pandr
03-08-2011, 04:16 PM
A blow-by-blow look at fighting
Sean McIndoe March 8, 2011-7:00 AM
The debate over fighting has returned to NHL circles. And if you’re a fan of the occasional scrap, you probably didn’t have a very good week.
Players such as Rick DiPietro, Colton Orr and Derek Boogard are still on the sidelines due to serious injuries suffered in fights. Then word came last week that the late Bob Probert had been suffering from a degenerative brain disease believed to be caused by repeated head trauma. Before fans could fully absorb that news, Edmonton’s Taylor Hall, the No. 1 pick in last June’s draft, had his rookie season ended by an ankle injury suffered in his first career fight.
So here we go again. It seems that the fighting debate has been raging for decades. And while it leads to hours of heated rhetoric, there is little evidence of anyone ever actually changing their mind.
But maybe that can change. I’ve spoken to experts on both sides of the issue, and I’ve captured their best arguments below. For the first time, here are both sides of hockey’s greatest debate presented side-by-side. Maybe, just maybe, we can settle this once and for all.
Pro-fighting Banning fighting would eliminate the chance of a fight between Matt Cooke and Sean Avery that the linesmen could just “forget” to break up.
Anti-fighting Fights are nothing more than quasi-exciting but ultimately demeaning sideshows that don’t showcase any actual hockey skills and have no place in the game, and these days we have the shootout for that.
Pro-fighting Without the threat of fighting, noble enforcers such as Jody Shelley and Trevor Gillies would be unable to protect their teammates from despicable cheap-shot artists such as Jody Shelley and Trevor Gillies.
Anti-fighting Let’s face it, nobody really likes having fighting in the game except for ignorant know-nothings like fans, most general managers and coaches, and virtually every single player.
Pro-fighting Getting rid of fighting would just result in every episode of Coach’s Corner being nothing more than a seven-minute diatribe about no-touch icing,
Anti-fighting If punching somebody in the face at a hockey game is outlawed, only outlaws will punch somebody in the face at a hockey game. And Flyer fans. Actually, mostly Flyer fans.
Pro-fighting If we just hold off on doing anything to address the rapidly growing list of players lost to concussions for another year or two, all of us will eventually get to play in the NHL for a few games.
Anti-fighting Mike Milbury has historically been pro-fighting.
Pro-fighting Wait, Mike Milbury is now apparently anti-fighting.
Anti-fighting Fighting is an outdated concept that may have made sense for previous generations but has no place in the modern game, like goalies playing without masks or an NHL team in Winnipeg.
Pro-fighting The inability to regularly write simplistic and condescending anti-fighting columns could spell the end of the already struggling newspaper industry.
Anti-fighting Studies have shown that a total ban on fighting would increase hockey viewership by 20% in the southern United States, because Tom says he’s pretty sure he’d start watching.
Pro-fighting Hey, remember when they had fighting in NHL 93 and then they took it out for NHL 94? Which one did you like better? Exactly.
Anti-fighting In addition to being overpaid and overrated based on last year’s Cup run, Niemi is known to snore loudly on team flights and often plays bad Finnish pop music on the Sharks’ team stereo. (Editor’s note: Wait, sorry, this should have been listed as an “Antti fighting” argument.)
Pro-fighting Players engaging in fights face the possibility of devastating injury and even long-term disability, which is a risk that I as a fan sitting in my easy chair have decided I am willing to accept.
Anti-fighting Eliminating fighting would send a strong message to impressionable children that settling a dispute by knocking somebody unconscious with your fists is unacceptable; instead, use your rock solid shoulder pad like a gentleman would.
C/P National Post
Sean McIndoe March 8, 2011-7:00 AM
The debate over fighting has returned to NHL circles. And if you’re a fan of the occasional scrap, you probably didn’t have a very good week.
Players such as Rick DiPietro, Colton Orr and Derek Boogard are still on the sidelines due to serious injuries suffered in fights. Then word came last week that the late Bob Probert had been suffering from a degenerative brain disease believed to be caused by repeated head trauma. Before fans could fully absorb that news, Edmonton’s Taylor Hall, the No. 1 pick in last June’s draft, had his rookie season ended by an ankle injury suffered in his first career fight.
So here we go again. It seems that the fighting debate has been raging for decades. And while it leads to hours of heated rhetoric, there is little evidence of anyone ever actually changing their mind.
But maybe that can change. I’ve spoken to experts on both sides of the issue, and I’ve captured their best arguments below. For the first time, here are both sides of hockey’s greatest debate presented side-by-side. Maybe, just maybe, we can settle this once and for all.
Pro-fighting Banning fighting would eliminate the chance of a fight between Matt Cooke and Sean Avery that the linesmen could just “forget” to break up.
Anti-fighting Fights are nothing more than quasi-exciting but ultimately demeaning sideshows that don’t showcase any actual hockey skills and have no place in the game, and these days we have the shootout for that.
Pro-fighting Without the threat of fighting, noble enforcers such as Jody Shelley and Trevor Gillies would be unable to protect their teammates from despicable cheap-shot artists such as Jody Shelley and Trevor Gillies.
Anti-fighting Let’s face it, nobody really likes having fighting in the game except for ignorant know-nothings like fans, most general managers and coaches, and virtually every single player.
Pro-fighting Getting rid of fighting would just result in every episode of Coach’s Corner being nothing more than a seven-minute diatribe about no-touch icing,
Anti-fighting If punching somebody in the face at a hockey game is outlawed, only outlaws will punch somebody in the face at a hockey game. And Flyer fans. Actually, mostly Flyer fans.
Pro-fighting If we just hold off on doing anything to address the rapidly growing list of players lost to concussions for another year or two, all of us will eventually get to play in the NHL for a few games.
Anti-fighting Mike Milbury has historically been pro-fighting.
Pro-fighting Wait, Mike Milbury is now apparently anti-fighting.
Anti-fighting Fighting is an outdated concept that may have made sense for previous generations but has no place in the modern game, like goalies playing without masks or an NHL team in Winnipeg.
Pro-fighting The inability to regularly write simplistic and condescending anti-fighting columns could spell the end of the already struggling newspaper industry.
Anti-fighting Studies have shown that a total ban on fighting would increase hockey viewership by 20% in the southern United States, because Tom says he’s pretty sure he’d start watching.
Pro-fighting Hey, remember when they had fighting in NHL 93 and then they took it out for NHL 94? Which one did you like better? Exactly.
Anti-fighting In addition to being overpaid and overrated based on last year’s Cup run, Niemi is known to snore loudly on team flights and often plays bad Finnish pop music on the Sharks’ team stereo. (Editor’s note: Wait, sorry, this should have been listed as an “Antti fighting” argument.)
Pro-fighting Players engaging in fights face the possibility of devastating injury and even long-term disability, which is a risk that I as a fan sitting in my easy chair have decided I am willing to accept.
Anti-fighting Eliminating fighting would send a strong message to impressionable children that settling a dispute by knocking somebody unconscious with your fists is unacceptable; instead, use your rock solid shoulder pad like a gentleman would.
C/P National Post