The Seasons Begin: Hockey vs Basketball

HAYO!
Welcome back hockey! The regular season started last week and Rangers fans all over the world couldn’t be more excited about the 2010-2011 season. Everyone agrees we’re a legit playoff contender with enough youth to feel good about the long term. But Rangeritis has been slow to catch on this off-season. Unless you’re a bonafide puck head who only hangs out with imported Canadian friends, hockey talk is hard to come by in this area. It seems that everyone spent their summer months jabbering on about that other fall through spring sport, Basketball.

It didn’t matter if you were watching CSPAN or PBS this summer, the NBA free agent storylines dominated the media and made everyone sick to their stomach. It hasn’t stopped either. With both the NHL and NBA season going simultaneously, many New York fans are going to find themselves wondering which team to watch and where to invest their hard-earned money this season. Fortunately, 94 Parade is here to help you understand the subtle differences between the two competing sports and where the promise for NYC Sports lies.

Free Agency:
NBA – Time of the year where superstars conspire to all meet in Miami and create a league that essentially consists of only two teams.
NHL – Time of the year where Glen Sather & James Dolan conspire and pay some hack-has-been millions of dollars to create a team that essentially consists of two NHL calibur players.

Goaltending:
NBA – the violation of interfering with the ball when it is on its way to the basket.
NHL – the position Rick DiPietro occasionally tries his hand at only to be reminded that his bones are made of glass.

New York City:
NBA – The Dolans squeeze over a decade’s worth of money, hurt and frustration out of a fan base that wants nothing more than to win a championship
NHL – Oh wait, same thing.

New Jersey:
NBA – Russian billionaire attempting to turn a perennial loser into a perennial winner
NHL – Russian billionaire succeeding in turning a perennial winner into a perennial loser

The King:
NBA – An overrated playboy that has won nothing, turned his back on his home state and is now the most hated man in America thanks to “The Decision”
NHL – HENRIK! (Clap – Clap!) HENRIK!

Playoffs:
NHL – Time of the year when everybody steps it up, sacrifices their body and gives 110% for the chance at winning Lord Stanley’s Cup.
NBA – Time of the year when everybody steps it up, sacrifices their body and plays defense for the first time all season.

Hope this helps those of you who were confused about what sport you were watching. Just remember basketball fans, you can’t spell nice without ice, so sack up and get with the Rangers so you can watch a winner this year!