NHL (non-fantasy discussion)

[Ninot]

Roenick is good, but near retirement.

Avery is too much of a villain. I love him, but without an understanding of who he is, how many people are going to get hooked on a sport cuz some ******* runs his mouth and acts like a punk on the ice?

[Kontiki]

I might give you the NFL players are more interesting, but relatable? How many Americans can relate to a barely literate guy from the ghetto who got a free ride to a college he never would have been able to attend without the football scholarship and was then gifted good grades while he lived like a king, only to graduate into a multi-million dollar payday?

I think the reality is that NHL players, especially the North American ones, are far, far, FAR closer to the average guy than atheletes in the other major sports. The catch-22, though, is that this usually doesn't make them good showmen. Maybe the NHL could do a better job marketing them (lord knows the NHL could do a better job at just about everything).

[Ninot]

I like the new HD Center Ice add, where all the players are grooming to look good on TV. That kind of add is what the NHL should be spamming the airways with. But when someone tunes in to watch a game, they get a vastly different presentation.

No matter the background or character of NFL players, these guys are definately showmen. Most teams have one or two guys who are very out there and willing to boast about how their team is great and going to mess up that other team. Take Chad Johnson, or any wide receiver, as an example. NHL has nothing to match that right now.

The NHL equivalent superstar is very humble and speaks softly. They are encouraged to stay this way too, because if they dare show any swagger, they are outside of the humble team concept, and that will hurt their next contract.