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Those crazy Buffalo Sabres are at it again, trying to save hockey by being all innovative. This time, they're proposing a rounded net that increases the target area by 13%.
It's odd looking, and I'm not sure what I think of it. I like the idea of making it harder for a goalie to completely shut down the angle by hugging the post. But still, to my mind, why not just make the goalie pads smaller?
An observation about that picture: the goalie is an employee of the Sabres organization and to me appears to be a rather smallish man. Modern goalies are big tall guys who absolutely fill the net, so that illustration looks to be a little overstated about the effect of the change.
Posted by Ted at April 2, 2005 09:05 AMI take issue with all of that. ISSUE!
first: I assume that the idea is simply an april fool's prank. It would have to be. It's so absurd.
second: "hugging the post" only works on a very shallow angle shot. You have to know when and where to come forward to cut off the angle properly on everything else.
third: Goalie pads and their respective size ain't the problem. Modern goalies are simply better conditioned than their predecessors. Goals are still scored, but the professional goalie, in general, is a better athlete than ever before.
finally: since it's all an April Fool's prank, none of what I typed really matters.
Posted by: Derek at April 2, 2005 09:30 AMDerek, I absolutely agree with your third point, and that's why something has to change. Goalie skills have improved so much that they've got too much of an advantage now.
Similar to when baseball tinkers with the height of the pitching mound, the rules need changing to restore balance to the game.
I hadn't thought about this being an April Fools joke, but maybe it is. Then again, something radical like this might just be what it takes, so I keep an open mind.
Hockey needs fixing. Regardless of what purists and traditionalists say, if the sport is going to survive as more than a niche curiosity that people only care about during Olympic years, then changes must be made.
Posted by: Ted at April 2, 2005 09:52 AMfeh. With as much respect as I can muster, I spit on change.
The game is awesome.
Posted by: Derek at April 2, 2005 11:27 AMWhat about giving the goalie a, you know, hockey stick?
Posted by: Brian J. at April 2, 2005 01:12 PMWhy don't they just put a freakin' soccer net back there?
Posted by: Victor at April 2, 2005 05:46 PMHow about something like Rollerball (the original with James Caan) only on ice skates and without the roller derby aspects?
Yeah, that's what hockey needs... motorcycles on ice!
And maybe landmines... cuz everything is better when there's EXPLOSIONS!
Posted by: Rob@L&R at April 3, 2005 10:14 AM