OT: Which pro playoffs are the best?

[RuffRuff]

I used to feel this way until I started watching, that every goal was essentially an accident and it was basically just chaos. It's not. When you get into it and start to understand the rhythms of the game you appreciate how much skill is involved. There are goals that are the product of some unbelievably skilled puck movement, or incredible individual skill, and sometimes there are goals where somebody just rips a clapper off someone's ass.

But the NHL playoffs are fantastic. There are few experiences like having a rooting interest in OT of a game 7.

I saw a key goal bounce accidentally off of another offensive players skate last year - when I said, this sport is kinda dumb, to me. It's just not my thing. I'm sure if I spent the time to understand it more, played it, had a child play it, I could get into it. I just don't have it in me to learn that sport. I'm not downplaying the skill at all, I think it takes a ton - I'm simply stating viewing the sport from a TV set loses my attention fast.

Again, I prefer sports where there is an organized back and forth, a clear defense and offense. In hockey, it's just all kinda blended together into one chaotic mash. Not into it.

 

[nomar]

I used to feel this way until I started watching, that every goal was essentially an accident and it was basically just chaos. It's not. When you get into it and start to understand the rhythms of the game you appreciate how much skill is involved. There are goals that are the product of some unbelievably skilled puck movement, or incredible individual skill, and sometimes there are goals where somebody just rips a clapper off someone's ass.

But the NHL playoffs are fantastic. There are few experiences like having a rooting interest in OT of a game 7.

I barely watch, but when the team you're rooting for is on the power play down a goal or tied or is short-handed and trying to protect a 1-goal lead late in the game, there's probably nothing more exciting in sports.

I'm not really a hockey fan anymore but in the early 1990s I was a gigantic Rangers fan, and holy s did Mike Richter (and the goalpost) face an onslaught against Vancouver.

 

[Rich]

NHL for me. For my money you cannot beat the speed, skill and excitement and it seems that every single game presents some sort of cliffhanger ending. I particularly enjoyed last season's Oilers/Stars matchup.

IMO

 

[Deepster]

NHL in a landslide.

 

[HCCForever]

I agree that NHL is the most exciting. I love baseball so MLB is up there as well. NFL follows closely and NBA is a distant fourth,

I did play a lot of pond hockey and organized hockey and baseball/softball.

 

[Devland]

Football followed by, Basketball, I rarely watch Hockey but respect the sport. I never watch baseball.

 

[storrsroars]

Playoff hockey is probably the one major sport where the intensity of the playoffs is much greater than in regular season. That said, I'm not a regular NHL watcher. Even when the Pens were in it regularly, I found myself not watching intently until the semis.

Hockey is a tough watch because it's hard to actually follow the puck if you don't watch regularly. And in soccer, you can see a play developing from a mile away, not so in hockey because it usually happens so quickly, except for power plays. That said, I will always watch a game 7 regardless who's playing.

I've found myself watching more MLB playoff games now that the games aren't 3.5-4 hours long. Baseball has always been my favorite sport and the one I was best and know the most about, so I get more enjoyment out of second guessing stuff than other sports. la

I've found watching an entire NFL tedious for at least a decade. But I'll turn on a close playoff game in the 4th quarter no matter who's playing.

Pro hoops has done nothing for me since the ABA folded. I watched Bird-Magic and the Jordan 90s, but it was only about those players, not the game.

So: 1) MLB, 2) NHL, 3) NFL, 4) NBA

 

[Kolumbo]

We need to find a way to create a relegation system in the US - it's good entertainment.

As for NHL - truly an acquired taste. I for one, find it incredibly boring watching a tiny puck shoot around on TV. It's organized chaos. No real sets or alternate possessions, just madness. Reduces the drama. Also, major drag when one of these Floridian expansion franchises dominate vs storied franchises in real hockey playing locations. If a hockey game isn't within one goal or two within the last period or so, find it truly pointless to watch.

It may be an acquired case especially where many people are used to the very slow baseball game or back and forth possessions of basketball. The organized chaos and non-stop action are what separates hockey from everyone else. I think watching hockey at the highest level is about possession but the possessions change much more quickly. Soccer and rugby are also games with non-stop action, back and forth. I started watching the playoffs and ended up rooting for Vegas, hockey locations be damned.

I saw a key goal bounce accidentally off of another offensive players skate last year - when I said, this sport is kinda dumb, to me. It's just not my thing. I'm sure if I spent the time to understand it more, played it, had a child play it, I could get into it. I just don't have it in me to learn that sport. I'm not downplaying the skill at all, I think it takes a ton - I'm simply stating viewing the sport from a TV set loses my attention fast.

Again, I prefer sports where there is an organized back and forth, a clear defense and offense. In hockey, it's just all kinda blended together into one chaotic mash. Not into it.

Every sport has accidental scores. Basketball in my opinion suffers because the scoring is so high and too easy, there are ebbs and flows and many games just come down to the last few minutes, skill and luck. Anyone can chuck up a 3 ball and hit it. When a basketball player chucks up a 3, he's clutch if it goes in, he choked if he missed. But we all know there is a fairly high level of luck.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Im not a huge baseball fan, but i do watch the playoffs. I even enjoy them. For that reason i say MLB playoffs. The contrast between how little i pay attention to the regular season and how much i enjoy the playoffs is the largest.

I watch and enjoy NBA playoffs, but i also watch and enjoy regular season games on occasion.

I might of said hockey until i started playing hockey more in frozen North Dakota. Its basically a game of constant cheating to the point its hard to do anything. A defender has a 10ft long reach with very loose hand check rules.

Part of that makes it even more impressive when someone can make the game pretty to watch but it still annoys me a bit.

 

[MexicoHusky]

We should talk about which sport has the best fights. For me its baseball and its not close.

 

[MexicoHusky]

Soccer/football is bizarre. There are all these mid season cups. In mexico there 2 seasons per year. Im often not sure when the playoffs are. The season ends then starts again a few months later. And there are no 7 games series. They have 2 games series. The winning team often advances based on goal differential.

 

[RuffRuff]

It may be an acquired case especially where many people are used to the very slow baseball game or back and forth possessions of basketball. The organized chaos and non-stop action are what separates hockey from everyone else. I think watching hockey at the highest level is about possession but the possessions change much more quickly. Soccer and rugby are also games with non-stop action, back and forth. I started watching the playoffs and ended up rooting for Vegas, hockey locations be damned.


Every sport has accidental scores. Basketball in my opinion suffers because the scoring is so high and too easy, there are ebbs and flows and many games just come down to the last few minutes, skill and luck. Anyone can chuck up a 3 ball and hit it. When a basketball player chucks up a 3, he's clutch if it goes in, he choked if he missed. But we all know there is a fairly high level of luck.

But the difference is that there are few goals - so when I see one bounce off a skate, it’s like really? It’s a game of deflection and blocked vision. There are so few goals that feel clean and artistic when I watch.

Disagree with soccer - teams control in midfield and run sets. There is paced alternating possession. You can watch a team set up. In hockey it’s just madness. Too many large men in a small arena on ice with large sticks trying to squeeze a tiny object past a goalie that consumes most of the net.

It’s obviously easier to score in basketball but shooting 35 to 45% that makes the difference. Easily the best sport to watch on TV and live in my book, with easily the most impressive athletes.

 

[Kolumbo]

But the difference is that there are few goals - so when I see one bounce off a skate, it’s like really? It’s a game of deflection and blocked vision. There are so few goals that feel clean and artistic when I watch.

Disagree with soccer - teams control in midfield and run sets. There is paced alternating possession. You can watch a team set up. In hockey it’s just madness. Too many large men in a small arena on ice with large sticks trying to squeeze a tiny object past a goalie that consumes most of the net.

It’s obviously easier to score in basketball but shooting 35 to 45% that makes the difference. Easily the best sport to watch on TV and live in my book, with easily the most impressive athletes.

I've always thought it would be interesting to see hockey played on a much larger ice. You are right, the guys are huge and fast and the rink is small but that all adds to the sport. They do play possession, at an extremely faster clip.

I disagree that basketball has the most impressive athletes. Height is certainly a big plus because you're putting a ball in a 10' hoop. Football, soccer and probably hockey all have much faster players.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I've always thought it would be interesting to see hockey played on a much larger ice. You are right, the guys are huge and fast and the rink is small but that all adds to the sport. They do play possession, at an extremely faster clip.

I disagree that basketball has the most impressive athletes. Height is certainly a big plus because you're putting a ball in a 10' hoop. Football, soccer and probably hockey all have much faster players.

Those dudes are very small

 

[RuffRuff]

I've always thought it would be interesting to see hockey played on a much larger ice. You are right, the guys are huge and fast and the rink is small but that all adds to the sport. They do play possession, at an extremely faster clip.

I disagree that basketball has the most impressive athletes. Height is certainly a big plus because you're putting a ball in a 10' hoop. Football, soccer and probably hockey all have much faster players.

Isn't the european arena bigger? Possession is so fast and muddled it just looks like one big swarm to me.

7 foot men with 40 inch vertical leaps aren't more impressive? Fast doesn't mean good athlete, at all. I think most would agree that the NBA athlete is the best athlete in sports when you consider the size * overall athletecism * coordination. Those guys are freaks. Hockey players a niche specialty.

 

[temery]

March Madness. And don't try to tell me they aren't pros.

 

[Magic32]

I don't even watch NHL during regular season but will watch the playoffs. The atmosphere is electric for playoff hockey.

 

[HCCForever]

Isn't the european arena bigger? Possession is so fast and muddled it just looks like one big swarm to me.

7 foot men with 40 inch vertical leaps aren't more impressive? Fast doesn't mean good athlete, at all. I think most would agree that the NBA athlete is the best athlete in sports when you consider the size * overall athletecism * coordination. Those guys are freaks. Hockey players a niche specialty.

Hockey players are superb athletes and much tougher than most NBA players. Their hand-eye coordination is amazing.

And speaking of NHL playoff intensity, Thursday night’s preseason game between Panthers and Lightning drew 186 penalty minutes. Battle of Florida indeed.

 

[RuffRuff]

Hockey players are superb athletes and much tougher than most NBA players. Their hand-eye coordination is amazing.

And speaking of NHL playoff intensity, last night’s preseason game between Panthers and Lightning drew 186 penalty minutes. Battle of Florida indeed.

Why do half of them come out of one 35mm populated country? Niche sport. No one is saying they aren't coordinated, or really tough (because they are) but to compare them to an NBA athlete is downright hysterical.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

Watching the Rangers in the playoffs back in High School with all of my friends was amazing. We would have like 15 people over and we were stuck to the TV. Some of those series back in the early/mid 2010’s were so fun, as others have said, playoff hockey definitely converts the casual watcher to another level.

I assume not counting World Cup because that wouldn’t be fair, but NBA has surpassed NHL slightly for me. I just love watching how the level rises so much on both sides of the ball.

 

[Waquoit]

NHL, all the games are intense. NBA just takes turns sometimes.

 

[superjohn]

Hockey players are superb athletes and much tougher than most NBA players. Their hand-eye coordination is amazing.

And speaking of NHL playoff intensity, Thursday night’s preseason game between Panthers and Lightning drew 186 penalty minutes. Battle of Florida indeed.

"I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out." -Rodney Dangerfield

 

[Kolumbo]

Isn't the european arena bigger? Possession is so fast and muddled it just looks like one big swarm to me.

7 foot men with 40 inch vertical leaps aren't more impressive? Fast doesn't mean good athlete, at all. I think most would agree that the NBA athlete is the best athlete in sports when you consider the size * overall athletecism * coordination. Those guys are freaks. Hockey players a niche specialty.

Negative. Running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, tight ends... no nba athlete can compare to those guys. throw in the fact that someone like lebron cries when someone brushes his arm and that removes all credibility. Not only are NFL players incredible athletes, they're out there looking to smash. Soccer players like Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, they'll run circles around nba players and do it for 90 minutes. Hockey players for sure are faster, stronger and crazier than nba players. crazy counts for something. Eye-hand coordination? Baseball players have you beat. Shaq was one of the best basketball players of all time because he was huge. dude couldn't make a free throw and certainly didn't have a 40" vertical.

 

[RuffRuff]

Negative. Running backs, wide receivers, linebackers, tight ends... no nba athlete can compare to those guys. throw in the fact that someone like lebron cries when someone brushes his arm and that removes all credibility. Not only are NFL players incredible athletes, they're out there looking to smash. Soccer players like Ronaldo, Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, they'll run circles around nba players and do it for 90 minutes. Hockey players for sure are faster, stronger and crazier than nba players. crazy counts for something. Eye-hand coordination? Baseball players have you beat. Shaq was one of the best basketball players of all time because he was huge. dude couldn't make a free throw and certainly didn't have a 40" vertical.

Let’s agree to disagree on this one. You’re comparing physical freaks to soccer players? It’s pretty clear you have something against NBA players. You don’t think soccer players flop?

NBA players blow all these other sports away and it’s not close.

 

[Kolumbo]

Let’s agree to disagree on this one. You’re comparing physical freaks to soccer players? It’s pretty clear you have something against NBA players. You don’t think soccer players flop?

NBA players blow all these other sports away and it’s not close.

Name the best overall athlete in the nba today and see if we can find someone to top him. Or 50 people to top him. I'd argue that the nba has the least physicall or athletic players of the big sports. And it's not even close. No one in the nba even needs to sprint and all they do is shoot a basketball in a non-contact sport. please. It's clear you've never watched soccer. Haaland is 6'5" and can run like the wind. Your boys can't run for 5 minutes without puking.