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NHL playoffs superior
Faster-paced NHL has a huge advantage over NBA when it comes to the postseason
By Ben Birnell
Published:
Monday, April 28, 2003
Every year around this time I find myself torn between two sports that I've spent my entire 19 years watching, wondering and just going crazy over.
Yes, it's that time once again when the NBA playoffs go head-to-head with the fastest thing on earth, the NHL playoffs. A few years ago I would have said the NBA playoffs were better. That was until this year when I jumped on the hockey bandwagon at the beginning of the NHL and college hockey seasons.
I mean give me a break, what's the best thing about the NBA playoffs? Some people would say you never know who's going to win the NBA Finals. Wrong on that one. I might have said that a few years ago too, but not this year. Everybody four-peat after me: The Lakers are going to win, especially after somebody defaced Shaq's 20,000th-point ball in Sacramento.
Good, moving on. Have you paid attention to NHL playoffs this year? It's like a proverbial Wizard of Oz out there. Upsets, multiple OT games and clutch goalies. Can someone give me an 'Oh, my?' Who's going to doubt the play of the Mighty Ducks with Jean-Sebastien Giguere in goal? He's a magician folks. The Lakers? They're just a ratings ploy.
The hometown Wild, down 3-1 against the Avalanche, came back and won in seven games. If that's not a feat I don't know what is. Did I mention that the Vancouver Canucks, who finished second in the league to the Red Wings in goals scored, were outscored 14-4 by the Blues in the first four games of their series? The funny thing is, the Canucks still won the series. If that's not exciting I don't know what is. So without further ado, welcome to the NHL playoffs, the bigger and better playoffs. I give you the top six reasons why this is truly the best game on earth:
(1) The Detroit Red Wings are out of the playoffs. Guess what that means boys and girls: a new champion. With the Red Wings fried crispy and Dallas on the ropes (they're down 2-0), anything can happen. So which team will win it all this year? Only your daily horoscope can tell you that.
(2) Those poor crazy people who like the NBA playoffs are always quick to play the fight card. Sure, that argument works in the regular season. You're more likely to see the Pacers' Ron Artest throw a haymaker at a referee then you would two toothless guys partake in a little fisticuffs, strictly because no one wants to be that guy that went to the penalty box and cost his team the series. In the NBA, you just throw another guy out there and say, "have fun." What's fun and cool about that? Nothing.
(3) NHL players work harder than NBA players. You think I'm joking? Obviously you've never walked into an NHL (or college hockey, for that matter) locker room. We're talking pigpen smelly. The goalie pads alone are enough to whip out the Febreeze bottle and start going to town.
(4) The all for one, one for all factor. Which guys lay out their cards on the table, NBA players? Uh no, wrong again Fido. NBA players get tattoos, NHL players get stitches, lose teeth and give blood like the Red Cross is in town.
(5) NHL players are better looking than NBA players. Huh? Hey dude, don't shoot the writer. I'm talking about reality here. Wasn't Anna Kournikova married to Sergei Fedorov? And didn't she date Pavel Bure a few years ago? If NBA players are better looking than NHL players, how come Steve Nash tries to look like he just scored a hat trick instead of sticking one from way downtown? In the NHL they don't shave their heads, they just don't shave. Nothing's cooler than watching a guy with a full beard (who normally doesn't have one) and no teeth talk about winning the Stanley Cup.
(6) Players in the NBA fantasize of their next contract, where they're partying at next or with what rapper. Hockey players dream of getting their name etched on Lord Stanley's Cup and taking a big hearty swig of their beverage of choice from it. Can you even name the NBA Championship trophy? Go ahead, I'll give you a few seconds. Don't know?
Yeah I didn't think so.
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Well, this story would have been great h... (4/29/03)
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