Hockey: Making Dentists Rich Since 1875

            Professional hockey may seem like nothing more than grown men looking for a chance to fight with and beat each other, but there is much more to the game than throwing punches and spending time in the penalty box.

            Hockey is played on an ice rink that is enclosed by Plexiglas. Two blue lines and a red line are marked on the rink and divide it into zones. The area where your goal is located and the one that you are trying to protect is the defending zone. This area is separated from the neutral zone by one of the blue lines. The red line simply divides the rink in half. The other blue line is the beginning of the offensive zone and is the area where you are shooting to score. There are also nine faceoff spots on the ice. A faceoff is what starts the game from the get-go and also what resumes play. It is when the referee drops the puck between opposing centers.

            Goals are how points are accumulated and whichever team has more goals at the end of the three 20-minute periods that make up a game, wins. If time expires with a tied game, the game moves into five minutes of overtime. If there is still a tied game, the teams are sent into a shootout. Three shooters will go one-on-one with the goalie from the center faceoff spot. If there is still a tie after both teams shoot, the game moves into “sudden death”. Each team must take the same number of shots for it to remain fair. Please note though that a shootout is not used in the Stanley Cup playoff. Instead, teams will continue to play until one scores to come away with the win.

            Both teams have six totals players on the ice, one being a goaltender. The red median line, also, is a line the goaltender cannot cross. Goalies commonly don’t leave the crease (the area in front of the net), but in hockey, regardless of what position a player is assigned, he is permitted anywhere on the ice.

            Many are confused by hockey because there seems to be players jumping on and off the ice at any given moment. This is because substitutions can happen at any time and don’t require a pause in the game such as a timeout. Substitutions are also unlimited.

            The positions in hockey are forwards, defensemen, and as previously mentioned, a goalkeeper.

            Forwards can further be separated into center, right wing, or left wing. Note that there are three positions meaning that there would be one player for each slot and then two defensemen.

            A right wing, as you may have guessed, plays on the right side of the ice. These players need to be able to fish the puck out of the corner and be aggressive enough to make his way in front of the net to get better position.

            Left wing players use to be predominantly left-handed shooters, but more NHL players who are right handed have been playing this position in recent years. They play on the left side of the ice and have the same responsibilities as right wing players.

            Centers are commonly referred to as “the quarterback on ice”. They are the ones who usually generate the offense and lead the attack on the opposing team’s net. 

            The goalkeeper’s job is obviously to keep the puck out of the net so to prevent the other team from scoring.

            Two defensemen, one on the left, and the other on the right, round out the team on the ice. The defense tries to make the goalie’s life easier by breaking up passes, blocking shots, and just keeping the puck away from the net. They also aid the offense by getting the puck to their own team members.  

            There are three main rules that referees will look out for outside of penalties which I’ll talk about shortly. The first is offsides. This is when a member (usually offense since they are most likely to be attacking the net) is in front of the puck over the defending team’s blue line. In the elementary playground days this was referred to as “cherry picking”. It prevents players from camping out in front of the net and waiting for an easy pass in front of the goal. An offside pass is when a player sends the puck up to his teammate who has already crossed the red center line. The last main rule is icing. This is when a player shoots from his own side of the rink and if it remains untouched and travels across the red center line as well as the opponent’s blue line. There is no icing though when defending a power play.

           

            Now into the fun of hockey - the contact and penalties!

Body checking, please realize now, is considered okay but only to an opposing player who has possession of the puck. Body checks that target the head are illegal. A player can use his shoulder, hip, or torso to ram into an opponent.

There are three different types of penalties, minor, major, and misconduct and these penalties lead to power plays. Power plays are when a team is at a disadvantage because they are short a man (sometimes two) because of penalty box situations.

            Minor penalties have a few subcategories but all have the same outcome – two minutes in the penalty box with no substitutions. If the opposing team scores before the two minutes is over the penalty time still ends.

            Penalties that obstruct an opponent could include tripping, holding, or interfering when the opposing player doesn’t have the puck.

            Those penalties that are connected with the stick include spearing, slashing, high-sticking (hitting an opponent in the head or face) and cross-checking (hitting an opponent with the stick).

            Some other fouls such as elbowing, kneeing, and checking from behind can also lead to penalty time.

            Major penalties cause a player to be dismissed from the ice for five minutes. Fighting is the most major penalty and if both teams have players sent to the penalty box for fighting, substitutions can be made. If it’s only one team though, no substitutions are allowed. It is usually deemed fighting when a player drops his gloves and throws a punch or punches.

            Misconduct leads to ten minutes in the penalty box and can be called for different forms of unsportsmanlike conduct or if a player commits a second major penalty.

Penalty shots are awarded when a foul is committed that might otherwise had led a team to score. The team who was fouled now gets a chance to regain a shot on goal that was interrupted. The referee places the puck on the center faceoff spot and on his command, the player taking the shot will attempt to score – it is a one-on-one situation with the goalie. 

            Hockey really isn’t that hard to understand. It’s a combination of soccer (similar rules) combined with lacrosse (similar styles of play).

            With the National Hockey League (NHL) season opening on Tuesday, October 1^st, I hope you got a better understanding of the game and will know what you’re watching for now.

            See you in the faceoff ;)

(http://proicehockey.about.com/od/learnthegame/a/ice-hockey-rule.htm)

(http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/hockey-for-dummies-cheat-sheet.html)

(http://www.nhl.com/ice/page.htm?id=27011)           

Xoxo,

~Francesca 

Countdown to Kickoff

I’ve had today’s date circled, starred, and stickered on my calendar since February 3, 2013 (Super Bowl XLVII). It’s back to the gridiron. The National Football League (NFL) season officially kicks off tonight with defending Super Bowl champions, the Baltimore Ravens, taking on the Denver Broncos.

            I have so much to say about football because it’s my favorite sport so bear with me as we navigate all over the board.

            What’s the hype with football? What makes people flock to a TV all Sunday or even on Thursday and Monday nights? Growing up in a strict Italian family firmly rooted in togetherness, the only time the TV was ever allowed to be on during dinner was if the Steelers were playing.

            To me football is pure excitement. Whether you’re watching two incredible teams play and battle it out to the finish or a terrible team be dominated, or better yet, the underdog pull through with the victory, there is a constant rush.

            People watch football because there is always action. It’s a fast-paced game that’s unpredictable. You can bet on a game, but you never know when someone may get hurt or play badly enough to effect the outcome. Tuning in to American Idol is simple. You know what you’re going to get, a lot of singers who should stick to singing in the shower and some who deserve a record deal right then and there. With football though, you never know what to expect.

            Football is a game that is never over until the clock ticks to 0:00. Anything can happen at any given second and the momentum change can determine the outcome of a game. It is a game of strategy but can be simple as well. The difference between backyard football and the NFL? Well a couple million dollars and some extra X’s and O’s is about all. When it comes down to it, the object is still the same, get the ball into the end zone to score and make sure to release the beast on defense to prevent the other team from scoring.

            To get more into the game itself though. In the National Football League there are 32 teams with 53 active players each. There are practice squad players too, but we’re going to focus on the 53 who you’d see on the sidelines or field each week. There are 22 players on the field at a time, 11 from each team. Offense try to score and defense try to prevent them from scoring. Special teams are the players who are on the field during kickoffs, punts, field goals, and extra points.

            Let’s break that down a little more.

Each team gets four “downs” to go ten yards. If they do get ten yards, the downs are reset, if not, on the fourth, depending on where a team is at on the field, they can choose to “go for it”, punt it away, or attempt a field goal if they are in range.

If a team makes it to the end zone to score a touchdown, they receive six points. They are then given two options, kick the PAT (point after touchdown) or go for the 2-point conversion. 2-point conversions are rare unless a team is desperate for the lead or tie late in the game. PATs are almost automatic for a kicker so they’re the most logical choice.

When a team doesn’t quite make it to the end zone but are close, the field goal unit is sent in. A made field goal is worth three points and a missed is obviously worth nothing.

If a team doesn’t score a touchdown and isn’t close enough for a field goal, the special teams will punt the ball away, trying to get the ball down the field as far as they can to make it hard for the other team to score.

            In the barebones of the offense, there is a quarterback, usually the face of the team, running back, wide receivers, lineman, and tight end.

            Quarterbacks are the ones who “take the snaps”. Quarterbacks are the playmakers and in charge of guiding their team down the field to score. QBs usually take the most heat because they’re almost always the first to be blamed in the event of a loss.

(I get a rush when the center (offensive lineman) snaps the ball and the linebackers go for the blitz, I feel bad for the quarterback!)

            When a quarterback is throwing, his main target is a wide receiver. They’re the ones running down or across the field trying to shake off the defense to get open to catch the pass. These are normally some of the fastest guys on the team because they need to be able to run their route quickly since their quarterback doesn’t have much time.

            Running backs are the general term given to the players who are in the backfield with the quarterback. These players are usually versatile meaning not only can they hold on to a football and plow through defense, but they can also block in the event that a QB passes instead of handing it off to the running back. Some running backs are smaller and more agile, able to cut and reverse direction kicker, whereas some are big burly men who will drag half the defense along with him as he pounds out those extra inches.

            Some of the positions most often overlooked are the offensive linemen. Their job is to protect the quarterback, block for the running back, all the while making sure they don’t create a penalty such as holding or a false start. They’re big and strong, but usually are some of the biggest teddy bears there is.

            Also in the offense are tight ends who are occasionally referred to as utility players. Occasionally a tight end will line up and do the same job as a wide receiver, but sometimes they line up as an offensive linemen. They’re overall role depends on the style of offense that a team runs, but sometimes they will be the huge playmakers when a quarterback is in desperation for a man to throw to.

            On to my favorite, the defense.

            I believe that defense is what makes or breaks games. They prove more than anyone else how badly they want it. Not only do they have the huge task of stopping the other team from scoring, but they also could create a turnover and score themselves.

            Defense is basically made up of defensive backs, defensive linemen, and linebackers.

            Defensive backs are the equivalent of wide receivers. The strong safety, free safety, and corner backs are all considered defensive backs. They are the ones who chase wide receivers down the field hoping to intercept or break up the pass.

            Defensive linemen are much the same as their counterparts. Their job is to go after the quarterback if he’s dropping back to pass and hopefully they can sack him (to sack the quarterback is cause him to lose yards by pursuing him until he’s tackled or completely blindsiding him – my personal favorite). They also try to stop the running backs right at the line of scrimmage (where the ball is snapped) so the offense doesn’t gain any ground.

            I like to tell myself that if I would’ve been a boy and played football I would’ve been a linebacker. They do a little bit of everything. Linebackers will sometimes line up on the line of scrimmage to stop a run play or perhaps blitz the quarterback (in short, blitzing is dropping all other responsibilities to try to sack the quarterback). They also have the ability to drop back and help cover receivers in the event of pass play.

            Now to the main event.

            I’m waiting for the day that the Super Bowl becomes recognized as a national holiday.

            Every year more people tune in to this national event that captures America’s focus for an entire evening. For weeks after people will rave about the commercials and the outcome of the game.

            According to Forbes, the cost of a 30-second ad during the Super Bowl in 2013 was $4,000,000. That’s a lot of zeroes for not a lot of time. I like to think that America is actually tuning in to watch the game, and not just the commercials, but sometimes it seems like the other way around.

(http://www.forbes.com/sites/alexkonrad/2013/02/02/even-with-record-prices-10-million-spot/)

            For Christmas this past year, my mom gave me Holly Robinson Peete’s book, Get Your Own Damn Beer, I’m Watching the Game. It’s subtitled “a woman’s guide to loving pro football”, but Holly is such an excellent writer that I believe anyone could get enjoyment out of the book. I highly recommend it because not only is it filled with football facts and information, but also stories and important events in football history.

            Good luck trying to get me to do anything on Sundays for the next 22 weeks because I’m going to be glued to my TV!

Xoxo,

~Francesca