Thursday, April 05, 2007
Henrik Lundqvist Hates Ice Girls
by Jes
Those who read this blog during the lockout will remember a little feature of the Czech Extraliga that was eventually imported to the NHL: ICE GIRLS!!
Yes, HC Pardubice was hiring hot Czech models to clear the ice during breaks.
Why? Well, it used to be little kids doing the deed, but the drunken fans would boo the poor kids and hurl abusive insults at them. To placate the crowd, the team hired scantily clad women to distract the men in the crowd. Why the hell not, eh?
So, like any good idea, the NHL (more spefically, the New York Islanders), stole the idea and brought it overseas.
Unfortunately, as Eric McErlain discovered, not everyone is thrilled with the idea, especially NY Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.
From Newsday:
Those who read this blog during the lockout will remember a little feature of the Czech Extraliga that was eventually imported to the NHL: ICE GIRLS!!
Yes, HC Pardubice was hiring hot Czech models to clear the ice during breaks.
Why? Well, it used to be little kids doing the deed, but the drunken fans would boo the poor kids and hurl abusive insults at them. To placate the crowd, the team hired scantily clad women to distract the men in the crowd. Why the hell not, eh?
So, like any good idea, the NHL (more spefically, the New York Islanders), stole the idea and brought it overseas.
Unfortunately, as Eric McErlain discovered, not everyone is thrilled with the idea, especially NY Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.
From Newsday:
During commercial breaks, teams of three Ice Girls clean loose ice known as "snow" in the goal and the blue-painted goaltender's crease in front of the goal line. But Rangers goaltender Henrik Lundqvist declined to move and used his stick to whack the squeegee Kelli Higgins, 23, was using to push the snow into a pile during the first TV timeout, knocking the butt end of the squeegee stick into her stomach.
"I said 'Excuse me' maybe two or three times," Higgins said Wednesday. "He didn't move and didn't say anything, so I gave up and went around him. "The tip of my squeegee kind of hit the tip of his stick. I don't know if he thought I did that on purpose or whatever, but he took a big windup and slashed the squeegee pretty good. It startled me a little bit. It didn't feel great, but I wouldn't say I was injured or in a ton of pain. I was shocked."
Reading some of the comments on Eric's post, I am shocked at how negative the reaction has been to this innovation.
Look, what else is there to do during the TV timeouts? Watch some stupid crowd giveaway? Listen to some idiot get the wrong answer in an in-house contest? Get hit in the head by a t-shirt fired from a cannon? Listen to sub-standard music?
The girls quietly do their job and give a little eye candy to the masses in the process. The ones in Vancouver are not at all scantily clad like the ones over in Czechia, nor are they cheerleaders of any sort. In fact, you could go an entire game and pretty much not notice them at all.
Henrik and all of you other folks ought to just chill out a little. If you don't like the Ice Girls, turn your attention to the fat guy sitting in the row behind you with the painted chest.
Labels: Czech Extraleague, Henrik Lundqvist, Ice Girls, Islanders, Rangers
Comments:
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I have no problem with the Ice Girls (my wife has a different name for them, but I'll keep it clean for the family atmosphere).
My only thought is that maybe Lundqvist doesn't like people messing up the snow he's got strategically placed in front of the crease? Not sure.
Other than that, what will it take to get more TV timeouts in games, now? :)
My only thought is that maybe Lundqvist doesn't like people messing up the snow he's got strategically placed in front of the crease? Not sure.
Other than that, what will it take to get more TV timeouts in games, now? :)
# posted by 
: 11:19 am
: 11:19 am
Maybe Henrik should worry more about stopping the puck than strategically placed snow. Robo Luongo has no problems stopping lots of pucks despite the cleaned up ice.
And, TV timeouts aren't quite worth the potential eye candy, especially if I'm at the rink with my g/f and can look at her instead ;)
And, TV timeouts aren't quite worth the potential eye candy, especially if I'm at the rink with my g/f and can look at her instead ;)
If you don't like the Ice Girls, turn your attention to the fat guy sitting in the row behind you with the painted chest.
Fine, I will. The guy's got a pair of boobs so big that it puts all the Ice Girls to shame.
Fine, I will. The guy's got a pair of boobs so big that it puts all the Ice Girls to shame.
# posted by : 3:12 pm
: 3:12 pm
A good portion of the masses are women and the ice girls are not eye candy to us. Of course neither is the fat guy. Did you know that the Blue Jackets has a special shirtless, dancing fat guy? He moved to Colorado but the BJs fly him back to a few games. Do you think they are desperate to take the fan focus off the product on the ice?
Tara
Tara
# posted by : 1:13 pm
: 1:13 pm
from Newsweek:
In discussing the situation earlier, Higgins noted that Lundqvist is the one visiting goaltender who has resisted all season allowing the "Ice Girls" to do their job.
"He's the only one we have a problem with that doesn't move," Higgins said. "He absolutely refuses to move. So we're always having to go around him. That's not fair because he hides the snow in there. "
During the first TV timeout last night, Higgins and Benson led one group of "Ice Girls" onto the ice to the tune of Aretha Franklin's "Respect" being played on the public address system. Maple Leafs goaltender Andrew Raycroft politely moved aside.
So it seems there's no penalty for rudeness. "We don't want an apology," Isles vice president of operations Tim Beach said, "but flowers would be nice."
In discussing the situation earlier, Higgins noted that Lundqvist is the one visiting goaltender who has resisted all season allowing the "Ice Girls" to do their job.
"He's the only one we have a problem with that doesn't move," Higgins said. "He absolutely refuses to move. So we're always having to go around him. That's not fair because he hides the snow in there. "
During the first TV timeout last night, Higgins and Benson led one group of "Ice Girls" onto the ice to the tune of Aretha Franklin's "Respect" being played on the public address system. Maple Leafs goaltender Andrew Raycroft politely moved aside.
So it seems there's no penalty for rudeness. "We don't want an apology," Isles vice president of operations Tim Beach said, "but flowers would be nice."
# posted by : 4:20 pm
: 4:20 pm
How come u don't see ice boys scantily clad while "doing their job" of clearing the ice? I am female and I applaud Henrik for standing his ground. They have no business being on the ice!
# posted by : 5:45 pm
: 5:45 pm
yea man. as a goalie yu never wanna lose yur focus and most goalies can clean there crease out on their own thats why yu see henrik clean it every 5 minutes. leave the guy alone.
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# posted by : 12:45 am
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