Post by John Davidson on Nov 16, 2006 21:39:38 GMT -5
What happened to the good old days when a meeting between the Philadelphia Flyers and another team meant a little more than just a well-played hockey game?
Yes, it's well past time to pay tribute to the role fighters used to play in the National Hockey League. What was once commonplace is now practically synonymous with the position of "healthy scratch."
In recent years, there has been a move toward a "kind" and "family friendly" game on the ice. While I am a fan of many of those changes, fighting has become as endangered an existence as an intelligent TV comedy — thank goodness we still have Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Thanks, guys.
Now, the first question we need to ask if a good donnybrook has a place in the NHL game.
Many believe fighting on the ice is nothing more than senseless violence that disgraces professional sports. Others believe it sends a terrible message to today's youth and simply encourages them to mimic it. Conversely, there are folks out there who feel fighting has a proper place in hockey.
The bottom line is this: If you ever see a hockey brawl in person, take a look around the arena at the fans. It's a safe bet that most are on their feet and loving it — somewhat like being at a Dream Theater concert without the head-banging.
Players, though, tend to see things a bit differently.
While I can see the argument of senseless violence, perhaps a little understanding can help sway the scales of judgment or at the very least shed a little light of understanding.
Believe it or not, most fights occur with reason and purpose:
1. Adrenaline: Perhaps it's half way though the second period and the home team has been flat. Perhaps they trail by two or three goals at the halfway point. Needless to say, the crowd is sitting on their hands and it has nothing to do with the temperature in the building. What is a team to do?
One very viable option is for a fighter to take matters into his own hands. Eye contact and a well-timed line change with the opposition's tough guy, and we've got ourselves a fight. Instantly, the fans are on their feet, players are banging their sticks, and a shot of adrenaline has been induced throughout the entire arena.
"You do what you have to do," said former enforcer P.J. Stock. "When the tough guys do it, they do it to motivate their team. I think that's the biggest thing, and it's the case 95 percent of the time."
2. Defense/revenge: Mostly during the 1980s and '90s, the term policeman was fairly commonplace. It was an era where teams used a bruiser to intimidate opponents and protect their less physical goal scorers. For example, if anyone had the gall to even look at Wayne Gretzky the wrong way, they were sure to end up face-to-face with the likes of Dave Semenko or Marty McSorley.
"If you're on the road and you have the lead, there is no reason to have a fight unless you're defending your teammate," Stock added.
3. Anger/rage: Ever spend time outdoors surrounded by mosquitoes or gnats? Or ever sit in silence while someone incessantly taps a pencil nearby? After a certain amount of time, some things will push a person to the breaking point. When one of those so-called gnats in hockey reaches that level, it usually leads to a slash, trip, cross check, butt-end or with some, a fight. This is hockey psychology 101.
4. Job security: Very few are aware, but on occasion players will mix things up for the simple case of job security. When his fists are the primary reason a player has an NHL career, there are times where he needs to remind his organization he could still make a contribution. This is most often found among young kids trying to make the squad or aging veterans trying to stay around a bit longer.
5. Entertainment value: It's hard to quantify the frequency of this happening, but there certainly have been times when two fighters have agreed beforehand to drop the gloves for the sole sake of entertainment. The thrill of center stage, of getting fans on their feet and raising the atmosphere in the arena is infatuating for some players.
All in all, the significant majority of hockey fights occur for a very sound reason. While it can be difficult to watch at times, it certainly is an important aspect of hockey.
To which Stock summed up nicely: "Wayne Gretzky had a 20-year career. When he goes back and thanks a lot of people, I'm sure he'll mention Mark Messier and Glen Sather. But he'll designate that if it wasn't for guys like Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley, he wouldn't have ever been able to do what he did."
Yes, it's well past time to pay tribute to the role fighters used to play in the National Hockey League. What was once commonplace is now practically synonymous with the position of "healthy scratch."
In recent years, there has been a move toward a "kind" and "family friendly" game on the ice. While I am a fan of many of those changes, fighting has become as endangered an existence as an intelligent TV comedy — thank goodness we still have Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Thanks, guys.
Now, the first question we need to ask if a good donnybrook has a place in the NHL game.
Many believe fighting on the ice is nothing more than senseless violence that disgraces professional sports. Others believe it sends a terrible message to today's youth and simply encourages them to mimic it. Conversely, there are folks out there who feel fighting has a proper place in hockey.
The bottom line is this: If you ever see a hockey brawl in person, take a look around the arena at the fans. It's a safe bet that most are on their feet and loving it — somewhat like being at a Dream Theater concert without the head-banging.
Players, though, tend to see things a bit differently.
While I can see the argument of senseless violence, perhaps a little understanding can help sway the scales of judgment or at the very least shed a little light of understanding.
Believe it or not, most fights occur with reason and purpose:
1. Adrenaline: Perhaps it's half way though the second period and the home team has been flat. Perhaps they trail by two or three goals at the halfway point. Needless to say, the crowd is sitting on their hands and it has nothing to do with the temperature in the building. What is a team to do?
One very viable option is for a fighter to take matters into his own hands. Eye contact and a well-timed line change with the opposition's tough guy, and we've got ourselves a fight. Instantly, the fans are on their feet, players are banging their sticks, and a shot of adrenaline has been induced throughout the entire arena.
"You do what you have to do," said former enforcer P.J. Stock. "When the tough guys do it, they do it to motivate their team. I think that's the biggest thing, and it's the case 95 percent of the time."
2. Defense/revenge: Mostly during the 1980s and '90s, the term policeman was fairly commonplace. It was an era where teams used a bruiser to intimidate opponents and protect their less physical goal scorers. For example, if anyone had the gall to even look at Wayne Gretzky the wrong way, they were sure to end up face-to-face with the likes of Dave Semenko or Marty McSorley.
"If you're on the road and you have the lead, there is no reason to have a fight unless you're defending your teammate," Stock added.
3. Anger/rage: Ever spend time outdoors surrounded by mosquitoes or gnats? Or ever sit in silence while someone incessantly taps a pencil nearby? After a certain amount of time, some things will push a person to the breaking point. When one of those so-called gnats in hockey reaches that level, it usually leads to a slash, trip, cross check, butt-end or with some, a fight. This is hockey psychology 101.
4. Job security: Very few are aware, but on occasion players will mix things up for the simple case of job security. When his fists are the primary reason a player has an NHL career, there are times where he needs to remind his organization he could still make a contribution. This is most often found among young kids trying to make the squad or aging veterans trying to stay around a bit longer.
5. Entertainment value: It's hard to quantify the frequency of this happening, but there certainly have been times when two fighters have agreed beforehand to drop the gloves for the sole sake of entertainment. The thrill of center stage, of getting fans on their feet and raising the atmosphere in the arena is infatuating for some players.
All in all, the significant majority of hockey fights occur for a very sound reason. While it can be difficult to watch at times, it certainly is an important aspect of hockey.
To which Stock summed up nicely: "Wayne Gretzky had a 20-year career. When he goes back and thanks a lot of people, I'm sure he'll mention Mark Messier and Glen Sather. But he'll designate that if it wasn't for guys like Dave Semenko and Marty McSorley, he wouldn't have ever been able to do what he did."