by Author Name Withheld 145

Created on: August 01, 2008

In 1980, Lake Placid, N.Y. saw possibly the most influential moment in sports history. We all know the story. The men's U.S. ice hockey team defeated the Soviet Union at the Winter Olympic Games. The victory for the U.S. unified a country, helped bring an end to the Cold War and told the greatest underdog story of all time. But that wasn't enough to turn a country of national-pastiming, slam-dunking, end-zone-celebrating fans to the ice rink. Once the fervor of the victory had died down, the players and their sport were mostly forgotten, only to be seen on the occasional highlight reel.

And that's what happens to most underdogs. Success is never expected, and if achieved, it's fleeting or even downplayed. Any bandwagon jumpers fall off as soon as next season comes around. But there are a proud few who know what it's like to always be the underdog hockey fans.

It's no secret the National Hockey League is at the bottom of the list when it comes to popularity of team sports in the United States. In a land where football is king, and baseball and basketball sit comfortably, the NHL is often treated as the jester an enjoyable pastime, never to be taken too seriously. But the dark horse of the NHL may be pulling toward the front of the pack, leaving behind a history of general apathy and a few failed attempts to improve the game as it surges ahead into the future.

Hockey The Other White Sport

"The reason men enjoy sports like basketball and football is because it's just constant scoring, mindless entertainment," said Nichole Clark, from Sandy, Utah, who has been a hockey fan since high school. "But hockey is more impressive. There's suspense. And when they score, it means a lot."

But more than just the immense talent required to get that three inch piece of vulcanized rubber behind the goalie, hockey elicits a little bit more from its fans.

"There's a certain amount of analyzation and focus required with hockey. There are a lot more nuances, so you have to pay attention in order to appreciate it," Clark said. "But when I don't want to think, I turn on a football game."

Clark, like many others, realizes hockey has everything any sports fan could want. It's a perfect blend of power and finesse. It's a game of speed, strategy and precision. They battle for the oldest (and arguably most coveted) professional sports trophy in North America the Stanley Cup. There are teams in nearly every major city. Not only that, the NHL isn't riddled with the steroid allegations, drug rings,

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