Fighting in Hockey (and Soccer)

[SoccerScout]

Maybe we are just used to it, but when I step out of the box and look in, I cant help but to think that I cant take Hockey seriously until they get rid of Fighting. I saw tape of a High School game where refs skate around players for 1 min allowing them to exchange blows. Same happens in NHL.

It rediculous and barely a step above WWF.

Anytime fighting happens in Soccer, people are quick to call it "sad" , "Sick", "foreign", "Likely of such a crappy game" but in Hockey everyone accpets it like we accept the sun rising every day.

Hockey will be a joke in my opinion until they ban such idiocy. A Punch in soccer can end a carrer in soccer, in hockey you are a hero.

[Papa Bouba Diop]

Maybe hockey is not for you cupcake. Should we ban all the other rough stuff too, turn it into a second NBA?

P.S. What do you have against the World Wildlife Federation?

[amerifolklegend]

So?

It's part of the game. Like diving is a part of soccer, fighting is a part of hockey. It's not part of the rules and it's technically illegal, but players do it. People love the fighting. It's what sells tickets. Without people in the seats, the players have no salary. Without the players, there is no hockey. Plus fights breaks up a game that needs breaks. In football, everytime there's a break in the action there's nothing going on to entertain. Same with in Baseball. In hockey, when the players are taking a breather, two of the guys are duking it out for our entertainment. It's fun. Hell, fights are fun to watch. There's nothing wrong with a good fight every now and again.

So don't watch. No skin of the NHL's back.

I'm not even a hockey fan. Hell, I can't remember the last time I saw and NHL game. But I try to get to some minor league games every year. There's lots of fights in those.

[Glenwood Lane United]

I always thought fighting had no place in hockey, until I started playing it.

I may be wrong, but I really think injuries would increase if fighting were banned, because players would have no deterrent against giving an opponent a cheap shot.

And, in case you're wondering, I don't watch hockey to watch fights.

[Daniel from Montréal]

Originally posted by Glenwood Lane United
I always thought fighting had no place in hockey, until I started playing it.

I may be wrong, but I really think injuries would increase if fighting were banned, because players would have no deterrent against giving an opponent a cheap shot.

And, in case you're wondering, I don't watch hockey to watch fights.

That's definitely a big part of it. I mean hockey players are flying on the ice with a freaking WEAPON in their hands. One of the few things that stop them from pulling a "Bobby Clarke" (Circa 1972) is that they'll get whooped when they play that opponent again.

It's a way of protecting the smaller, more skillful players from getting cheap-shotted and injured by the bigger 4th-liners or whoever.

[Stilger]

I go to about 10 Ducks games a year, and honestly, while I don't like the fighting I have a much harder time with the diving in soccer.

amerifolklegend is right, at least with the fighting you have some entertainment for the breaks. In soccer you have to suffer through watching some guy clutch his ankle and pretend to be hurt for ten minutes.

Not that I mean to pick on soccer.

[otterulz]

You get a 5 min. major for fighting, so technically it's not allowed. It's like intentionally hitting a batter after your guy just got beaned in baseball. There's a code of honor and in hockey, you fight for your teammates honor. I mean I don't know, I never played hockey on any organized level, so I don't know what it's like or how deep it goes. But you win respect. It's a part of the game and I'm sure as hell glad that it's there.

[stevewhit0]

I've played hockey all my life, to levels where fighting is accepted and fans want it. Hockey is a dangerous game. It also has the shortest career span of all the professional sports. Fighting is part of the game I have no problem with it. The time I have a problem with it is when its at the end of games or its a blow out and teams say 'hey were not gonna beat them on the scoreboard so lets beat them with our fists' that’s when the gong show of hockey starts. But with the normal flow of the game fighting is needed. It keeps cheap shots down. If a player cheap shots someone he also knows more then likely he’s going to take a beating. At the same time if you receive a cheap shot you know your teammates are going to have your back. That’s why hockey is the ultimate team sport.

[amerifolklegend]

Originally posted by stevewhit0
It also has the shortest career span of all the professional sports

I thought that was the WUSA?











Thank you. Thank you. I'll be here all week.

Try the veal.

[afgrijselijkheid]

Originally posted by Glenwood Lane United
I always thought fighting had no place in hockey, until I started playing it.

I may be wrong, but I really think injuries would increase if fighting were banned, because players would have no deterrent against giving an opponent a cheap shot.

And, in case you're wondering, I don't watch hockey to watch fights.


i agree that playing a little hockey can easily explain the fighting - sometimes sticks get up, elbows fly, a little cross check in the lower back... ghandi would be dropping the gloves after two periods of charging the net

i also don't watch hockey or buy tickets for the fisticuffs... but it ain't scaring me off either - they have a saying in canada; 'boys will be boys'... and they don't get all fussy when they say it either

[SoccerScout]

I may be wrong, but I really think injuries would increase if fighting were banned

Must be the most assinine excuse I ever heard...curtail violence with Violence. Please!

[fidlerre]

Originally posted by SoccerScout
Must be the most assinine excuse I ever heard...curtail violence with Violence. Please!

the fact you know nothing about hockey procludes you from commenting...

b/c the truth is, without the fights hockey games would be more violent. read the post by Daniel from Montréal and maybe you could begin to understand a sport you really have no clue about...

[Craig P]

I'm curious, has anyone actually done a reasonably scientific study on whether allowing fighting cuts down on injuries?

A counterexample would be college hockey, where fighting is nearly nonexistant (automatic disqualification for it with escalating suspensions) -- there aren't that many injuries, and while people sometimes bemoan careless carrying of the stick, it's more commonly attributed to having players wearing a full shield than to lack of fighting.

[Sykotyk]

If there was no fighting, there'd be dirtier players. Why worry about tripping someone, or getting rougher than normal, if there's no fear of retaliation?

There's a checking line for a reason. There's 'hired thugs' in hockey who's goal is to go out and 'make right the wrongs' done by the other team to their 'important' players.

There's also instigators who's sole purpose is to start fights so that two players can be taken off the ice for 5 minutes for fighting majors so the teams can play a more open 4-on-4 game, which actually induces scoring.

Sykotyk

[amerifolklegend]

Originally posted by SoccerScout
curtail violence with Violence. Please!

The Japanese ain't attacked nobody since August 9, 1945.

[SABuffalo786]

Originally posted by SoccerScout
Maybe we are just used to it, but when I step out of the box and look in, I cant help but to think that I cant take Hockey seriously until they get rid of Fighting. I saw tape of a High School game where refs skate around players for 1 min allowing them to exchange blows. Same happens in NHL.

It rediculous and barely a step above WWF.

Anytime fighting happens in Soccer, people are quick to call it "sad" , "Sick", "foreign", "Likely of such a crappy game" but in Hockey everyone accpets it like we accept the sun rising every day.

Hockey will be a joke in my opinion until they ban such idiocy. A Punch in soccer can end a carrer in soccer, in hockey you are a hero.



It's about honor, Nancy. But I guess soccer players like Rivaldo, wouldn't understand that.

[JMU Soccer!]

Fighting is just icing on the cake. I just can't buy the idea that the game needs fighting to curtail the dirty stick plays. Like someone said, it's practically non-existent in the college game. Also, the whole Marty McSorely PR disator a few years back resulted from the coach putting him on the ice in the waning seconds in an effort to instigate a fight.

In the Stanley Cup Finals, the number of fighting majors given out drops to near zero. Probably because the players and coaches have better things to worry about like....oh I don't know...scoring goals and winning the game perhaps?

[DoyleG]

What's the only difference between hockey and Soccer?

Answer: In hockey, the hooligans are on the ice.

[soccernutter]

Originally posted by fidlerre
the fact you know nothing about hockey procludes you from commenting...

b/c the truth is, without the fights hockey games would be more violent. read the post by Daniel from Montréal and maybe you could begin to understand a sport you really have no clue about...

that is just an excuse not to change the game to try to eliminate fighting. JMU's post is correct. And the problem is the machismo (sp) with the players.

You want an example of how fighting doesn't need to be in hockey, just look at Tony Granato. One irritating little sh!t (except when he played for the Kings) that didn't fight and didn't cause injuries (generally). He was tough and cagy. I would add Theo Flurry as well, excluding the last few years.

[Cascarino's Pizzeria]

Many hockey fans are disingenous when they say "I don't watch hockey for the fighting." BVLLSHIT! Hockey fights are exciting as hell. The 3 things that get fans on their feet are goals, great hits and a good fight. It shouldn't be the #1 focus as it was for some teams in the 70s, but it should definitely be there. Make football 2 hand touch to prevent injuries and see how many people tune out.