patrick14
07-22-2003, 04:33 PM
Any one who follows this post is probably well aware of the politics the plague inline hockey in this country. This post isn't being made to complain about the current state of affairs (which are a mess) but rather to find out what the informed people think in regards to the future of our sport. (on a variety of topics)
Mostly I'm reffering to USARS fielding the FIRS team who won 'worlds' and USAHIL fielding the IIHF team who took the bronze.
It would be nice to think that if inline/roller hockey (and i'm sure it matter how you say it, because one is 'roller' hockey which is by definition a roller sport, and thus USARS has control, and one is inline hockey, which by definition is a type of hockey, thus USAHIL has control) was to become an true olympic sport this issue would be settled, and we would field one team to represent our country, but the USOC still is undecided on this matter last I heard.
Either way, in a country that can field two medal worthy teams, we are only hardly beginning to have an elite 'league' which develops players who can play at that level. (in a noncheck eviroment, which is what true roller hockey is) Regardless, to date most of our world level players garner most of their experience from ice hockey. I doubt you need proof, but for those who are new:
http://www.echl.com/news/index.php?cat=1&id=1200
By league, I'm reffering to a league, with a regular season, not a tournament series (because we have a good number of those) two of which obviosly showcase the best (torhs, narch). Unfortunately both of these series are allowing more and more physical play to the point where the games represent the past RHI or even ice hockey. While I maintain that roller hockey is and should be a contact sport, which helps develops heads up play, it should not be full check, otherwise it is simply ice hockey 4 on 4. In the US, money (aka fans) are certainly the number one reason for this, while even in international competition they would like to keep the games less physical than that.
See: http://www.rollersports.org/images/2003inlinemen.rtf
first page, 4th paragraph.
Not that it matters, because the next serious attempt (not to dis the current efforts by MLRH, or PIHA) is again full check, and is a completely b@stardized version of roller hockey. Is it not bad enough that many already consider roller hockey the red headed step child to ice hockey, that some one has to go and rearange our sport all over again. thankyou, speedhockey.org
(Personally I hope this league fails because it a misrepresentation of our sport (much like PBH), while at the same time I hope it succeeds because it is the only version of our sport that will be available for viewing on a regular basis, and is worth paying money to watch. Again no disrespect to PIHA and MLRH, but the talent even at narch D1 is generally higher, and more worth my $5.
Surely, our sport could succeed with teams at the Narch and Torhs pro level and higher playing in venues similar to AAA/ECHL ice hockey. And the current leagues can fill in as feeder leagues.
But 'elite/pro' roller hockey is another topic that is thoroughly covered in the PRO forum.
Back to international competition... I'd just like to know what information, if any people have on ROLLER/INLINE hockey becoming and olympic sport, and who will be officially recognized by the USOC?
Lastly to comment on the previous USA vs. USA post.
I put all my money on the USARS/FIRS team. Even without ever seeing the games. Which BTW, would make for a great game to be broadcast on the web, ala narch TV. (huge props to narch for that)
~Patrick
Just to round out the rambling, I thought it appropriate to include these links.
http://www.rollersports.org/
http://www.inlinehokej.cz/eng/
http://imanager.ip-finland.com/iihf/
Mostly I'm reffering to USARS fielding the FIRS team who won 'worlds' and USAHIL fielding the IIHF team who took the bronze.
It would be nice to think that if inline/roller hockey (and i'm sure it matter how you say it, because one is 'roller' hockey which is by definition a roller sport, and thus USARS has control, and one is inline hockey, which by definition is a type of hockey, thus USAHIL has control) was to become an true olympic sport this issue would be settled, and we would field one team to represent our country, but the USOC still is undecided on this matter last I heard.
Either way, in a country that can field two medal worthy teams, we are only hardly beginning to have an elite 'league' which develops players who can play at that level. (in a noncheck eviroment, which is what true roller hockey is) Regardless, to date most of our world level players garner most of their experience from ice hockey. I doubt you need proof, but for those who are new:
http://www.echl.com/news/index.php?cat=1&id=1200
By league, I'm reffering to a league, with a regular season, not a tournament series (because we have a good number of those) two of which obviosly showcase the best (torhs, narch). Unfortunately both of these series are allowing more and more physical play to the point where the games represent the past RHI or even ice hockey. While I maintain that roller hockey is and should be a contact sport, which helps develops heads up play, it should not be full check, otherwise it is simply ice hockey 4 on 4. In the US, money (aka fans) are certainly the number one reason for this, while even in international competition they would like to keep the games less physical than that.
See: http://www.rollersports.org/images/2003inlinemen.rtf
first page, 4th paragraph.
Not that it matters, because the next serious attempt (not to dis the current efforts by MLRH, or PIHA) is again full check, and is a completely b@stardized version of roller hockey. Is it not bad enough that many already consider roller hockey the red headed step child to ice hockey, that some one has to go and rearange our sport all over again. thankyou, speedhockey.org
(Personally I hope this league fails because it a misrepresentation of our sport (much like PBH), while at the same time I hope it succeeds because it is the only version of our sport that will be available for viewing on a regular basis, and is worth paying money to watch. Again no disrespect to PIHA and MLRH, but the talent even at narch D1 is generally higher, and more worth my $5.
Surely, our sport could succeed with teams at the Narch and Torhs pro level and higher playing in venues similar to AAA/ECHL ice hockey. And the current leagues can fill in as feeder leagues.
But 'elite/pro' roller hockey is another topic that is thoroughly covered in the PRO forum.
Back to international competition... I'd just like to know what information, if any people have on ROLLER/INLINE hockey becoming and olympic sport, and who will be officially recognized by the USOC?
Lastly to comment on the previous USA vs. USA post.
I put all my money on the USARS/FIRS team. Even without ever seeing the games. Which BTW, would make for a great game to be broadcast on the web, ala narch TV. (huge props to narch for that)
~Patrick
Just to round out the rambling, I thought it appropriate to include these links.
http://www.rollersports.org/
http://www.inlinehokej.cz/eng/
http://imanager.ip-finland.com/iihf/