The National Hockey League seems to think excess will lead to continued success.
If sitting down to eat one 12-oz. steak is a culinary treat, why wouldn't that same person have triple enjoyment by stuffing down three 12-oz (burp!) steaks?
Besides the accompanying upset stomach, one might never want to look at another steak again, juicy T-bone or otherwise.
And so it goes with one of the NHL's most successful enterprises, the Winter Classic. Annually by far the league's most-watched TV game (even surpassing the Stanley Cup final viewership), the Winter Classic has become an unabashed hit. Held every Jan. 1 since 2008's inaugural battle in Buffalo between Pittsburgh Penguins and the Sabres, the Winter Classic draws football-sized crowds in cold football stadiums and TV audiences can't get enough of it.
But that may end. The NHL, obviously of the opinion that if one is good, six outdoor games will be six times as good, is gorging itself on outdoor hockey this season.
But (burp!), will hockey fans agree? Or will this be a goose-golden egg story?
An outdoor game billed as the Heritage Classic in 2003 between the host Edmonton Oilers and the Montreal Canadiens showed the NHL that outdoor games would work. Five years later, the Winter Classic was born. This year, the Jan. 1 Winter Classic features the Red Wings and Leafs at Michigan Stadium in front of a crowd that could go beyond 100,000. But that game will be followed by outdoor matches at Dodger Stadium in L.A. (Kings vs. Ducks) Jan. 25; Rangers vs. New Jersey Jan. 26 at Yankee Stadium; Rangers vs. Islanders Jan. 29 (again at Yankee Stadium); Chicago vs. Pittsburgh at Soldier Field in Chicago March 1; and Ottawa visiting Vancouver at B.C. Place March 2.
By then, the novelty of watching outdoor games will almost assuredly have worn off. But the millions of dollars that flow in from those special games is split between the NHL and Players Association, so the outdoor fun is unlikely to end soon.
Meanwhile, let's have a nice steak supper. But one 12-ouncer will be enough, if you don't mind.
Blogger Torben Rolfsen, on an iceberg twice the size of Atlanta breaking off from Antarctica and drifting north: "Word is Gary Bettman's thinking of holding an outdoor NHL game on it."
Greg Cote of the Miami Herald: "There are indications Michael Phelps might come out of retirement to swim in the Rio Olympics. 'We haven't made up our mind,' said advisor Brett Favre."
Comedy writer Torben Rolfsen, after Mike Tyson said that during some of his big fights he was high on drugs: "Also, apparently, for visits to tattoo parlors."
Cote again: "The Tigers traded slugger Prince Fielder to the Rangers for Ian Kinsler. I think the Rangers got more in the deal. About 85 pounds more."
Another one from Cote: "A line of Dennis Rodman signature vodka is to be introduced this week. One shot and you want a nose ring. Two shots and you're flying to North Korea."
Torben Rolfsen again, on a Texas-based theme park company building the world's tallest waterslide: "The terrifying drop ride is named 2013 Houston Texans."
T.C. Chong from B.C., on Arizona Cardinals running back Andre Ellington having some of his dreadlocks pulled out during a game: "Defender Jason Babin returned the hair to Andre after Troy Polamalu shampooed it."
RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: "The main reason Saskatchewan made it to the Grey Cup and not Calgary? Stamps tailback Jon Cornish couldn't run as well as his mouth did."
Brad Dickson of the Omaha World-Herald: "Of all the alternate uniforms I've seen this season, I rank the Pittsburgh Steelers 'bumblebee uniforms' the worst. They looked like something the sheriff of Maricopa County, Ariz., would dress his inmates in to punish them."
RJ Currie again: "A new study says depression speeds up the aging process. In related news, the Toronto Maple Leafs are trying to attract younger fans."
Headline at Fark.com: "Cardinals sgin Jhonny Peralta."
Dickson again: "Last Tuesday marked the 150th anniversary of the Gettysburg Address, which consisted of 272 words. On 'Monday Night Football,' it takes Jon Gruden 1,500 words to explain an offside call."
Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times: "Cavaliers rookie Anthony Bennett, the NBA's No. 1 draft pick, is shooting just 13.5 per cent - five for 37 - in the first 10 games of his pro career. In other words, here's one can't-miss prospect who can."
Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: "Derrick Rose is out for the season. And Bulls fans are asking Cubs fans friends about borrowing their 'Wait until next year" t-shirts."
From SI's 'Tweet of the Week': James Davis (@JDouglasDavis): "If the Redskins would just change their logo from a Native American profile to a potato, they wouldn't have to change their name."
