So it’s going to take a rant to get me to post again. But it’s really been awhile since I’ve actually (and somewhat surprisingly) been this fuming about something.

Why is it that I have to CONTINUALLY try to convince people that hockey is, at the very least even, a tolerable sport, much less a great one??

The arguments are all the same and even the ones that make sense don’t make much sense. “I can’t follow the puck”, “It moves too fast”, “It’s boring”.

Boring?!?!

REALLY!?!?

This from a town who embraces it’s pathetic excuse for an NBA team. I believe I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. I like the Cleveland Cavaliers. I hope they do well and I’ll watch bits of their playoff games if they’re on. But I’d also rather watch Anaheim vs. San Jose in the Stanley Cup playoffs, with no rooting interest whatsoever.

Why?

Because it doesn’t put me to sleep!!! The NBA is awful in that regard. Beyond awful. Every now and again, someone will put up a memorable night in a blowout game. Or maybe you get some overtime games in the playoffs and there’s excitement there. But it’s still such a slow, painful process. Even in the overtime period, teams exchange a few shots, one team makes more than the other, there are a few fouls, the game’s out of reach, there are a few more fouls and that’s it.

In hockey?

Sudden effing death.

I had a co-worker tonight (whom I like and by any other standard is at least a casual sports fan, I believe) say she started watching the Detroit-Anaheim game in the second overtime and was bored. Seriously. “They just kept going back and forth, back and forth,” she said. “It was boring.”

How can it possibly be “boring” when any one of those backs or forths would end the game?

“Well, it’s just like soccer. People don’t like it,” was another excuse.

Listen up, people. Hockey is not hard to follow. Give it a little time, a little effort and you’ll find that out for yourself. If you still insist you can’t follow the puck, try. If it goes to fast and you lose track of it, stare at the goal for a little bit, or look to see if people celebrate. If they do, then a goal was scored. Seriously, try it. Pick a team (there are 8 left to choose from this year) and follow them.

I’m not asking for superfans here, just for some of you to knock off the ignorance and enjoy a great sport.

If you still can’t get your slow, NASCAR-loving brain wrapped around it, then go watch the Pacers.