?)
posted by lmfsilva at 7:51 AM on November 27, 2017
(Please?)
posted by lmfsilva at 7:51 AM on November 27, 2017
Dan O'Toole put out a tweet yesterday that's a succinct summary of how many Canadians feel unappreciated by the NHL:
Let me get this straight, @nhl plays zero night games Super Bowl Sunday, zero games on American Thanksgiving, yet play games on Canadian Thanksgiving and a Canadian NHL team is on the ice during the Grey Cup. Awesome.
I think including the Super Bowl here is misguided (as it would still draw huge ratings in Canada), but the point about the Thanksgivings is really true. Why can't there be three all-Canadian matchups on the night of American Thanksgiving? Are Canadians really itching to watch mediocre NFL teams? Why were the Oilers scheduled yesterday when there was a very real possibility the Eskimos could have been in the Grey Cup?
posted by The Notorious SRD at 9:01 AM on November 27, 2017 [4 favorites]
Let me get this straight, @nhl plays zero night games Super Bowl Sunday, zero games on American Thanksgiving, yet play games on Canadian Thanksgiving and a Canadian NHL team is on the ice during the Grey Cup. Awesome.
I think including the Super Bowl here is misguided (as it would still draw huge ratings in Canada), but the point about the Thanksgivings is really true. Why can't there be three all-Canadian matchups on the night of American Thanksgiving? Are Canadians really itching to watch mediocre NFL teams? Why were the Oilers scheduled yesterday when there was a very real possibility the Eskimos could have been in the Grey Cup?
posted by The Notorious SRD at 9:01 AM on November 27, 2017 [4 favorites]
If you're around a pro ref, and are chummy enough with them (or a few beers in), they will more-or-less tell you it's "sports entertainment".
I know... but I am NOT entertained by this. We're not watching for the ref's show, we want the players show.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 9:17 AM on November 27, 2017
I know... but I am NOT entertained by this. We're not watching for the ref's show, we want the players show.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 9:17 AM on November 27, 2017
Oh... while we're airing grievances (early Festivus I guess), thank you NHL, thank you IIHL and thank you IOC for deprieving us of the best hockey tournament. I hope however bought the airing rights gives you hell for it.
posted by WaterAndPixels at 9:20 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
posted by WaterAndPixels at 9:20 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
Jaromir Jagr is only five degrees of separation from the 1st NHL season
I think he's also the only player who has been on every EA NHL game (even if only playing for Czechia when he was at the KHL), and likely the last player to be featured on a regular squad of every game in a franchise after Francesco Totti retired, who was in FIFA 96 to 17.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:57 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
I think he's also the only player who has been on every EA NHL game (even if only playing for Czechia when he was at the KHL), and likely the last player to be featured on a regular squad of every game in a franchise after Francesco Totti retired, who was in FIFA 96 to 17.
posted by lmfsilva at 9:57 AM on November 27, 2017 [2 favorites]
In regards to the neglect of Canadian teams, there's also Bettman threatening to move the Flames if Calgary doesn't give in to the truly extortionate (even by the standards of sports team owner greed) demands for financing a new arena.
posted by tavella at 10:45 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by tavella at 10:45 AM on November 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
I would say that Atlanta would be happy to take the Flames back, but we all know that's not true.
posted by dudemanlives at 12:41 PM on November 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by dudemanlives at 12:41 PM on November 27, 2017 [3 favorites]
Atlanta has had two teams, not even Bettman would be dumb enough to give them a third. Or is he?
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:42 PM on November 28, 2017
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:42 PM on November 28, 2017
WaterAndPixels: "Oh... while we're airing grievances (early Festivus I guess), thank you NHL, thank you IIHL and thank you IOC for deprieving us of the best hockey tournament. I hope however bought the airing rights gives you hell for it."
And on the year that I'm finally going to the Winter Olympics, too. ARGH!
posted by Grither at 7:57 AM on November 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
And on the year that I'm finally going to the Winter Olympics, too. ARGH!
posted by Grither at 7:57 AM on November 29, 2017 [1 favorite]
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