What might be the effects long term for the sport of hockey in the U.S. going forward?

SCOTT JACOBS

If you found yourself rooting for a goalie you had never heard of, before these 2010 Vancouver games began, you weren’t alone.  Aside from your hard core hockey enthusiasts, America wasn’t exactly making U.S.A goaltender Ryan Miller their Olympic poster child.  Many didn’t even expect the country just south of Canada to even medal at all.

And then Miller played the tournament of his life, and team U.S.A. put on a spectacular performance themslves, falling just short of Olympic gold in a take-your-breath away classic that won’t soon be forgetten, by sports fans, and Americans alike.

Whether you knew who you were rooting for, whether you knew a blue line from a red one, didn’t matter in these Olympic games.  All that mattered is hockey took center stage, in a country that had seemingly abandoned it.  No, not Canada.  The country that invented the games, got what they wanted: gold in the sport that they live, breathe, and sleep.

But in the U.S.A. where hockey has become a blip on the underpants of our sports crazy society, team U.S.A.’s gutsy Vancouver showing opened up some eyes, and had to of– at the very worst– drawn a new curiosity to the sport that may have not been there before.

Canada beat the U.S. 3-2 in overtime in an instant classic that rivals some of the greatest hockey games I can recall.

The argument for the olympics has always been– and will continue to be– that we watch because it’s a national pride thing.  We watch speed skating, and ice skating, and hockey because it’s a “our country” versus “theirs” type of thing.  As soon as the Olympics end, our interest in those sports does too.  At least for four more years.  But ya know what?  This just might be different.

And we got to see sports in their most perfect form: with no commercials.  Like seriously, if you were lucky enough to see the GOld Medal game, you saw uninterrupted periods played out entirely, creating suspense unlike anything any other sporting event could create.  This was sports at its finest.  Sports at its purest.  This was truly awesome.

The NHL hopes to capitalize on the wave of emotion and maybe some new fans when they resume play tomorrow, turning back on a season that was paused for the Olympic games.  How much influence this game and this tournament has on joe casual remains to be seen.  But there is nothing more exciting than a winner take all hockey game, and that’s what made this Gold Medal showcase a stunning display of grit, determination, and pure athleticism.

There’s a reason hockey isn’t close to being the most popular sport in the U.S.A.

It’s tough. It’s the only sport of the so called “Big 4″ which puts its athletes on skates.  It’s expensive to play too.  All those pads and equipment aren’t cheap.  Hockey is a tough sell on TV.  Many have complained over the years that the puck is too hard to follow and the game is too complex.  Anyone who likes sports even a little probably recalls Fox’s mockery of the sport, when they used to put a glow on the puck during their 1990’s coverage, making games feel more like video games.  And ESPN leaving hockey to die hasn’t helped either.  Sure Versus has taken the reigns and their coverage is hard-core, but it’s hard enough to find the channel, and for joe casual it doesn’t exactly pop up on your TV.

Many will argue that when the best athletes from their own countries are playing it’s different.  The games are more well played (probably true), the games are more emotional (I wouldn’t disagree), and there’s a natural connect (possibly).

But maybe, just maybe, Ryan Miller and co.’s performance, and the hockey tournament itself in hockey crazy Canada opened up some bright eyed kids’ eyes to a sport that can create the finest of moments.

Maybe.  Maybe new interest will creep up regarding the NHL.  Again, maybe.

No matter what happens though, one thing is for sure: Canada won the gold, but brand awareness and a new found appreciation for a ’sometimes buried sport’ reached an all time high.  What that all means going forward, well only time will tell.

Photo: Getty

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