Jim Grant / Tahoe Daily Tribune Aaron Rodgers eyes his tee shot on the eighth hole during a practice round on Wednesday.
STATELINE - When the NHL ended the 2004-05 season because of a salary cap dispute, the fallout was catastrophic.
It was the first time the Stanley Cup wasn't awarded since 1919. Opinion polls placed the majority of the blame on the players, not the owners, and the league lost its lucrative television deal with ESPN.
When the players returned to the ice for the 2005-06 season, things weren't the same. Attendance dropped, and the league's only television coverage was provided by Outdoor Life Network, an obscure, triple-digit cable channel.
But three years after the lockout ended on July 13, 2005 - the same week as the American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course - the NHL appears to be headed back to the fourth spot on the North American sports ladder.
"I think it lagged for a little while, but with the players getting bigger and are more talented and faster, there's been a change in the game so that it's more exciting now," said Grant Fuhr, a NHL Hall of Fame goalie who won five Stanley Cup titles in his 19-year career.
This year's Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins reflected the trend Fuhr eluded to, and the TV ratings show that there has been a mood change in North America's hockey interest.
The series featured some of the game's brightest young stars, including Sidney Crosby, and was played in two cities with rich hockey traditions. Aired on Versus and NBC, the finals averaged 4.48 million viewers per game - a 154 percent increased in average viewers over the 2007 Stanley Cup Finals between Ottawa and Anaheim - and it was the most viewed finals since 2002.
Despite some encouraging signs, Fuhr said it's important to continue to showcase hockey in both Canada and the United States.
"In Canada, the game never really lost its luster," Fuhr said. "It's still a religion up there, but I would like to see it continue to grow in popularity in the (United States) as well. Getting a better TV contract would help, but the biggest thing is getting people in the building and watching the games again. They've started to do that again and, if they do that, they will fall in love with the game."
Rodgers mum on Favre's possible return
Green Bay Packers and former University of California quarterback Aaron Rodgers hasn't had to dodge many linebackers in his career, but he was effective at dodging questions about Brett Favre's possible return.
"As the organization has commented, I'm going to keep it pretty much the same," said Rodgers, who's been Favre's back-up the past three seasons. "I'm not going to speculate on any rumors that are out there at the moment. I'm up in the mountains hanging out with my family, so I've been pretty immune to any media reports out there."
Several media outlets have reported that Favre isn't 100 percent committed to retiring and is considering a return to the Packers. It really doesn't matter to one spectator at Edgewood who shouted to Rodgers "Aaron Rodgers fan, not a Brett Favre fan."
To which Rodgers replied "Just be a Packers fan."
Romo, Jordan attract the biggest crowd
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo and six-time NBA champion Michael Jordan played in the same group during a practice round on Wednesday, and without a doubt the pair drew the largest gallery of the day. But one fan wasn't there to see Romo, whose girlfriend Jessica Simpson is one of Hollywood's most sought-after celebrities.
"Hey, I am Jessica Simpson fan, where is she?" the fan asked. "I'm not hear to see you."
The remark sparked a reaction from Romo, who smiled in the man's direction and continued across the driving range.
Action Magazine Editor Tim Parsons contributed to this report.