Mike "Stoichkov" Machnik writes...
 
> On the one hand, I did not want to see the game decided on a shootout. On
> the other hand, to find something positive in it, I thought it would
> give more credibility to the anti-shootout position of hockey fans.
 
The problem is that nobody seems to be listening to what the fans
think - in either hockey or football (soccer).
 
> I see a big difference between the hockey and soccer shootouts,
> though.  I am no soccer expert, but it seems to me that unless the
> shooter telegraphs the direction of the shot - which most of these guys
> do not do because they are so good - then it comes down to little more
> than a coin toss because the goalie has no choice but to guess.
 
I think this is a valid observation.  It is interesting that during
the actual game-time play (that is non-shootout) of this World Cup,
there were a handful (maybe 5-8, I can't remember) penalty shots, and
NONE were not successfl.  But during the shootouts, several were
simply missed or saved.  As Mike says, in hockey the goalie has a
much better chance.
 
Even in the shootouts, the unsuccessful attempts were mostly simply
shots not on goal (and that can happen in hockey as well) or poorly
placed.  Unlike hockey, a well placed penalty kick is almost
unstoppable even if the goalie is psychic - s/he can't move
(supposedly) until the ball is struck, and if it's well-placed in a
corner or side, it is  impossible to defend against.
 
> But in hockey, my experience has been that there is no real advantage
> on a penalty shot - or that if there is one, it goes to the goalie.  If
> he does not commit, he has an excellent chance of stopping the shot.
> The shooter has to get him to commit or else find a way to exploit his
> weakness.
 
Exactly.
 
> It was interesting to hear some of the real soccer fans here at work
> say they didn't like the shootout because it meant deciding the game
> in a manner that wasn't consistent with the way the game is played or
> "meant to be played".  That has always been my chief argument against
> it in hockey, too.
 
Mine, too.
 
I would like to try out some ideas...I don't know if they've been
mentioned; I didn't follow much of the hockey shootout thread...
 
Several ideas by football (soccer) fans involve "settling the game in
a way that is more consistent with the spirit of the game".  The
suggestions often center around simply playing until a winner emerges
(which is basically the situation in hockey), using corner kicks
instead of penalty kicks since they happen much more often in the
game and involve the whole team, or playing overtime while reducing
the number of players on each team at given time intervals -
eventually leading to a winning opportunity somewhere.
 
How about giving hockey teams successive power play opportunities?
Has this idea been suggested.  If so, ignore me (if you aren't
already doing so)...
 
Best wishes, Charlie "Nadal" Slavin
>
> Before anyone asks, I do not believe HE has yet made a decision on the
> question of shootouts in regular season games.  I sent the poll
> results along with some of the comments to the commish a while ago,
> but I haven't had a chance to find out what the feedback on it was.
> Hopefully sometime soon.
> ---                                                                   ---
> Mike Machnik                                            [log in to unmask]
> Cabletron Systems, Inc.                                    *HMM* 11/13/93
> <<<<< Color Voice of the Merrimack Warriors (station TBA for 94-95) >>>>>
>
>