SUDDEN DEATH OT

Sudden Death OT?- How About "Excruciatingly Slow and Painful, Gut-Shot, Internal Bleed to Death"?

Wakie, wakie Stars fans. Find a Starbucks and get on with your day. You just witnessed the 6th longest game in Stanley Cup history.

Apparently I've called 3 of the 6 (last night's epic, in '96 at the rancid Cap Center in Landover Maryland when Peter Nedved ended the torture for Steve Levy (of Sportscenter fame) and me 79:15 in, and that fateful evening (and tomorrow) at AAC in 2003 when Peter Sykora broke a lot of Stars fans hearts after 80 minutes and 41 seconds of Marty vs Giggy) Oh, and also - last night I set a personal record for urine retention, going six periods and warm-up without "going". Thank you. Bladder of the Year?

So, you're wondering, the longest ever? (No, not urine withholding) It was 1936 (just after the Hoover Dam was completed) Mud Bruneteau (great name eh!)of Detroit scored the only goal of what had to have been a barn burner. It lasted 116 minutes and 30 seconds and was probably clocked on a sun-dial. Back then there was no forward passing, and no Havoc Energy drink. They were just powered by prune juice and a love of the Benny Goodman swing. (Heck John Madden was born that April -- Boom! Just like that. And I bet he telestrated before he colored inside the lines)

Well after witnessing another, "Just end it already" OT, I for one am ready for Shootouts to be introduced into S. Cup Playoff play.

I'm a traditionalist to the core but consider this -- three TV outlets and three radio rights holders were broadcasting almost revenue free from the end of regulation on last night because of the rule that time allotted for commercial breaks ends in regulation. Add to that the actual TV window that execs would like even the longest of games to fit in and you have a bit of a broadcast fat sow.

And in an ADD society where holding viewer's attention for a half hour is a chore, asking them to "stay with the program" for 4 and 5 hours, with no guarantee of finality in our lifetime, is ludicrous. (No, not the rapper)

If the global game of soccer/football can have its playoff matches decided on penalty kicks (and they murder goalies and refs depending on outcomes) why can't hockey games be decided in Shootouts?

The US Women's Soccer team, Mia Hamm and Co., won their World Cup on American soil...on penalty kicks.

The World Junior Hockey Championship Semi-Final was decided on penalty shots when Canada's under 20 hockey team beat the Americans back in January.

And the NYI earned their playoff birth on a Shootout goal in game 82. What's bigger than that?

So NHL here's what you do. Play one full period of overtime and run it just like a regulation period (commercial breaks, penalties, etc.), if nobody scores have an intermission, come back for a 10 minute period (oh the urgency in that half period with a Shootout looming) if the score remains tied...penalty shots, starting with a best of five (the regular season shootout starts best of three). If still tied, sudden death.