The Devils and Rangers don't like one another and they made that known last night as they started their game with a bang. As expected, the anti-fighting movement is up in arms today, but I don't have a problem with this because it wasn't one team's tough guys beating up the other guys star players. It was a matter of two teams sending one another a message. In the end, no one was hurt, no one was jumped and it was just a flashback to the Broad Street Bullies days. Do you have a problem with this or not?
8 comments:
I've said it once, and I'll say it again: This is the kind of gong show that keeps hockey a 2nd class sport. This spectacle has NOTHING to do with hockey. I don't care what Don Cherry says. Until hockey gets rid of ridiculous scraps like this it will always remain a side show instead of getting the respect the actual sport deserves. Can you imagine the suspensions and outcry if this happened in football, basketball or baseball? So long as this is acceptable hockey is a joke.
Can you imagine how insane Mosaic Place would be if this happened at the beginning of Game 1. It would certainly set a tone and I don't think many would be up in arms if it were tough guy against tough guy.
Al
After these episodes, a hockey game always does break out. In fact, 60 minutes is dedicated to actual hockey. The time for fights is not on the clock, so in a sense is an add on for the fans. Seems most enjoyed it.
2nd Class Sport?? Notice 20,000 NYC fans are all standing and cheering like mad ? Seems the biggest USA market in the NHL loved it !
Hockey is a sport, but, also entertainment, listen to the crowd...no doubt somebody's pockets will be lighter once Shanny reviews the scenario. It would be less "gong showish" if they had played at least a couple minutes before the fireworks.
...BTW what were the other four non-combatants doing standing around? Their teammates paying the price..shouldn't they at least grab somebody? Maybe chirp something about the opponents girlfriend, dog etc. anything!! Try to be part of the action.
See, this is exactly what I mean ...
1. Who cares what those 20,000 in NY were cheering for if it costs them millions in other places across North America? Sure they may have liked it, but the NHL already had them as fans. They're there. It's all the others who see this, write off the sport because of it, and will not go to an NHL game that league needs to worry about.
2. "What were the other four non-combatants doing standing around?" They were there to play hockey, not be bare knuckle boxers. They were actually doing what they were supposed to be doing and playing hockey. So long as this mentality that you are expected to drop the gloves to be a true hockey player exists the game will continue to stay below the levels of MLB, NBA, NFL, and even NCAA. Being a part of the action as a hockey player should entail be expected to play hockey. My question is what are the 6 knuckelheads doing that that brawling instead of being hockey players?
benyamen, did you forget to take your meds this morning?
Brutus
B-Man why the hate? Hockey has always been about contact. Whether it's with fists, sticks, shoulders etc. collisions occur and tempers flare...that's the game..over 100 years of history, nothing will radically change in the next 50 years. Nobody is paying over $100 bucks a seat to watch shinny.
These upper class sports you mentioned have their black eyes too;
Baseball=Steroids..nobody trusts a40 R man is doing it "clean" but everyone loves the longball.
...Basketball = ME FIRST if they had 3 balls out there it wouldn't be enough for dudes like Kobe, Lebron, Durant,-one player getting 50+ points isn't showcasing team play,or passing, and we know how some guys (Allen Iverson) felt about practise. Tough to tell Johnny an assist in hoops means as much as the bucket.
...Football has guys like Suh from Detroit, Steelers James Harrison getting suspended for bonehead hits and other things like spygate, rough handshakes, blown Super Bowl calls etc.
...they all have moments they want to sweep under the rug.
B-man I respect your opinion but hockey shouldn't be viewed as below these sports (and we didn't even mention UFC) it is what it is and that all that it is.
us
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