People have a lot of complaints about hockey, but foremost among them, I think, is the perceived lack of action. There's too much play in the middle, too much play in the corners, and not enough goal-scoring to keep the casual observer entertained. As is the case with soccer, there are generally enough goals to keep the average hockey fan satisfied, but it becomes more of a hindrance when it comes to drawing new people in.
So it's with that in mind that I'd like like to showcase the following comparison, as inspired by @jimguelda:
09/10 Washington Capitals: 3.88 goals/game
09/10 Vancouver Canucks: 3.32 goals/game
09/10 Chicago Blackhawks: 3.30 goals/game
2010 Seattle Mariners: 3.24 runs/game
09/10 San Jose Sharks: 3.22 goals/game
Three teams in the NHL last season - and very nearly four - scored more often than this year's Seattle Mariners to date.
Additionally, Franklin Gutierrez is on pace to lead the team with 67 RBI come year's end. 39 hockey players finished last season with at least 67 points, including two defensemen and a second-liner for the Canucks.
2010 Seattle Mariners: worse than a hockey offense. Worse than three hockey offenses.
1 recs | 60 comments
Excuse my ignorance
but what is a point in hockey?
greymstreet - August 4, 2010
A goal or an assist
(Assists going to players who help set up goals.)
Jeff Sullivan - August 4, 2010
Thanks!
greymstreet - August 4, 2010
To be fair
You should add RBIs+Runs to Hockey point.
Stan L - August 4, 2010
I meant
You should COMPARE RBIs+Runs to Hockey point.
Stan L - August 4, 2010
To be fair
these are not real stats and this is not actually analysis.
CapSea - August 4, 2010
The point in hockey is sliding around and hitting dudes
lemonverbena - August 4, 2010
Maybe we should sign Toews then.
Sec 108 - August 4, 2010
The Sharks must suck
if they can’t score more than the Mariners.
HitKing69 - August 4, 2010
I'm so glad Rob Johnson is no longer our goalie
wyte_lightning - August 4, 2010
I never really got that argument for hockey
Sure, there isn’t as much scoring as in basketball, but there are more scoring chances then in football/baseball. It isn’t uncommon for a team to rack up 30-40 shots in a game. Now that’s obviously a really good game, but still not uncommon. Hockey has all the drama of soccer (each goal is huge) without the doldrums of limited scoring opportunities. Scoring can happen at anytime, it is like basketball in that regard. I think it combines the best of basketball and soccer.
zeke5123 - August 4, 2010
I never got it either, but then I really like hockey
Jeff Sullivan - August 4, 2010
Yeah, me too so who knows?
zeke5123 - August 4, 2010
Not being a fan of hockey until 2 years ago
I had trouble following the action, mainly knowing where the puck was. Someone brought up a good point to me about HDTV. I think HD made a big difference for me in “seeing the puck”. Maybe others have the same problem, or maybe I am special (and I don’t mean that as a compliment to myself). So, I am a hockey convert and love it now.
I also got into it during the playoffs, so that made a huge difference as well. The sense of urgency and intensity is so much higher. Once I got the playoff hook, I watched pretty regularly through the whole season. I don’t need to tell hockey fans the playoffs are intense, but it might work for those who dislike the game.
Craptastic-J - August 4, 2010
Yeah I'm not a hockey fan...
But I don’t think that argument is valid. I grew up playing Football and Baseball; Seattle has the Seahawks and the Mariners, so I’m a diehard fan of both. I always liked soccer, although I never really watched it, but now that we have the Sounders, I watch as much as I can, even non-Sounders. I’ve always hated basketball, but I always followed, and cheered for, the Sonics.
So I guess my point is that if Seattle had a professional Hockey team, I would become a fan. And I would assume I’m not the only one.
skwid206 - August 4, 2010
Are you going to do GAA for the pitchers next?
Some of them might be really scary.
Floyd Gondoli - August 4, 2010
Ryan Rowland-Smith makes Cristobal Huet look like Rask Tuukka.
abender20 - August 4, 2010
You got that backwards
Jeff Sullivan - August 4, 2010
RR-S is legendarily bad. Huet is pretty bad. Tuukka is good. RR-S is so bad that he dwarves the badness of Huet. I think I did this right.
abender20 - August 4, 2010
It is Tuukka Rask, not Rask Tuukka
zeke5123 - August 4, 2010
Oh that part is backwards, yes.
abender20 - August 4, 2010
People who really know him, like myself, get to call him Rask Tuukka.
He likes it because it makes him feel like Ross Tucker, his favorite ex-NFL player.
abender20 - August 4, 2010
Finnish people are actually like the Chinese and in their home countries go by family name then differentiating name.
abender20 - August 4, 2010
You mean Koreans
seattlebruin - August 4, 2010
Both would be correct here.
abender20 - August 4, 2010
It's so damn confusing when you see the lineup for the Korean national team and the first five guys are all named Lee
seattlebruin - August 4, 2010
Better know those initials!
abender20 - August 4, 2010
Or Kim.
88fingerslukee - August 4, 2010
Or Roy
zeke5123 - August 4, 2010
Rob Johnson
Jeff Sullivan - August 4, 2010
What soccer teams are we being outscored by?
Poochie - August 4, 2010
Zero because soccer is the worst sport in the world
Jeff Sullivan - August 4, 2010
Maybe some gay indoor shit
Jeff Sullivan - August 4, 2010
Badminton is pretty terrible
Aaron Campeau - August 4, 2010
Clearly you didn't go to an Asian college
seattlebruin - August 4, 2010
Badminton is the greatest sport ever.
SeattExPat - August 4, 2010
Like Indoor Arena Softball?
Calling Eric Byrnes
(is this joke/meme dead yet?)
NWade - August 4, 2010
Yes
Mariner John - August 4, 2010
Chelsea scored more goals/game than Ottawa this year.
Now THAT is a fun fact.
88fingerslukee - August 4, 2010
I find absolutely nothing fun about that fact
Aaron Campeau - August 4, 2010
No?
Hmm, weird. Pretty hilarious over here.
88fingerslukee - August 4, 2010
Frank Lampard's ass
PDXTai - August 4, 2010
I wonder if we'll outscore the Seahawks as long as Matt Hasselback is playing QB
seattlebruin - August 4, 2010
Not a fan of soccer or hockey
To those that are fans more power too you. I just wanted to take a minute to share why I’m not a fan and I think it might be pretty similar with other people
As far as soccer goes, I’ve never really been exposed to it. Had to play it for a week in school and yes I sucked at it. Being in my late 30’s I believe that the lack of early exposure to soccer is why I don’t care for it. I’ve tried to watch it but just can’t get into it.
Now for hockey, once again I have not really been exposed to it and I can’t skate for crap. In the past, pre HDTV, while trying to watch it was very difficult to follow. For me, not being able to see the puck made it hard to follow. The announcers not explaining rules was a challenge as well, especially without friends around that knew the rules. Isn’t there something called icing? Umm, they are playing ice so….? Isn’t that something on a cake? Now that I have an HDTV I have watched much more hockey and can actually enjoy it. However, I still don’t understand the rules and I don’t go out of my way to watch it.
jbpalm - August 4, 2010
I look forward to the post where Jeff shows that we are being out-scored by awkward teenage males who play D&D.
Pickup line: “I cast magic missile at the darkness!”
PDXTai - August 4, 2010
This joke is fresh and original
seattlebruin - August 4, 2010
Oh yeah? So's your mom!
PDXTai - August 4, 2010
I admire hockey because it's fast, chaotic yet somehow coordinated.
Slurvey - August 4, 2010
I heart hockey
sergey606 - August 4, 2010
Well of course "Sergey" loves hockey
That’s like LaJamal saying he loves Basketball
Craptastic-J - August 4, 2010
Or Whitey McDouchebag saying he loves beer pong
lemonverbena - August 4, 2010
or Nigel Farnsworth saying he likes cricket
sergey606 - August 4, 2010
Can we change this section from "Fun Facts" to "Sad Realities"?
It just seems more fitting this year.
Vroomfondle: “What we demand is solid facts!”
Majikthise: “No, we don’t, that is precisely what we don’t demand.”
Vroomfondle: “We don’t demand solid facts. What we demand is a total absence of solid facts…”
Majikthise: “We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty.”
—Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
NWade - August 4, 2010
What would it be
compared to cricket?
msb - August 4, 2010
We are like a team who routinely gets bowled out for under 200 in a test match innings.
Kaorikaze - August 4, 2010
Even 200 might be generous, let's say 150 instead.
Kaorikaze - August 4, 2010
At least we'd have cucumber sandwiches.
PDXTai - August 4, 2010
If we average less than 2.78 runs per game the rest of the way, we'll miss the 500 run mark
This is unlikely, but within the realm of reason.
Gihyou - August 4, 2010
I like the idea of Run + RBI - HR.
Saying that is equal to goals + assists makes me less depressed.
Loufus - August 4, 2010
Meanwhile
Jack Wilson has 13 RBI. Rob Johnson has 13 RBI.
Fredy Montero has 15 points.
Nick S - August 4, 2010
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