The AHL vs. The NHL and why Hockey is best

Five Reasons to Dig the "A"
5) You won't pay $35.00 plus service charges for the worst seat in the house
4) You actually have the opportunity to meet and talk to players
3) You can take a division "road trip" with out taking out a small loan AND all of your vacation days
2) Three words: Collective Bargaining Agreement
1) Your Milwaukee Admirals are the Calder Cup Champions and not those stinkin' Chicago Wolves

In case you need another reason, I'll tell you what my friend, they didn't base "Slapshot" on some slick team like the Colorado Avalanche (those stinkin' Lava Lamps)... No sir... This is the Federal League we're talking about, the league that's fed by the Iron League.

Let's pretend for a minute that the NHL season does go on... at what price? A shortened season? Just what Commissioner Bettman and the boys need... a shorter amount of time for nobody south of the Canadian border to care about the world's greatest sport. Hockey's got the greatest history, the BEST trophy, and the greatest traditions, not to mention the greatest heroes. If you don't believe me, here's a few:

History: Slang for the puck is "the old boot heel," the game was played on frozen rivers and lakes, the league is 88 years old... older than the NFL

Trophy: Lord Stanley's Cup! Guys on the winning team get their names engraved on it AND get to do whatever they want with it for a day... Also, fans all over the US and Canada have an opportunity to see and touch the cup. The Lombardi Trophy? Dream on! They don't even display the real one in public, it's a replica! Think anybody but the GM gets to touch it?

Traditions: Detroit's creepy octopus, Hockey Day in Canada, the handshake line after each round of playoffs, the hat trick celebration, team dentists, the Original Six, playoff beards

Heroes:
Wayne Gretzky: Owns more NHL records than any one ever. They call him "The Great One" for a reason

Mario Lemieux: Came back twice in injury and cancer plagued seasons to win the scoring title, oh and did you know he carried the city of Pittsburgh and the entire nation of Canada on his shoulders in 2002?

Gordie Howe: A bruiser on the ice, all heart off the ice

Need more examples? Let me know... I'll be your hockey sensei, you'll know Jarko Ruutu from Teemu Selanne, Phil Esposito from Tony Esposito, the crease from the zone, a misconduct from a game misconduct and how the Calgary Flames let one of the greatest of all time slip through fingers... and the Blues for that matter.

Thank you my friend.