The Great Debates #5: Conspiracy Theories. Fact or Fiction?
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My blog later today will be on my picks and thoughts for Tonight's Super Tuesday Playoff Race Spectacular. Plain and simple...tonight is a hockey lovers nirvana! On Versus you get the Caps/Penguins of course. This is the best matchup in hockey and looking like a strong possibility for next year's Winter Classic...more later on tonight's games.
but for now...Tell me your NHL Conspiracy Theory
As many of you know I am writing a book (along with a few of my other favorite Pro Hockey Writers) as well as contributions from...you. The book will be called "The Great Hockey Debates: Thoughts on the 25 Most Intriguing Hockey Debates as discussed by Eklund and the Readers of Hockeybuzz.com." Books that discuss the debates exist already, but none done that argue both sides from the perspective of several differing people containing the best thought out arguments. So know, that if you respond in here your response may be used in the book itself. Your response could be forever ingrained as the definitive answer! (or people will be really pissed at you) Either way, its good clean fun.
Today's topic goes a little outside the box, but has been inspired by the news of the past few days as well as tonight's Washington Capitals/ Pittsburgh Penguins game.
Today's topic is "Debunking or Proving Conspiracy Theories of the NHL."
If you don't have your own conspiracy theory, feel free to take sides on one of the two most popular current NHL Conspiracy Theories...
The Bettman (NHL) /Crosby Conspiracy Theory
Last time these two teams met I received a tweet from a reader stating that since the Crosby/Ovechkin era began in Capitals/Penguins games, the Capitals have NEVER had more power plays than the Penguins in any single game when the teams have met. Several people agreed that this was indeed the case. I don't know this to be the case, but if it is indeed true it is intriguing...at least it is very odd.
The most common of all conspiracy theories right now is that the NHL wants Sidney Crosby to win the Stanley Cup every year. I have been to plenty of Penguins playoff games where you hear "Bettman loves Crosby" chants...from Philly to Washington to New York to Detroit you hear it.
I don't buy into this theory one iota. I do not believe that Gary Bettman is giving instructions to NHL refs to throw games so the NHL gets Sidney in the Finals. I just don't buy it ever happened before, and though he has won the Cup, I still don't.
I recently did a survey here of close to 1,000 fans and the predominant "Second Favorite" teams among NHL fans is Chicago and Washington. Therefore, this season, the NHL should absolutely want the Caps and Hawks to play for the Cup. Those TV ratings would kill.
However, as someone who personally covered and attended the two Stanley Cup Final Series of Edmonton/Carolina and Ottawa/Anaheim I can tell you the NHL doesn't hand pick their finalists. For the record, the Edmonton/Carolina series, was still, to this day, the best hockey series I ever attended.
Another popular Conspiracy Theory is...
The NHL hates Canada Conspiracy Theory
This conspiracy theory I also don't buy into, but the theory goes something like, "due to the fact that Bettman is obsessed with competing with the NBA he has personally taken teams out of Canada and placed them in strategic southern states in an effort to lure a big time TV deal." Meanwhile, in Canada they already have a big time TV deal and it gets ignored.
People who buy into this of course were the people that "makeit7.com" targeted the most. The same people who can't understand why Jim Balsillie doesn't have a team.
These people also point to the Winter Classic and how Canadian teams have been shunned from it.
These people also point to almost 20 years without a Stanley Cup winner from Canada.
So here is your job...
Either defend or debunk one of the theories above or give me your best conspiracy theory. I LOVE conspiracy theories, and while I don't believe in the two above, there are some in the NHL I have heard that I do believe in...or at least could be convinced to believe in...
Convince me of yours...if you do, I will praise you publicly!
My Latest Lexy Below...On The CANADA/USA TV Ratings > than NCAA Duke Final Game Ratings.
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