Not only do I watch it but I played it at every level (pee wee, high school, college and semi pro). No video game is perfectly like the real thing, but NHL series is as close to its real sport as any other game i've played (and from the reviews so far I'm not alone in saying that) Much sloppier??? What game are you playing? This is the most refined the game has ever been from the way the puck actually rolls on end and enters the net more fluidly and naturally. The way players actually battle for the puck in the crease. EA nailed so many of the small things that are present in a real life hockey game. And perhaps the best part of this game is the Goalie play, for the first time they actually play like goalies. Tim Thomas plays his wild man style of hockey diving all over the place and coming out of the net to make highlight reel saves.
So NBA 2K is realistic? I was able to hit 28 straight 3 pointers in a game with JJ Redick, I averaged 7 steals a game with my point guard over the course of a season. NBA 2k is fun but its far from realistic. It is entirely to easy to miss a layup in this game. Every AI defender is amazing, I found it funny that the worst point guards in the game can play lockdown D like Gary Payton. Loose ball situations are even more of a disaster as the ball is rolling away and every players is just standing by watching it. What 2k does amazing is the presentation there is no other sports game on the market that feels more like an actual broadcast except maybe The Show.