Hockey on tv and the champions trophy

First of all well done ladies, excellent hockey to get where you have got to.

I've really enjoyed watching the hockey on the BBC red button, and this blog isn't going to go an about the quality of the broadcast, which I still think has to be improved for it to become a proper televised sport (http://borrow-ipad.blogspot.com/2010/10/hockey-on-tv.html) but all in all it's been great.

Reading all the comments in my twitter feed about how good it is to see hockey on tv though, It did make me wonder though and look a bit closer at what I was watching.  Why was this better than watching the men when I wrote the first blog.

The conclusion I came to was the fact I was watching the woman play. No this is not going to turn into a sexist rant from a male hockey player, but the game being a little bit slower reminded me off how we try to play as a club side.  Again, I am not putting down the woman's game I any way, it is meant as a compliment. The men's game at that level, is very quick, very skilful, but probably too much.

I don't think there are many lower league clubs lower team club players who could relate 100% to the men's game. But looking at the England ladies, I think you can appreciate there skill, and how they pay the game and truly relate to it and maybe use it to improve there game, male and female.

I wish it was possible for England Hockey and a TV broadcaster to get together to improve the quality of the broadcast, and if necessary, change the game at that level to make it a more televisually event.  After all, they have already got different rules with regards to the cards etc, so we don't have the same regard to keep the rules the same at all levels as they do in football.