NUTS, BOLTS, GIFT BASKETS & EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN

By Allan Brown

OK. Granted, hockey isn't America's Sport.

In fact, when it comes to fan support, it barely makes the top five as far as professional sports go.

But Tampa Bay is Hockey Paradise and its Lightning are the most popular NHL franchise in the Southeast - or Southwest, too - for that matter.

No other proof is needed other than to look at the attendance figures the Tampa Bay Lightning post in comparison to the other 'warmer' weather teams.

In fact, the Lightning rank ahead most of the other more traditional cold climate hockey teams, as well, save for Chicago, Montreal, Detroit and Toronto - all "Original Six" squads - and Calgary, which barely edges out Tampa Bay for that last spot in the top five. Coming in sixth place for attendance in a league dominated by cold-climate teams is quite an accomplishment. Arizona, Florida and Carolina take up three of the bottom four positions on the attendance chart for this season - the NY Islanders are sandwiched between the Coyotes and the Panthers, which is not surprising, as New York is "Blue Shirts" country.

Having recently returned from a trip to watch the Bolts take on the Panthers in Sunrise, Fla., where there were arguably just as many Lightning fans - maybe even more - than Florida ones, it certainly made me think, that must be how the Tampa Bay Rays feel when their stadium is full of opposing jerseys rather than their own.

With an average attendance thus far this season of 19,092 - just 19 fans short of the Flames 19,111 - it's obvious the Lightning can score fans.

It's scoring on the ice that they have seemed to have a problem with.

Last year's top-scoring NHL franchise is currently tied for 16th place in that statistic, with a paltry 53 goals. Top-ranked Dallas and Montreal have 74 goals in comparison.

Shaking up the lines hasn't worked. Bringing up players from the Lightning's AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, hasn't panned out, either.

The latter move, of course, was more of a necessity than a mandate since close to half of the team's scorers have been hurt as of late.

You can't blame the lack of scoring on netminder Ben Bishop, who seems too often to come under fire on social media for some 'soft goals' he has let in. The truth of the matter is, the Bolts wouldn't have even been in contention in many of those games without Bish - or #2 goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy for that matter, either.

What's left at this time, is simply a "Come to Jesus" meeting between the team and Head Coach Jon Cooper. The Lightning were able to hand the New York Rangers their first loss in 10 games last Thursday, but still could only net two goals in that victory. All fans know right now is that something has got to change. And, hopefully - propelled by that win versus their Eastern Conference nemesis - perhaps, the tide has turned.

In Saturday's 5-0 win versus the Anaheim Ducks - the team most preseason analysts chose to win it all this season - the Bolts looked like the squad of old, firing on all cylinders and helping BIshop earn his first shutout of the season.

So, maybe that "Come to Jesus" meeting was held following Monday's disappointing loss and maybe, just maybe, the Bolts woes have came and went.

Bolts fans are faithful ones, though, so the lack of scoring on the ice shouldn't affect the attendance off of it.

NEW ALL-STAR GAME PLAN HOPES TO LURE MORE FANS OVER TO THE NHL'S SIDE

Speaking of faithful fans, there are none more devoted than hockey ones.

Small in number, but quite vocal and loyal, they are constantly trying to get their friends to come into our inner circle.

The NHL might have done something in its own right to achieve that goal.

The league announced last week that it would change up its All-Star Game in Nashville this January and form teams comprised of three players from each division to play against one another. The team that ultimately wins the tournament will split $1 million between them.

Good move?

I say, why not try it?

The new three-on-three overtime play the league initiated this season has proven to be exciting and could be responsible for a slight bump in NHL ratings. 

The most common reason non-NHL fans give for not watching hockey is that they just don't understand the game.

Of course, as an avid hockey fan, I simply don't understand that, as hockey is a fast-paced, fight-filled, three hours of sports enjoyment and far less boring than a MLB game, but, what the hey, if the three-on-three works for regular season games, it might bring in more viewers for the All-Star Game, as well. It's not as if the contest determines home ice advantage in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, like the MLB All-Star game ridiculously does for the World Series, so, no harm, no foul.

And anything that can attract more interest in the sport and has the backing of the Great One - that would be Wayne Gretzky - simply the best NHL player who ever lived for you non-hockey fans - works for me.

The same goes for the shootout that hockey purists hate, but non-hockey regulars seem to enjoy, and for that reason, alone, is why I support its continuation.

PRO SPORTS REGULAR SEASON OVERLOAD

Watching the final game of the World Series on a Saturday night, November 1, got me to thinking.

Why are professional sports seasons so dang long?

Of course, the answer to that is the Almighty Dollar,.

The leagues know how to stretch a season out until the all-important television 'Sweeps' periods where viewers are closely monitored and advertising rates are determined. That's why Major League Baseball now goes through November and the Super Bowl - once played in mid-January at the latest - is now the first Sunday in February.

That's not likely to change.

However, baseball already extends from February - if you count Spring Training - to November, and the NHL and NBA from October to June. Sorry, but 82 games in the NHL is just about 20 too many for the players in what is arguably the toughest sport to play with the most injuries sustained by players. Likewise, 162 games are about 20-25 too many for a sport that isn't the most exciting to watch, save Opening Day, the final month of regular play and, of course, the postseason. The only sport that has a semblance of a shorter season is, of course, the NFL, and like just mentioned, even that season has gotten lengthier over the years. And if the NFL has its way it will eventually get even longer, although mention of an 18-week season seems to have died down - for now.

Baseball would be much more exciting if the regular season ended in September and the NBA and NHL in March, For argument's sake, the NBA could actually start in late November and run through May to give sports fans a professional sports championship to watch then. And, that would make it end during May Sweeps - see advertisers and networks, I am thinking of you.

Of course, I don't believe for one minute that any of my above-mentioned proposals will ever actually come to pass, not just because of lost television revenues, but because of the money teams would lose from ticket sales, food vendors, gift shops, etc... with shorter seasons. A man can dream, though, right?

ODDS AND ENDS

Just some random thoughts as we prepare for Thanksgiving.

Was it just me or did A-Rod actually do a really good job as a commentator for Fox Sports for the World Series? He showed a witty and more relaxed side to him and his knowledge of the game was, of course, not a question, to begin with. It seems to me that he probably has a good gig lined up once he decides to retire.

Staying with baseball, so Derek Jeter has finally responded to a four-year-old story that alleged he gave his sexual conquests gift baskets containing memorabilia signed by him. He denied the gift baskets, so does that mean that the alleged conquests were accurate?

Just asking.

And he said he never commented on the report until now because if he actually responded to all the rumors printed in the scandal sheets - and, to be fair, in the general media, too - he would be giving credence to the rumors. Wonder then, why he chose to actually talk about this one.

Again, just asking.

In College Football, had I written this column on Saturday, I would have legitimately questioned why the Florida Gators weren't ranked ahead of Alabama in the College Football Playoff Rankings, especially since the Gators defeated Ole Miss, who beat Alabama, who beat LSU, who narrowly won versus Florida (well, you get the drift.) However, after escaping with a narrow overtime win versus Florida International (yeah, you read that right, FIU)  yesterday, the answer to that question answers itself. And, prior to Saturday's games, Oklahoma State would have been my darkhorse to make the final four, but a 10-point loss to Baylor squashed that dream for the Cowboys. Maybe the CFP hierarchy know what they are doing, after all.

As for Ohio State handing its Head Coach Urban Meyer his first loss as a Buckeye, well, it was bound to happen sometime. Still, say hiring Meyer, who I would rank as the best active collegiate coach in the game (Sorry Bama Fans), was the best move the OSU Athletic Department did since they hired Woody Hays, what, like 60 years ago?

As for the NFL, I'd give you a Super Bowl prediction, but I don't want to jinx any particular team that I like and that I think might have a chance to win it all.

Hmm. I wonder what team I might be referring to.

Anyhow, since Aaron Rodgers apparently needs his Jordy Nelson in order to be complete, am going to say that the Arizona Cardinals look to be the favorite to reach the Super Bowl in the NFC.

Enjoy the NFL this Thursday.

Get fat, stay fat, enjoy all the holiday fixings and see you next time, Under Review.

Happy Thanksgiving.