Is there a difference between hockey players and other athletes?

: Is there a difference between hockey players and other athletes?
I’ve been following hockey since i was a kid and I’ve always felt the people playing and around the culture of hockey, fans, coaches, etc, have a different demeanor about them. Less cocky, not as much of that macho crap you see in sports like basketball and football. Do you think this rings true to even this day?

Answers and Views:

Answer by meerkat~the original…
The obvious….they are on skates.

I know what you mean, though. I personally feel it’s the European influence. The really cocky ones are from Canada and the US.

Answer by Mr Swizzle
Not to be racist…but it may come out as racist. 99% of hockey players are white, whereas 60% of NFL and 80% of NBA players are black. That answers your cocky/macho/idiot question, as racist as it might sound, we all know it is true. Hockey players are usually from well to do families (hence being able to afford all the equipment, being on teams, etc) whereas basketball and football players often come from poverty stricken families and grow into the cocky/gangster profile.

Once again, this is not the only reason and does not apply to everyone of course, just a general statement.

Answer by tomjc43
Since many of the hockey players come from small towns, and many of the athletes in other sports come from the cities the big difference is rural versus urban influence.
Small town or country kids are raised with a greater degree of respect for other people. The city boys are more gangsta oriented. That attitude prevails no matter which country the player is from.

The players from Bumscratch Idaho are less likely to be macho than the ones from Moscow, or New York, or Stockholm, or Toronto.

Answer by 2Jacq
The main difference is that they don’t go into a premeditated dance every time they do something decent, like most other sports do.

Answer by нσ¢кєуƒσяℓιƒє❤
It’s because hockey players actually do it for the love of the game, not for the millions they’re getting paid (well I bet the millions helps…lol).

Answer by viphockey4
It is different in part because the environment is different. Hockey players hone their skills in relative obscurity or even in other countries so the hype is less. Rinks tend to have only diehard hockey followers at them where even high school sports such as football and basketball tend to draw large crowds. And hockey is the most team intensive, team orients sport where every player must always play proper hockey or you will lose. In baseball, football and basketball individual play and individual attitudes often get in the way of the sport. The culture of hockey has taken an unfortunate turn toward the other sports in some regards….there are “individuals” who sometimes dont put team above all and there are circus acts around some players/teams in a way we didnt see in the past. But those instances are minimal and the NHL is taking a strong stance against the lack of respect, that should help bring the game back in line from youth hockey on up. I have seen more instances of hockey parents acting like fools of late than ever before at local rinks but again I notice rink owners taking a more aggressive approach to those parents. Coaches….well some are intense while others are fairly laid back but the level of cockiness has never been a major issue in hockey (maybe because it can be policed on the ice if need be….even at the youth levels). There is a difference between hockey and the other sports and I personally believe that is what the draw is for many fans, they can watch a game without all the “celebrating” or “hey, look at me” attitude that other sports love to convey. I remember when Ovie started doing some on ice “celebrating” with the “hot stick” and other “routines” and notice how ill received it was? It ended in a hurry because he knew it wasnt acceptable in the game. I started playing and watching hockey in the 1960’s and have seen various changes both good and bad but for the most part hockey is the one sport where the game gets the respect instead of the individual stuff other sports sell. Notice basketball doesnt even sell “teams” to the fanbases…..it is “Kobe vs LeBron”, etc.. I dont think the culture of hockey will ever allow for individuals to dominate which keeps everybody more respectful….yes there will be star players as there needs to be but as long as they keep being reasonably humble players who dont draw attention to themselves over the importance of team the culture of hockey will always be more humble than the other “me” sports.

Answer by the_ivy_vine
They don’t get the fame and exposure, a lot of them are foreigners and not comfortable in the media spotlight anyway (they keep more to themselves and are less likely to interact much with those who can’t communicate well with them), and hockey is–in my opinion–the most physically demanding sport. The athletes have to have speed, strength, endurance, the mental ability to adapt to a fast-changing game, agility, and sometimes even the skill to hold his own in a fight….Needless to say, the endorphins released during 80+ games can be enough to keep ya in a fairly good mood, ahhaha. And if the player is ticked? He can take his aggression out on the ice. Lastly, I think hockey players are less likely to use steroids–which really can make people moody and aggressive–because steroids are proven to negatively affect the joints. Bad joints are a hockey player’s worst nightmare. Players don’t need as much strength as other athletes do, nothing that hitting the gym every day can’t create, because much of their sport is based on speed and finesse–qualities that’d also suffer if he juiced.

Answer by Le Tigidou
It’s stems from the ”tuff men” dedication to the sport and the fans who expect it. Like a guy pulling out 7 of his own teeth before going on with the game. Could also be the Canadian influence. Canada doesn’t really put their celebs on pedestals , we don’t have all the glam thing going up here. American players seem to have adopted the same dedication within not only the NHL but all through minor and college hockey. The game seems to slap you back into reality as soon as you start to float in the ego clouds.