The First And Last Time You'll Hear Me Say It, Adam shocks all

I've heard of soccer ...isn't that like boxing except no one hits anyone???

Spit. I don't doubt it. Booty. No. More like patting the other cheeks with fists.

It reminds me, I went to a Boxing Match and a Hockey Game broke out.

GO LIGHTNING!!!

I have to root for them since your bloody Flames knocked my Red Wings out of the playoffs.

Many 'Mericans on the board may not be hockey fans, but so far none that have weighed in are from Michigan. Hockey is huge here. In the Detroit area there are enough arenas to compare with a Canadian city. That's why we have 5 NCAA Division 1 hockey teams here.

I'll be interesting to see what happens to the Wings roster next year. A lot of legends nearing retirement.

Hockey? hmm. ok.

It's almost blasphemous around here not to watch Wildcat Basketball. I do on occasion, but I don't make a point of it. Not one for sports of any kind. When I read the first post in this thread, I was wondering what I was supposed to start flaming you for...

Unsolicited flames are never a good idea, but if if someone asks for it? You trying out a new pair of asbestos longjohns, OR?

Where I live hockey is so huge it's hard to imagine it not being as big elsewhere in the US. I never had the opportunity to play when I was a kid, but both my boys do. You even see girls and grown women wearing Red Wing jerseys. Girls hockey leagues are springing up. It is a challenge to get tickets to a Red Wings game, and if you can find them you're going to pay big bucks.

That's because you're in a town that's still capable of producing ice in April. I'm sure the northern portion of the states is much more into hockey than the southern. It's strange. The last two teams to face Calgary in the playoffs are from California and Florida. They have ice in those states? Places where kids learn to skate on asphault.

It is strange. I always thought it seemed unnatural to have NHL hockey in Florida. Hockey is real big in Minnesota and New York. But, based on the number of dates for travelling hockey schools, Michigan is biggest.

You may to be shocked to learn this Adam but California records the largest amount of anual snowfall in the United States with averages well ove 600" in some places.

It does tend to produce some warped personalities which may explain the presence of a hockey team

I suspect there are more US Hockey teams than Canadian since the US has approximately 10x the population (least that's the figure I heard) of the 51st state.

Hockey is big in Florida because of all the retirees that move their from the cold northern states. Ever look at the crowds at one of those games??? Looks like a private party for the crypt keeper.

Ah! Makes sense. There are a lot of Michiganders in Florida, at least in the winter.

You didn't just say that.............. did you?

It'd be 1812 all over again before that would ever happen, boys. But that's another rant for the politics forum.

But I don't think population has anything to do with it. The majority of players in the NHL are still from Quebec. Half of your teams were bought from Canadian cities that couldn't afford to keep them. (Winipeg Jets, Quebec Nordiques, RIP)

You're right Raven. I had no idea.

something happened in 1812???

Gotta admit, I got a chuckle out of that one, but I'm not Canadian. I wondered how you'd react. Sore spot?