When Will Hockey Get Some Respect?

When you think of hockey, what do you think? Not, "Oh that sport on ice with players who lose all their teeth." Like most people, you probably think, "Oh that sport from Canada, or wherever."

With the new season starting, I beg you to give hockey a second chance.

What makes hockey worth your time? The fact that it's not like any sport.

It doesn't stop every 40 seconds and resume after the ball has been moved two yards. It doesn't stop every few minutes for someone to shoot a ball. It doesn't stop after a second of excitement.

Could it be that besides bacon and Avril Lavigne, the Canadians have given us something good? Eh?

Yes, it could and it is. Hockey, the toughest sport in the country, may be one of the most underrated things in the sports world, right after the Tampa Bay Rays and the Dolphins' new high school-style offense. Maybe they'll put two quarterbacks under center next week.

Hockey just can't get the exposure it needs. Its main broadcasting is the outdoors channel...a little ironic for a sport played indoors on ice. The ratings aren't growing much with bull riding being shown after the game.

Oh, and don't forget to spend your time watching the 10 second highlight segments on SportsCenter, either.

Could it be that many players just aren't cute enough to bring in female fans? Maybe it's because most of the players are missing teeth. Or tight pants just aren't tight enough.

Sports shouldn't be about drug-dealing running backs, steroid scandals, or even cross-dressing power forwards; they should be about the anticipation of the next shift, the banging of the glass, and the ever popular "woah oh oh" song after each goal.

So the next time you are deciding between the new 50 Cent reality show on MTV or The Hills, think twice and give hockey a chance.

Chicks definitely dig missing teeth and heavy metal music.

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