OT: Fighting in Hockey
Martin's punch on Kearney this week triggered a discussion yesterday about sportsmanship and toughness. It seemed to me that there were two sides to this discussion.
1) People defending/applauding Martin's toughness and aggression. People argue that fighting is a part of hockey. Maybe Martin was a little over the top but this is part of the sports.
2) People assserting that this is not the kind of behavior that we want representing the Unviersity of Michigan.
Althought I understand both of these opinions, I feel that there is a larger issue at play here. That problem is fighting in hockey.
Fighting is accepted as a part of the game, especially at the pro level. This attitude/philosophy permiates through the various levels of play. I had my hockey career ended on punch similar to the one Marting through. I legally checked a guy and he turned around and punched my head into the boards knocking me out cold. The dissapointment of having my hockey careeer taken away from because someone was frustrated is tough to swallow.
I understand that agression and violence is a part of sports. I played 4 years of college lacrosse, and sure people got hurt from violent hits, but atleast they were in the flow of the game. A brawl after the whistle is simple not an option in the sport of lacrosse.
I think the NHL needs to take stand on this issue. There should not be a penalty for fighting because fighting is not an option. When the whistle blows the play is dead. Anything after that gets you tossed immidietly, with a pending suspension. We have enough head injuries already, so lets get rid of the sensless ones.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:00 PM ^
toughen up buttercup. I've bee hit in the head at least twelveteen times. I'm fine. Sharp as a whistle!
January 18th, 2016 at 6:07 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:20 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:24 PM ^
You mean brain scientist.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:33 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:00 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:29 PM ^
January 19th, 2016 at 12:41 AM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:01 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 6:02 PM ^
I wouldnt say it was a cheap shot. It will cost him dearly.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:18 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 6:23 PM ^
I prefer bad mitten.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:26 PM ^
I like good mutton as well as good koala, the meat gets so tender over an open flame.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:32 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:26 PM ^
I like good mutton as well as good koala, the meat gets so tender over an open flame.
January 18th, 2016 at 11:05 PM ^
or as they say, you blave.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:28 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 7:00 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 7:07 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:24 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 7:01 PM ^
he should have been the second guy in history after Happy Gilmore to remove his skate and try to stab him with it. . .. /s
January 18th, 2016 at 7:14 PM ^
I just watched the end over again on dvr.
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January 18th, 2016 at 7:51 PM ^
so I trust your hockey knowledge. I watched it a couple of times and only focused on Martin.
Good input on this thread!
January 18th, 2016 at 9:06 PM ^
I'm glad I watched it today because it completely changed my view.
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January 18th, 2016 at 6:30 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 6:37 PM ^
Exactly this. A fight involves two players and a series of ongoing agreements
Just clocking a defenceless player is bush league whether or not you think they deserve it.
January 18th, 2016 at 7:04 PM ^
Try to look at it from the other perspective; if cutler was laying there with a linesman on him and a buckeye clocked him right in the face the same people who are arguing for it not being dirty would be screaming bloody murder and wanting the buckeye suspended for the rest of the season
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January 18th, 2016 at 8:10 PM ^
Self-righteousness is not a good look when it comes to cheap shots.
Skate away. You'll see them again...
January 18th, 2016 at 7:22 PM ^
January 19th, 2016 at 12:35 AM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 6:01 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 6:43 PM ^
You realize that hockey is a thing outside Detroit right? And that the late 90s Wings and Avs surely did not define the sport in any way shape or form.
Good teams, sure, but hardly "defined the sport" going forward like the Broad Street Bullies or 70's Bruins (who redefined violence in the game), 70's Soviets (who made Canadians reflect on our souls), 50s/60s Habs (who redefined winning...sadly into the 70's) or 80's Oilers (who redefined offense).
January 18th, 2016 at 7:21 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 7:28 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 8:15 PM ^
I think "defined the sport" seemed silly to me is all. Particularly if you take a long (non-D centric view)
FWIW, I doubt you'll ever see lengthy rivalries again in hockey. Bettman's approach is to skew to parity much like the NFL. You see this with the Cap and Free Agency as defined in the CBA. Chicago might be close with 3 in 6 years but look at the management job (and ridiculous trade success) done there. If that team had just been able to keep all their talent like the 80's Oilers...imagine.
January 18th, 2016 at 8:21 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 9:01 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 9:09 PM ^
Russian 5 redefined puck possession hockey in the NHL while playing in the trap era (damn you NJ Devils). Those 90s Wings teams were fun to watch. Just imagine how good Sergei would be in today's NHL.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:49 PM ^
you never heard of the 1980s Edmonton Oilers...speaking of possession.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:01 PM ^
Lacrosse brawls do happen.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:24 PM ^
No they don't. I started playing lacrosse when I was in elementary school and played in college. Never once did I witness a brawl. Only once did I ever see a fight (and it really wasn't a fight, more of a single punch thrown).
I'm sure they have happened but brawls in lacrosse would be similar to brawls in football or basketball. Very rare and not tolerated at all.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:39 PM ^
Well I played high school and college lacrosse also (at UM). The fights I witnessed were always at off-season indoor leagues, but they did happen occasionally.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:03 PM ^
Grow up
January 18th, 2016 at 6:05 PM ^
Hot Cake city. I love hot cakes.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:05 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 6:31 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 7:27 PM ^
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January 18th, 2016 at 7:32 PM ^
was in Dumb and Dumber in the scene where they went to a party dressed in those outragious baby blue and orange suits and Jim Carrey hit Jeff Daniels with his cane in the back of the legs with a wicked two hander. OMG I laughed so hard it hurt me.
January 18th, 2016 at 6:06 PM ^
fighting is what makes hockey watchable. The should have something similar to the RedZOne where they only show the fighing highlights. MOAR fights!