The time has arrived!

After a grueling regular season, 16 out of 30 teams managed to make the playoffs, earning a right to battle it out for the opportunity to hoist up the Stanley Cup!

Yeah, I know, who cares, right?

While for some the thrills and the playoff beard of the NHL playoffs is undeniable, most will agree that around this time of the year, the only playoffs worth mentioning are the NBA.

At CSUSB, there is a big buzz going around on whether or not the Los Angeles Lakers can repeat once again as NBA champions.

Many students wonder if the Miami Heat’s three big superstars will be able to dethrone the defending champions, or if Derrick Rose can lead his Chicago Bulls to their first NBA Finals appearance since Michael Jordan rocked the red and black.

Many students also wonder if the defending champion, Chicago Blackhawks, will be able to rebound from a 3-1 deficit against the Vancouver Canucks, or whether or not the Los Angeles Kings will be able to recover after blowing a 4-0 advantage in game 3 against rival San Jose Sharks.

Or do they?

Yesterday, I walked into the Blue Coyote; the pub here on campus.

I requested that the channel be changed to the hockey game that was on.

The Washington Capitals and New York Rangers were battling in what would become a very entertaining game that would end in double overtime.

I looked up, expecting to see a few people spectating, but saw nothing but a piece of tumbleweed slowly rolling through the empty scene.

I asked Bryan Sealey, a student sitting outside the pub, why he was sitting outside instead of inside where he could watch the game.

“I know basketball isn’t on around this time, so I come to the pub to get some homework done, knowing that it will be pretty empty.  I’m sitting outside, though, because the noise of the television was kind of distracting,” said Sealey.

I decided to go back to the pub later on that day, knowing that the Laker game would be on.

As expected, there was not an empty seat.

I asked Trudy Stephenson, pub employee, how often she put on a hockey playoff game.

“Never,” replied Stephenson, “We let people watch what they want to watch and no one ever wants to watch hockey. We don’t even know the name of the association.”

I also asked her why she thought basketball was so much more popular than hockey.

“It’s all about the media. The Kings don’t get much publicity. Hockey guys should act up more,” concluded Stephenson.
Trevor Murphy, a CSUSB sophomore, was asked the same question.

“Basketball is simply better to watch, more fun to play, and easier to play as well,” said Murphy, “Hockey is kind of slow. The fights are cool though.”

Sixteen teams will collide in center ice for the right to be called champions, while millions of people won’t event notice.