Skip Bayless Critiques Hockey in Controversial Podcast Rant

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Skip Bayless, once a prominent voice at Fox Sports, stirred controversy during his podcast this week by delivering scathing critiques of hockey, dismissing its excitement and labeling it ‘one long, continuous mistake.’

During the episode, Bayless reflected on his viewing experience of the recent 4 Nations Face-Off Championship. While the game captivated fans, he revealed his aversion to hockey. ‘Maybe I just don’t get it,’ Bayless said. ‘But as edge-of-seat, scintillating as that game became, I was again reminded just how much I don’t like watching hockey. The truth is, the game’s just too hard to play.’

Bayless elaborated, highlighting the difficulty of the sport. ‘You’ve got humans on ice skates on ice with sticks trying to handle a puck that reaches speeds of over 100 miles per hour,’ he explained. ‘Hockey players can’t remotely control the puck the way basketball players can control the basketball.’

His criticism included the challenges faced by play-by-play commentators. ‘It’s just one long mistake,’ Bayless commented, adding humorously that the commentary often involved a series of players failing to control the puck. ‘It just wears you out.’

Bayless further expressed skepticism about the nature of scoring in hockey. ‘So many goals in hockey are just so lucky,’ he asserted. ‘It glances off a stick, then off a pad, and you’re left wondering what just happened by the time it’s behind the goalie.’

He continued, claiming that, disproportionally, hockey relies on luck for scoring. ‘In fact, I’ve gained over the years, it’s always part of the offensive strategy just to create as much traffic, as much chaos as possible,’ he said. ‘In hockey, it seems like, I don’t know, 50% of the goals are scored on lucky multiple pinball ricochets.’

Bayless criticized his own experiences attending Los Angeles Kings games, stating that he found the fast-paced action difficult to decipher. ‘I sat right up against the plexiglass…it’s just way quicker than the eye; in the end, it just blurs to me,’ he said. Instead of absorbing the game, he admitted he spent more time socializing with friends.

‘To me, hockey is kind of like the field goal kicking I hate in football — it’s exciting for all the wrong reasons,’ Bayless said. ‘It’s like what would happen in basketball if it were played with a greased ball that nobody could hang onto.’

In an unconventional comparison, he suggested changes to the sport to make it more accessible: ‘Maybe they should legalize catching and throwing the puck in hockey just to increase the skill level.’

Despite his criticisms, Bayless acknowledged moments of beauty in the sport, such as Connor McDavid’s game-winning goal. ‘It was a thing of hockey beauty,’ he admitted, highlighting a contrasting view to his earlier comments.

As the Stanley Cup Finals approach, Bayless’s thoughts on hockey remain divisive. ‘I might watch some of this year’s Stanley Cup Finals — and I might not,’ he said, leaving fans speculating about his ongoing interest in the sport.

In a landscape where hockey fans thrive on the sport’s thrilling and chaotic nature, Bayless’s comments have sparked discussions on his understanding of hockey’s allure. As he continues his podcast journey, the discrepancy between his views and the passion of other hockey enthusiasts remains evident.

Sam, a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback, has been covering sports since 2023. A Temple University graduate, he has a complex affinity for the New York Mets and Jets and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.