I've never really watched hockey... I've never played it.... About the only exposure to hockey is from movies. I grew up watching The Mighty Ducks and later on Miracle. How the hell does a guy from an area that has very little hockey get started watching the NHL? I wouldn't even know where to start. At least with football we have college and high school. I played football in high school. I just can't imagine where to start with hockey. I have no idea which team to follow. It's funny, when I was working for ESPN and reading 50-60 papers every morning, I found myself rooting for the Islanders. I don't know if that would stick. I also like the Kansas City Royals from that job, so that's an indication of what teams I kept reading about.
Do you get the CBC in Portland? If so watch some HNIC, Don't worry if a old man in a loud suit is on TV. Thats just Don Cherry being Don Cherry. And Rent Slapshot. Greatest Hockey movie ever.
This is kind of how it is for quite a few people. Watch a game on NBC some day. Those are the best imo. Also, watch the Winter Classic on New Years day. The Winterhawks are from Portland, their logo and jerseys look a hell of a lot like the Chicago Blackhawks, but are not related at all. Marian Hossa and his brother were on the Winterhawks.
You just learn the game,start playing it a bt,understand the rules,find a favorite team*cough Canucks cough* and start following it,other things will come after. I might start a similar thread for NFL(CFL) and NBA..lol
Yeah I'd go regional, Canucks are the closest NHL team to Portland. But that means we can't be cool with eachother.
Go rent NHL 11. You can learn a lot about the game by playing a game. Theres plenty of teams to pick from, lots of leagues. 4 in NA and a few from Europe and Russia.
I am with Nate on this. I tried watching the NHL as a boy, but never 'got it.' I suppose it may have had something to do with the fact that my dad never watching hockey. He was a baseball, football, and basketball fan only. We never watched soccer either, but I love watching the world cup and olympics. I have a brother-in-law that watches hockey just for the fights. He says it's not a good game unless there are at least 3 fights.
DPGB is right, go BUY NHL 11, it is a great game, and pretty much all of my friends are in love with the game, even the ones that used to despise hockey. Plus you can pick out a favorite team just playing, and learn the players and such.
