Puck ragging? Your opinion
In your opinion what do you consider puck ragging?
Now i only ask this because latley i have been getting called one (not that i really care) but i dont seem to understand as to why. I play a very puck possession orientated game. Im one of those players were if i dont see an easy entry ill kick it back to my D and start over even if it takes me 3-4 times. Now i just think thats smart hockey. what do you think?
Now i only ask this because latley i have been getting called one (not that i really care) but i dont seem to understand as to why. I play a very puck possession orientated game. Im one of those players were if i dont see an easy entry ill kick it back to my D and start over even if it takes me 3-4 times. Now i just think thats smart hockey. what do you think?
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The reasoning here is that ragging isn't just a way to run the clock out, but also to create rushes because your opponent has to send two forecheckers in just to get you to leave the zone. It sounds like you're essentially doing the latter of those by not making risky entries. You're not wrong that it's the safe play to make, but there is an element of sportsmanship to this is well.
Think of it this way, coming all the way from your zone to the opponents blue line four times to try and gain entry to the zone might take a minute of real time. Imagine how boring a real NHL game would be if one team had possession for five minutes waiting for the perfect zone entry. It's not so much an argument about whether this is smart hockey, but rather if this is something that people actually enjoy as part of the game.
Dumb AI - they run into each other, run into you, run into the net/goalie, IF AI had somewhat of a brain, I could cover the right side of the net and the AI would take the left side, trapping the Ragger behind his net but nooooo AI is far too stupid.
Figure skating (without ever getting tired) - I had a guy pass the puck from his goalie to Rob Scuderi (LA) and then Scuderi figure skated figure 8s coming up the ice, pulling off a Datsyuk type deke in the Neutral Zone and then did a jump deke across my blue line...seriously EA Rob **** Scuderi.
Puck Protect bubble - Self Explanatory!
I've been accused of Cheating because I had the audacity to play DEFENSE (not chase the figure skater in the corner). Been accused of Cheating because I had the audacity to play Dump and Chase (against the trap) and Win the majority of the 50/50 pucks (some lead directly to goals). Been accused of Cheating (playing keep away/ragging the puck) because I had the audacity to Set up in the zone and Cycle the puck (hardly call accumulating 10, 11, 12min worth of TOA Ragging the puck).
IF you watch the Pens, you'll see that they do something like you(Bacon) do. The Dmen will join the rush and if the Attacking player doesn't have a clear lane, he'll drop the puck back to the Dman in the Neutral Zone back by Pens blue line
I can appreciate the strategy of puck possession in this game, but I believe exploiting the game involves the deliberate use of a tactic that a player knows his opponent cannot control or effectively counter. The reason I would argue more than twice is ragging is that it's a pretty well known fact that the puck carrier has more agility than a non-puck carrying player, so forcing the other player to forecheck and give up a solid neutral zone is abusing a game mechanic that the opponent simply cannot influence. Add on to that the fact that certain uses of the right stick can render a puck carrier somewhat invincible, and between the two, it's a pretty frustrating experience trying to get the puck away from somebody who's playing that way. I don't mean to suggest you are doing those things that I just mentioned, but those are examples of what a lot of puck possession players do to force people out of playing the trap.
If it is the 3rd period and you're ahead and you start jerking around in the neutral zone or playing keep away you're ragging it.
Just play with common sense. I know it's hard for a lot of these kids now days... but it can be done.
To me it is all about intent. If you're intentionally playing keep away in the neutral zone or your defensive zone with the sole purpose of killing the clock that's ragging in my book.
the thing is i do this even if the score is 0-0, so i have never once considered it ragging. Its rare i have to do it that much, usually its just a kick back across to the otherside up the boards for the easy entry just there are the odd times you have to try more than once.
Also this being said i dont go back into my own zone when i kick back maybe to my blue line thats it. i keep the play moving its just i like too keep possession.
I don't think anyone here is saying that though. You can be good at a mechanic in the game and still hate it. It's why I generally don't enjoy VS mode. To reach the top levels of play, you're basically just performing one exploit after another to win at all costs. I'd love for someone to post an entire match between two top 100 players to see how boring it is.
You're kidding right?
Be careful, you sound like an intelligent hockey fan. Not many of those around here.
And knowing the amount of goals the game gives up at the end of the period/game is more of reason to employ your strategy. Not your fault, you're adapting to the broken engine.
To the Bold part: EA created this culture (swear the younger Generation has no freaking clue what Real Hockey looks like...wouldn't know what a good Cycle looked like if it slapped them in the face).
I've been ACCUSED of CHEATING because I had the Audacity to play.....Defense
I've been ACCUSED of CHEATING because I ran the Dump and Chase (against the Trap) and I won the majority of the 50/50 loose pucks (some leading directly to a goal)
I've been ACCUSED of CHEATING because I would gain the zone (off of a Dump and Chase) and play "keep away"...CYCLE the Puck
IF you don't figure skate, abuse puck protect or try tirelessly the same move/play over and again, it's seen as cheating because THEY HAVE NO CLUE what REAL HOCKEY looks like.
This is how I think their brains process this scenario: Wait Wait Wait, you made a pass from your low RW to your high RD and then quickly across to your high LD for a one timer deflection goal...YOU CHEATED
No. 3-4 times because you cant get into my zone? Really dude? Just dump the puck because youre not good enough to get past my defense. I could spend an entire period watching you try and find a 'good entry'. Thats ragging. Do it once, maybe twice in a row - cool whatever. Keep doing it because you cant get in and youre ragging. That doesnt happen in real life.
See thats the problem, you play skill zone and sit everyone back, but when someone decides to drop back you cry. You can't have it both ways. You want the game played a certain way, well guess what, not everyone is going to follow your script.
This is not real life, the reason puck ragging is so effective is because of the lack of forecheck effectiveness.
As for the OP, I have no issue with you passing the puck back for the entire game and playing possession hockey. HOWEVER, if you start doing it in the final five minutes of a game to protect the lead then that's where I think so if not most people would be kind of mad.