Suomi-Ruotsi, too exciting to watch?

[Hank W.]

What part of Finland are you in?

The civilized part - south of Ring III, barely

Do you play hockey?

... I think I found my skates when I was cleaning my parents' attic, along with some miscellaneous gear that fit me when I was 14 or so... but I couldn't skate worth a damn then let alone now

Are you native to Finland or are you a transplant?

Me, I'm so native I got a bone through my nose and hunt heads for a trophy collection... though I've tried to transplant myself I've always returned like a dog to its vomit. Desert? - the best place I was transplanted to was Death Valley one summer in 1994 or so... a few of the Caribbean Islands might qualify though...

[Ice_Addict]

Sorry, I guess I didn't know there was an uncivilized part of the Finland. Would that be the part that's cross-pollinated with Swedes? Don't you people know you're not supposed to mix like that? Sheesh!

It would be like St. Louis Blues fans and Detroit Red Wings fans marrying and having children. It's just plain against the laws of nature!

I'm convinced that the Red Wings are the devil incarnate!

[Hank W.]

Sorry, I guess I didn't know there was an uncivilized part of the Finland.

I'll be getting a lot of flak for this; but I am a "city boy" and proud of it.

(Actually, I live quite close to where the arrow points)
So, "south" of Kehä III or the "Ring III" means you are civilized and then all the rest of Finland is filled with wolves and reindeer and country hicks.
(Not much different of an attitude if you ask someone from Paris, London etc...)

Though - the funny part is - in the suburbs life sometimes gets very "uncivilized" See now I do not live in "the city", but in Vantaa, though I consider "the city" with the classical definition "where the tram lines go to".

[pahakarhuz]

Sorry, I guess I didn't know there was an uncivilized part of the Finland. Would that be the part that's cross-pollinated with Swedes? Don't you people know you're not supposed to mix like that? Sheesh!

It would be like St. Louis Blues fans and Detroit Red Wings fans marrying and having children. It's just plain against the laws of nature!

I'm convinced that the Red Wings are the devil incarnate!

Well you know the "capital thing". They're better than others. Still they will be nuked first.

People get side effects by living inside Ring 3. They can't even pronounce "s" any more. And then they start drinking Koff, that reindeer piss.

Luckily we got Turku, the mother of all cities, the capital of Finland. Gotta love that dialect too

/end flame

[sisu power]

Hey Ice-Addict,
Guess I'm surprised all that many people, outside of a few hockey-friendly pockets, give a darn when you beat Canada,in hockey, as we are told that the TV ratings for hockey are very low. ... As in there isn't a pastime televised that doesn't out-rate hockey ...

Sorry we give the impression that we get on our high horses. I think because such a large percentage of the population follows hockey, it's the main event. It is a central part of our national identity. Much pride, therefore, rides on success. And as you said, neighbouring countries, for political reasons, can find it particularly distasteful to lose to one another.

[luoto]

Ah, Turku oh great one time capital. Up there with the best (as former capitals) as Vaasa!

[Hank W.]

As the navy guys say: "Turku is the arse of Finland and Pansio (navy base) the hole"

[Mark I.]

You're referring Vaasa as a former capital, because of short period of the 1918 civil war? Well, I'm not sure that counts...

Continuing Hank's verses: "Kemi on perämeren persereikä" was among folklores of Rovaniemi -area (referring to the small commie sulfite celluloide smelling town, where Kemijoki runs into gulf of Bothnia).

[Ravvy]

Hey Ice-Addict,
Guess I'm surprised all that many people, outside of a few hockey-friendly pockets, give a darn when you beat Canada,in hockey, as we are told that the TV ratings for hockey are very low. ... As in there isn't a pastime televised that doesn't out-rate hockey ...

Sorry we give the impression that we get on our high horses. I think because such a large percentage of the population follows hockey, it's the main event. It is a central part of our national identity. Much pride, therefore, rides on success. And as you said, neighbouring countries, for political reasons, can find it particularly distasteful to lose to one another.

I agree with you about the USA "hockey-friendly pockets" and low TV ratings in the USA. The USA-Canada hockey rivalry is nowhere near as heated as Finland-Sweden. Pineapple slices for gold medals, cartoon with stick up Finn's @ss, Swedish doping scandal = Zetterberg's mouth swab; whew, it certainly is true love!

[Ice_Addict]

Well guys, I suppose your opinions on the Canada/US hockey rivalry carry only as far as what corner of the world you're sitting in. While, it's true that hockey is definitely not the national pasttime of the US (it's that boring baseball thing), it is definitely catching fire, especially since the rules changes were implemented by the NHL and in markets that you might not expect.

For example, a poll of US youth hockey leagues shows that Phoenix, Arizona (where I live) is coming close to surpassing the midwestern states as the youth hockey capital of the United States. I can attest to this because I play hockey and if you try to get ice time out here, you might as well schedule your games for 2:00 a.m. on a weekday. We have some incredible youth hockey leagues out here, which makes me think that in a few years, the U.S. may be a force to be reckoned with from a hockey perspective. My theory on the big thing with Phoenix is all of the midwestern transplants. I'm pretty sure that half of Detroit lives in Phoenix now. You sure would think so if you go to a Coyotes/Red Wings game. More Red Wings jerseys in the stands that Yotes.

Hockey is coming up fast here, don't always believe what you read and hear in the media. Watch and learn guys!

[Richard]

Well guys, I suppose your opinions on the Canada/US hockey rivalry carry only as far as what corner of the world you're sitting in. While, it's true that hockey is definitely not the national pasttime of the US (it's that boring baseball thing), it is definitely catching fire, especially since the rules changes were implemented by the NHL and in markets that you might not expect.

What were the changes, and did they boost advertising revenue?

OK, kidding around here, but it just reminded me that a few football/soocer world cups ago the americans tried to get the game changed to 4 quarters

[Ice_Addict]

NHL rules changes:

Zero tolerance for hooking, tripping, slashing, cross checking and interference. I can attest that this is happening big time. One of the Ducks got called for hooking yesterday just because his stick was on the ice between Chelios' feet. This obviously results in more penalties.

Ties are decided by a shootout. No more tie games.

The two-line pass is legal.

Goaltender pads, blockers, gloves and jerseys are all smaller now.

The goaltender cannot handle the puck behind the goal line except right behind the net.

The neutral zone has been reduced by 4 feet, leaving more room between the blue lines.

Teams that ice the puck cannot change players prior to the next faceoff.

Players can "tag-up" when offsides and not get called on it.

I listened to the deputy commissioner of the NHL yesterday and he said they are getting tremendous feedback from fans as regards the new rules.

Hockey rocks!

[Ravvy]

For example, a poll of US youth hockey leagues shows that Phoenix, Arizona (where I live) is coming close to surpassing the midwestern states as the youth hockey capital of the United States. I can attest to this because I play hockey and if you try to get ice time out here, you might as well schedule your games for 2:00 a.m. on a weekday. We have some incredible youth hockey leagues out here, which makes me think that in a few years, the U.S. may be a force to be reckoned with from a hockey perspective.

A lot will have to happen before I'm convinced of anyplace other than Minnesota as the youth hockey capital of the USA. The ice time issue you describe has been going on in MN for about the past 25 yrs, even though there is an arena every 10-15 miles or so.

A bit off topic, but (perhaps) an interesting comparative data point: Earlier this year the USA women's Olympic team played the Warroad MN High School (Class A = small school) team in a game that was played under the women's rules (no checking, etc.) and the boys won a 2-1 squeaker.

[Ice_Addict]

Ravvy:

Cool about the game with Team USA. Good for them! I know MN is a hot hockey town, I'm telling ya though, you need to come out and visit AZ. It's jumping!

[luoto]

Look, a capital is a capital. It was thought to be a mistake to allow Vaasa to be a capital, even during that short time, as it came to be polluted by the great unwashed so it was sent back down south (just like a turd in a toilet pan... settling at the bottom ... err i Hfrs :)