First I will preface this with the fact that I'm not much of a sports fan. I like OSU Buckeye football and the money will ruin that for me soon.
My question for you fans is would you still be a fan without the fighting? Just play the sport. Like every other major sport. If you would then why do you suppose it is allowed? It seems to me it would be easily deterred in a relatively short period of time.

It has been a part of the game as long as I can remember. A few rednecks just go for the fights. Since you are not familiar with hockey you need to watch the movie "slapshot". It stars Paul Newman. Lacrosse and rugby are just as physical as hockey. THe fights serve a purpose and are not permitted in all levels of play.

I used to take my son to see the Dayton Bombers. Much more fun to see it live. And I am a redneck but I didn't go to see the fights. I was much more entertained by the athleticism.

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
Just play the sport. Like every other major sport.

I have watched hockey on TV lots of times, but I don't consider myself a big fan. But my brother in law became obsessed with the sport in his 40s, actually became coach for his son's team for two seasons. I asked the same question and he said that fighting is ruled into the sport, there are specific rules and regs regarding a fight. He also said that unlike other sports, fights keeps players on the same page; if a player fucks with another player, he is accountable and has to pay the price for his actions. Fighting puts a short leash on players who engage in really dangerous stuff against opposing players

Yes, but I think it's part of the game but has been drastically reduced.

There are a few reasons for fighting. Sometimes two people just piss each other off. Some of it's to try and get your team going but this is very rare these days.

Sometimes it's because a player has been taking cheap shots and the ref will not call it so you take care of it yourself. Hockey is a very physical sport and if someone is trying to hurt you and the refs don't want to call it then you have to protect yourself. Nothing says stop slashing me or crosschecking me like a punch to the face.

Teams also used to have enforcers that would protect star players. Look at McSorley and Gretzky.

quote:

My question for you fans is would you still be a fan without the fighting? Just play the sport.

Actually, there's a lot less of it than there used to be. I started watching hockey in the 1970's and they used to really fight.

I've been a fan for decades and the fights aren't the reason.

I like the action, the shifting in momentum, the talent level of the player and seeing the ever changing dynamics of the game.

It's a physical sport just like football and tempers flare but the fights don't always because of that. Players take liberties with players on the opposite team and they must be answered. Sometimes the refs call the game tight and retribution isn't necessary but at other times, the players correct the problem.

The other night when there 3 fights in 9 seconds, that's hype and almost always agreed upon fights with the other side to amp your team. I'm OK with that.

I like hockey without the fights but it's part of the game. I'd watch either way but the fighting doesn't bother me.

I been a hockey fan since the 60s. It is the only pro team sport I pay any attention to. Fighting is part of hockey, but not the main reason I watch it. It is just a good fast moving, sometimes violent sport, with some great athletes.

I officiated three seasons in the upper minors and two in the lower minors back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s.

There is a place for fighting because 1) it keeps players who are willing to injure opponents from dominating play and 2) allows the higher-skilled players to decide the game instead of the goons.

Fights between players to establish turf and the “ground rules” are discreetly “condoned” unless one player outright tries to incapacitate another.

Yes, I would still be a fan and watch without fighting.

The Code for fighting:

I love the sport and accept the fact that fights are a necessary part of the game. They got rid of the big crazy fights by making a 3rd man in rule so now all the fights are just one on one.


A few years back they thought it would be a good idea to get rid of fighting and made the rules reflect that. All the superstar skill players just got beat to crap because the other players knew there was no price to pay. There was also way more injuries because of increased “stick work”. The players all wanted the fighting back because the players end up policing themselves.


Thinking of it in gun terms a well armed population is a polite population.

I'm not a fan in the strict sense as I coached at the collegiate level and was fortunate enough to meet several NHL players & coaches and call several friends over the years.

Fighting has always been part of the professional game. Players in Juniors and minor leagues attend classes and trainings on how to fight and protect themselves in a hockey fight.

Fighting in hockey is the players way of policing the game without seriously injuring a player. You probably just raised an eyebrow and thought "what??" I'll explain....

Your team has a highly skilled finesse player. He is fast, agile, great hands, but not super physical. He's not out there banging and whacking and likely takes few penalties. He comes up the ice and an opposing player, perhaps a rookie just hammers him, lays him out. There is an unwritten rule in hockey, you don't do that. Sure, likely a legal hit but he still broke 'a rule'.

The easy alternative is one of your guys is going to square off with him, drop the gloves and teach him that 'we don't do that out here'.




The alternative is the next time he gets the puck, someone hits him hard enough to separate him from his soul to send a message. One way might give him a bloody nose, the other could result in him leaving the ice.



Fighting is not only used to send messages but also to fire up a team that isn't performing well. There is a great story from 'back in the day' where Stu Grimson was sent out to do exactly that. As he lined up for the face off across from the opponents fighter, one looked up and said "Loser buys pizza", the other laughed and said "yeah... loser buys pizza". The puck dropped, gloves dropped and someone bought pizza. I know guys who have fought who stood up in each others weddings, or was living in the others house after getting traded.

Usually fights on the ice are not personal, but that isn't always the case. There are players who absolutely hate each other and occasionally that will appear in a game.

Here is what happens when a player 'breaks a rule' and another player sets him straight.


I've seen some great fights in my history watching pro hockey. I was at JLA the night the Wings got revenge against the Avalanche and Osgood fought Roy.

I've seen quite a few games without a fight and enjoyed them as well. If 70% of games had 2-3 fights per period and they were slowing down the game then I might be in favor of some restrictions. I think the game as it stands is fine.

When was the last time you attended a boxing match and a hockey game broke out?

I enjoy the game and would watch without fisticuffs but, I would rather the fighting stay in and the guys who play like pigs are kept to a minimum.

Yes, I would.
Yet occasionally, someone has to protect themselves when the ref doesn’t do the job or see the jabs. And frankly, if anyone messes with your goalie, they need to go down.

I will say it is really easy to get your blood up as a fan. If you see one of your players being picked on, or unfairly hit, I can’t imagine what it’s like for a teammate, but I assume it’d be a lot worse!

Hockey has always been a pretty violent sport--even without the fighting. I've watched games that had virtually no fighting and they were still incredibly exciting to watch.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

My question for you fans is would you still be a fan without the fighting? Just play the sport.

Actually, there's a lot less of it than there used to be. I started watching hockey in the 1970's and they used to really fight.

The good old days when the benches would empty. If the goalies met at center ice it was really on and they were so padded up it was more funny than anything else.

In a game where your actions, either intentional or not can result in the injury or even death of other players sometimes a penalty is not enough. Hockey is a great sport, and there are guardrails to keep it as safe as possible, one of those guardrails is that if you hurt someone there is a good chance you will not be invited back to play with that group, you also may get punched in the face possibly a lot. When you see a dirty hit on the TV or even in the stands and a player on the team you support or follow gets crushed there is nothing you can do. When it's your kid, or your buddies kid, or a kid that you know personally, or a close friend that gets ran head first into the boards or gets slew footed you can only hope someone on their team answers the bell. I hate fighting in hockey and I wish it never happened, but there will always be a place for sticking up for your friends, family, teammates, and sometimes even for yourself. Fighting will likley always be a part of hockey.

Some people go to the circus to watch people fall from the high wire or the trapeze.
People go to nascar for the wrecks. Its not strictly hockey as you know.

Anyway I love the sport. I've played and watched. I don't watch it for the fights but watch it for the plays they make. I could care less about break-aways. Its the team work I like.

Why is there fights? There are so many reasons but if you play the game you would understand a little more about why there is fights.

The worst I have seen is the cheap shot on Brian Propp. The team rightfully fought to defend him.

I get where you're coming from. I'm not a huge sports fan myself, but I’ve always appreciated hockey for its speed and skill, not necessarily the fighting. It’s a part of the game, though, and I think it’s stuck around because of the tradition and the way the sport evolved. A lot of fans do enjoy it, even if others find it distracting. Personally, I think if they really wanted to cut it out, it could happen, but it’s one of those things that’s kind of ingrained in the culture at this point. Would people still watch? Probably, but it might change the dynamic of the sport a bit.