GO LEAFS GO

[Dougie93]

11 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

Growing up,  no one knew or cared about hockey. I

I would suggest that hockey is dying a slow death in Canada

the young Zoomers whom I work with are not interested in hockey at all

their sports are basketball & skateboarding

[impartialobserver]

7 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

I would suggest that hockey is dying a slow death in Canada

the young Zoomers whom I work with are not interested in hockey at all

their sports are basketball & skateboarding

That may be so. I grew up in Boise idaho in the 80's. Most people could not tell you the first thing about the NHL. I latched on to the sport because it seemed as if it was a sport that rewarded grit and determination and not based on innate skill and ability to manipulate (basketball). 

[Dougie93]

2 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

That may be so. I grew up in Boise idaho in the 80's. Most people could not tell you the first thing about the NHL. I latched on to the sport because it seemed as if it was a sport that rewarded grit and determination and not based on innate skill and ability to manipulate (basketball). 

America is coming to dominate hockey now

because it has become a rich kid's sport

Auston Matthews has supplanted Wayne Gretzky as the model

[Dougie93]

18 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

 it was a sport that rewarded grit and determination and not based on innate skill and ability to manipulate

this aspect is being bred out of hockey now

the main concern in hockey is injury now

concussions

so the grit & determination aspect is being outlawed by the hockey community itsef

if you play hockey like Doug Gilmour or Theo Fleury now, you would just be suspended for the season

it's like my favourite player is Wendel Clark

he wouldn't even be able to play in the NHL now, everything he did would be a suspension now

Edited May 1, 2023 by Dougie93

[impartialobserver]

7 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

this aspect is being bred out of hockey now

the main concern in hockey is injury now

concussions

so the grit & determination aspect is being outlawed by the hockey community itsef

if you play hockey like Doug Gilmour or Theo Fleury now, you would just be suspended for the season

it's like my favourite player is Wendel Clark

he wouldn't even be able to play in the NHL now, everything he did would be a suspension now

I will take your word on this. I have only been a relatively casual fan. Some of that is due to it not being the easiest to watch without cable in the past. The sports fans that I know here in the US are generally not hockey fans for two reasons.. 1. they do not understand offsides and icing and 2. they have not seen it live. It is my opinion that it is the one sport where the live product is so far superior to the televised. Been to two NHL games; Calgary at San Jose and Calgary at Phoenix. What a spectacle. The atmosphere and intensity far exceeded the two NFL games that I have been to. 

[Dougie93]

2 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

I will take your word on this. I have only been a relatively casual fan. Some of that is due to it not being the easiest to watch without cable in the past. The sports fans that I know here in the US are generally not hockey fans for two reasons.. 1. they do not understand offsides and icing and 2. they have not seen it live. It is my opinion that it is the one sport where the live product is so far superior to the televised. Been to two NHL games; Calgary at San Jose and Calgary at Phoenix. What a spectacle. The atmosphere and intensity far exceeded the two NFL games that I have been to. 

 I find NHL hockey to be eye wateringly boring now

it's the No Hit League, any serious violence is outlawed

and with the red line removed, the teams mostly just race up & down the ice pointlessly, chip it in, chip it out

it's like watching Pong

[Dougie93]

11 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

 It is my opinion that it is the one sport where the live product is so far superior to the televised.

not in Canada

watching the Leafs at the arena in Toronto is like being in a tomb

it's utterly silent, Leaf fans are quiet as mice

you could literally have more rowdy fun in a Baptist church

[impartialobserver]

Just now, Dougie93 said:

not in Canada

watching the Leafs at the arena in Toronto is like being in a tomb

it's utterly silent, Leaf fans are quiet as mice

you could literally have more rowdy fun in a Baptist church

When I saw Calgary play in San Jose.. the place was loud and folks were having quite the good time. Now, the opposite... San Francisco vs. Tampa Bay in the NFL. The guys behind me spent the whole game complaining about the substandard chardonnay being sold at the stadium. 

[Dougie93]

Just now, impartialobserver said:

When I saw Calgary play in San Jose.. the place was loud and folks were having quite the good time. Now, the opposite... San Francisco vs. Tampa Bay in the NFL. The guys behind me spent the whole game complaining about the substandard chardonnay being sold at the stadium. 

Leaf fans are the chardonnay set, make no mistake

you have to quite wealthy to be able to afford Leafs tickets on a regular basis

the Toronto Maple Leafs are the team of the wealthy business class, not the hoi polloi

 

[impartialobserver]

1 minute ago, Dougie93 said:

Leaf fans are the chardonnay set, make no mistake

you have to quite wealthy to be able to afford Leafs tickets on a regular basis

the Toronto Maple Leafs are the team of the wealthy business class, not the hoi polloi

 

Interesting. I saw very few jerseys on when I went to the 49'ers game. As opposed to Calgary at San Jose... probably 60 to 75% of the crowd was wearing a Flames or Sharks jersey. It was quite the mix of folks.. young, old, male, female, white, not so white, rich, poor. 

[Dougie93]

5 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

San Francisco vs. Tampa Bay in the NFL. The guys behind me spent the whole game complaining about the substandard chardonnay being sold at the stadium. 

I used to be a Niners fan growing up

but I followed Joe Montana to Kansas City

now I'm a Chiefs fan

Arrowhead Chop

[Dougie93]

2 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

Interesting. I saw very few jerseys on when I went to the 49'ers game. As opposed to Calgary at San Jose... probably 60 to 75% of the crowd was wearing a Flames or Sharks jersey. It was quite the mix of folks.. young, old, male, female, white, not so white, rich, poor. 

in general, Americans are vastly more fun and exciting than Canadians

Canadians are literally the most boring bunch of anally retentive prigs on earth

[impartialobserver]

Just now, Dougie93 said:

in general, Americans are vastly more fun and exciting than Canadians

Canadians are literally the most boring bunch of anally retentive prigs on earth

Well, I will see it first hand next year when I see Metallica in Edmonton. 

[Dougie93]

1 minute ago, impartialobserver said:

Well, I will see it first hand next year when I see Metallica in Edmonton. 

Edmonton used to be a very rough town

the land of roughnecks from the oil fields

but it's become a completely urbane place now, the land of public sector unionized civil servants

mind you, if it's Metallica, you might get some roughnecks in that crowd

[impartialobserver]

1 minute ago, Dougie93 said:

Edmonton used to be a very rough town

the land of roughnecks from the oil fields

but it's become a completely urbane place now, the land of public sector unionized civil servants

mind you, if it's Metallica, you might get some roughnecks in that crowd

I am choosing the Edmonton dates because they will be playing the "and justice for all" album in its entirety during the first night. Not sure why Edmonton gets that honor (and none others will) but still going to be fun

 

[Dougie93]

1 minute ago, impartialobserver said:

I am choosing the Edmonton dates because they will be playing the "and justice for all" album in its entirety during the first night. Not sure why Edmonton gets that honor (and none others will) but still going to be fun

Alberta is a hellhole

American Siberia ; frozen GULAG

[impartialobserver]

1 minute ago, Dougie93 said:

Alberta is a hellhole

American Siberia ; frozen GULAG

I have been to the section of Alberta that is right above Idaho. Cranbrook, inverness, and such. I did not see a hellhole. Only place that I would give that title to is Bakersfield, CA

 

[Dougie93]

6 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

I have been to the section of Alberta that is right above Idaho. Cranbrook, inverness, and such. I did not see a hellhole. Only place that I would give that title to is Bakersfield, CA

 

ha, indeed, Bakersfield is a stinking hellhole

but a regular Joe Canadian going to Alberta

is going there to work

and said Canadian will end up working in Canada's Bakersfield

except unlike California, said Canadian will be working in -50C

it's literally colder than the Arctic in Alberta

only Siberia is colder, and only slightly

Edited May 1, 2023 by Dougie93

[impartialobserver]

8 minutes ago, Dougie93 said:

ha, indeed, Bakersfield is a stinking hellhole

but a regular Joe Canadian going to Alberta

is going there to work

and said Canadian will end up working in Canada's Bakersfield

except unlike California, said Canadian will be working in -50C

it's literally colder than the Arctic in Alberta

I can handle cold. What I find unbearable is the 110 degree temps in So Cal, Las Vegas, and most of AZ. I am in Reno which is still desert but we do not see 100 degree days except from Mid-july to mid-August. 

Last summer was in New York City for a week. Everybody told me it was a dirty sh__hole. What I saw was far more clean and kept up than Bakersfield or LA. It was far easier to get around in NYC without a car than LA. 

Edited May 1, 2023 by impartialobserver

[Dougie93]

Just now, impartialobserver said:

I can handle cold. What I find unbearable is the 110 degree temps in So Cal, Las Vegas, and most of AZ. I am in Reno which is still desert but we do not see 100 degree days from Mid-july to mid-August. 

Last summer was in New York City for a week. Everybody told me it was a dirty sh__hole. What I saw was far more clean and kept up than Bakersfield or LA. It was far easier to get around in NYC without a car than LA. 

 many years in the Canadian infantry  has made me hate the cold with a passion

loves me some So Cal

I'd even put up with the Democrats to get that California sunshine

[impartialobserver]

1 minute ago, Dougie93 said:

 many years in the Canadian infantry  has made me hate the cold with a passion

loves me some So Cal

I'd even put up with the Democrats to get that California sunshine

Maybe I am just spoiled. Been living in relatively warm, dry places with lots of sunshine for 45 years. My least favorite time of the year besides election season is August. High of 105, low of 80.. ughhh...

[Dougie93]

5 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

Last summer was in New York City for a week. Everybody told me it was a dirty sh__hole. What I saw was far more clean and kept up than Bakersfield or LA. It was far easier to get around in NYC without a car than LA. 

I preferred the New York from the late 70's & early 80's

that was an exciting place, the danger only heightened the excitement

the post Giuliani New York is sterile

 

[Dougie93]

3 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

Maybe I am just spoiled. Been living in relatively warm, dry places with lots of sunshine for 45 years. My least favorite time of the year besides election season is August. High of 105, low of 80.. ughhh...

we used to train in Florida every year in winter

Camp Blanding Florida National Guard Base near St Augustine

we'd be getting on the plane here in Trenton, -40ºC with windchill

a couple hours later we land at Marine Corps Air Station Cecil Field

and it's 30ºC in the sunshine

literal bliss

the Canadian dream is to make enough money to escape winter and retire in Florida

[Dougie93]

12 minutes ago, impartialobserver said:

Maybe I am just spoiled.

bear in mind, this is May 1st

and its snowing here right now

snow squalls blowing onto my patio

[impartialobserver]

Just now, Dougie93 said:

bear in mind, this is May 1st

and its snowing here right now

snow squalls blowing onto my patio

We are supposed to be getting a dusting of snow tonight. I have no problem with that. 

To each their own, some would think I am crazy for always having lived in desert climates. Boise, Reno, Salt lake city, Winnemucca NV. The humidity in NYC was the main adjustment for myself. 8 or 9% humidity is quite common on a summer day here.