rehmwa 2 #1 March 11, 2004 So I finally see the blindside hit from last week. Then the news cuts to the guy showing remorse and they talk about how long he'll be suspended from playing. Remember a couple years ago when the one player got hit from behind with a hockey stick? I don't care if they are pros playing a game, the cops should have walked out right onto the ice and arrested those guys. We shouldn't be hearing about game suspensions, we should hearing about jail time. ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #2 March 11, 2004 QuoteSo I finally see the blindside hit from last week. Then the news cuts to the guy showing remorse and they talk about how long he'll be suspended from playing. Remember a couple years ago when the one player got hit from behind with a hockey stick? I don't care if they are pros playing a game, the cops should have walked out right onto the ice and arrested those guys. We shouldn't be hearing about game suspensions, we should hearing about jail time. About ten years ago, I saw a photograph of a player on a team in Virginia who had just been struck in the jaw with a hockey stick by a player on the opposing team. It wasn't pretty, and to the best of my knowledge, the perp got a slap on the wrist. The man he struck was maimed for life, and for WHAT?! That's when I decided I would have nothing whatsoever to do with hockey, since it looked to me like it was just a bunch of f*ing cowards clubbing each other after a requisite amount of macho posturing. If I want to see that and blood too, I'll watch legalized brawling on pay-per-view. I want to see a sport, not mindless brutality. mh ."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MajorDad 0 #3 March 11, 2004 The Vancouver Police are investigating the fight to see if charges will be laid. In addition the Canadian Papers have been full of interviews with the hockey "Enforcers" who all agree that the attack was well over the line. I would not be surprised if both the NHL and the police throw the book at him. Major Dad CSPA D-579 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #4 March 11, 2004 QuoteThat's when I decided I would have nothing whatsoever to do with hockey, since it looked to me like it was just a bunch of f*ing cowards clubbing each other after a requisite amount of macho posturing. I suspect that you have little to no knowledge about the game and have just decided to slam something because it was the popular thing to do around here. Hockey is a rough and tough sport and yes at the elite levels fighting is part of the game (like it or not). But fighting is not something which often happens at the amateur levels. It is NOT the barbaric sport many people think it is. As a life time player (35 years and counting playing at some fairly high levels) I know that while these incidents do occur, they do NOT occur as often as people like you assume they occur at. Now what's that saying? "Don't assume anything. Otherwise you will make an ass out of you and me". Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pajarito 0 #5 March 11, 2004 I believe charges should be filed. I know people go to Hockey games to see the fights and that is what the crowd really wants but it doesn't make it right. I think Hockey has gotten out of control. People who do that should go to jail or be charged major penalties. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pajarito 0 #6 March 11, 2004 I don't play hockey and never have but I'll go out on a limb and say that I don't believe sucker punching another player in the back of the head is written in the rulebook for hockey. Again, I've never read the rulebook. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee03 0 #7 March 11, 2004 I agree with you about the incident of last week. I don't care how remorsful the individual was, he should have been arrested for assault, and at least for attempted manslader! He went Far, far beyond the limit! That was one of teh most sickening displays I have ever witnessed! There was not call for it!-------- To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities. --Nevil Shute, Slide Rule Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest #8 March 11, 2004 Okay - I admit my remark was trolling. Yes, I respect the amazing skill the sport demands - I think it's therefore one of the best in that regard. However, I believe it was Rodney Dangerfield who coined the one-liner-- "Last night, I went to a fight, and a hockey game broke out." That always gets a big laugh because there's an element of truth in it. mh ."The mouse does not know life until it is in the mouth of the cat." Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lee03 0 #9 March 11, 2004 The thng is though, that a few years ago, the NHL curbed fighting, but even in the old days, displays of this nature were not allowed. This was just plain barbaric!-------- To put your life in danger from time to time ... breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities. --Nevil Shute, Slide Rule Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkySlut 0 #10 March 11, 2004 In Massachusetts, there are similar problems. A few years back a coach killed a Ref on the ice. Last week another coach roughed up a ref and a couple of days ago there was a riot at a high school after a playoff game. One was stabbed in the gut and another was beaten with a baseball bat. "old men with young boys dreams"...its only a sport, gimme a break. relax. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #11 March 11, 2004 My point isn't about hockey specifically. A blindside attack is assault, period, regardless of the sport. And as Cunuck says, it's not about the specific sport, (pro hockey is cool except when the rare incident of an attack like this makes everyone else look bad) it's about giving a pro athelete a pass when a law is broken just because it's in the context of a game. He broke the law and swift immediate response by the law was warranted. If any cop was in the stands, they didn't do their job now, did they? Nor did security. That this specific incident is being reviewed after the fact instead of an immediate arrest being made during the game is what's goofy to me. If a cop saw an attack on the street like this, they wouldn't hesitate to bring the people in and sort it out then. ditto football fights ditto basketball fights ditto baseball charging the mound and swinging (do not pass go do not collect $200) ditto golf fights ditto ice dancing brawls ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beerlight 0 #12 March 11, 2004 ok, so don't flame me for my inquiry. But, why fight on the ice? As far as my knowledge of the sport, it's virtually ZERO, what happens to hockey players that fight? What's the penalty? Other sports not only eject players for the entire game, but fine the living shit out of them. Do hockey players incur a large monetary fine for fighting? If not, why? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #13 March 11, 2004 QuoteI suspect that you have little to no knowledge about the game Me too. No knowledge. QuoteHockey is a rough and tough sport and yes at the elite levels fighting is part of the game True, but apparently breaking someones neck from behind is not considered fighting. clicky Quote"We felt Todd Bertuzzi had given up his right to play the rest of the season," league vice president Colin Campbell said Thursday. "It was wrong. It wasn't anything else but wrong." The people who run the league think it was wrong. These people have a lot of hockey experience. QuoteBertuzzi sat out Wednesday's 1-1 tie with Minnesota and will miss the final 12 games of the regular season, forfeiting at least $500,000. The suspension will amount to a minimum of 17 games if the Canucks make the playoffs and are swept in a first-round series. QuoteThe decision comes a day after Bertuzzi had an hour-long hearing at the NHL office in Toronto. Bertuzzi realized he was wrong also. Quote"To the game of hockey and the fans of Vancouver, for the kids that watch this game, I am truly sorry," Bertuzzi said. "I don't play the game that way. I'm not a mean-spirited person and I'm sorry for what happened." In boxing, the idea is to fight, to hit each other. In boxing there are rules against hitting someone from behind. He hit him from behind while he was going away and then threw his 245 lb weight on him and snapped his neck. The only place that is ok is the army. They teach that technique to kill sentries. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #14 March 11, 2004 QuoteI don't play hockey and never have but I'll go out on a limb and say that I don't believe sucker punching another player in the back of the head is written in the rulebook for hockey. Again, I've never read the rulebook. Bertuzzi was wrong and nowhere do I condone such behavior on and off of the ice. And as far as I'm concerned, the NHL did the right thing by suspending Bertuzzi for the remainder of the regular season and the playoffs. Not factoring the injures to Steve Moore, this was NOT the worst act of violence during an NHL game, but Bertuzzi has received the longest suspension in NHL history. So while it's not perfect, it is a step in the right direction. Please people, think before you hit that "Send" button. If you have little to no knowledge of the game, you are not helping any by acting as a troll and saying this or that and how barbaric we hockey players are. You have no idea as to how fast the game is played in a confined area with body contact on ice using two narrow stainless steel blades to keep you moving and using a stick with this hard rubber object. You have no idea as to the emotions which can be built up in such a fast dynamic environment. You know the way "Ron" one of our estemed DZ.COM posters is always going on about himself being experienced, and seeing a lot of crap in skydiving in his 10+ years (or whatever it is) he's had in this sport (skydiving)? Well I'm kind of like Ron in regards to hockey. If you know a thing or two about the game, then sure we can talk our ears off. But if you're a Troll, stick to something else. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkySlut 0 #15 March 11, 2004 well, I will tell you that with these instances in MA, the law threw the book at them. While I was attending UNH, I saw a fight on the ice during an intramural game and the cops actually walked out on the ice to break it up and bust them. I agree with you though. It is silly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #16 March 11, 2004 Quoteok, so don't flame me for my inquiry. But, why fight on the ice? As far as my knowledge of the sport, it's virtually ZERO, what happens to hockey players that fight? What's the penalty? Other sports not only eject players for the entire game, but fine the living shit out of them. Do hockey players incur a large monetary fine for fighting? If not, why? Like it or not, fighting is accepted at the professional levels are just part of the game and the guilty parties are sent to the sin bin (penalty box) for a major penalty (5 minutes). And if three major penalties are incurred during a game, then a match penalty is assessed and the player is tossed from the game. But at the amateur levels (not talking about the CHL here though), fighting is not tolerated and the guilty player(s) are tossed from the game and usually suspended or expelled from the league. Not to say that it doesn't happen (it's an emotional game), but fighting in the amateur ranks is rare. As for parents getting into brawls with refs, coaches or other parents? Well that's just stupidity and come on people, this doesn't just happen in hockey. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pajarito 0 #17 March 11, 2004 That's the easy way out to start name calling. I don't have to know a damn thing about hockey to know that was wrong. people in the stands, for the most part, condone fighting in hockey. That's what all of my friends who like the sport say about it. Everybody's waiting around to see the inevitable fight. That has nothing to do with the sport. I'm not trying to "troll" or whatever your geeky word is supposed to mean. I'm just adding my thoughts to the conversation. There are apparently a lot of other people who feel like I do on this issue. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riddler 0 #18 March 11, 2004 QuoteLike it or not, fighting is accepted at the professional levels are just part of the game Fighting is encouraged by the NHL. It makes the game more interesting to the fans. Just like crashes are encouraged in race car driving - everyone is hoping to see one when they go to a race. Don't believe me? Ask yourself this - you have $20 million dollars worth of hockey players on the ice. How much effort would it take for the NHL to simply hire some big guys to run out and break up fights? Refs won't (and shouldn't) do it, but give me $20,000 per game and I'll hire 20 bouncers to run out and stop fights. The NHL would never go for it - it's not entertainment. How hard would it be for NASCAR to penalize/fine people for bumping each other at high speeds and preventing spectacular car crashes? It wouldn't be hard at all, except half the spectators that go now would stop going because there would be so few crashes. We like to think we're more civilized than the Romans, who held gladiator duals to the death, but we're not - we just changed the format. If you're disgusted with overpayed athletes that act like high school kids, you can make them stop. Just don't watch anymore.Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CanuckInUSA 0 #19 March 11, 2004 Quotepeople in the stands, for the most part, condone fighting in hockey. That's what all of my friends who like the sport say about it. Everybody's waiting around to see the inevitable fight. That has nothing to do with the sport. For the most part these are the so called fans who know little to nothing about the game who go to the games for the fights. Hockey is NOT about fighting people!!! It is about the speed (it's the fastest non-mechanical human sport), it's about the athleticism, it's about the team work. I don't want to say it, but I will. Hockey is a Canadian game (it's obviously played throughout Europe and America) and ever since the USA took over control of the professional game, they (the Americans) have allowed this aspect of the game (the fighing) to continue because they deemed it as entertainment for their people. All one needs to do is attend an NHL game in Canada and an NHL in ther USA and you will notice the difference in the mindset of the fans. I don't mean to turn this into a Canada vs the USA thing-a-ma-bob, but the fans in the two countries are very very different. Try not to worry about the things you have no control over Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #20 March 11, 2004 The NHL can choose to regulate any way they want. But what about the law. Just because you are in a game, why does that suspend you from being subject to arrest and incarceration for breaking the law. So the NHL can fine a player and put him in a penalty box and suspend from games. That's fine. It's completely unrelated to the law arresting a lawbreaker and putting them through a trial and punishment. This I see ignored or delayed during pro sporting events. (I want to see the cops come out during the game and arrest these guys - rigfht on TV) ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #21 March 11, 2004 I never played hockey. Heck, I never bothered to pay much attention to it until I hit college. I can safely say that I'm pretty much a fanatic about the sport, now. How bad? I listen to NHL radio at night (my beloved LA Kings). I used to have th eimpression that hockey was a bunch of goons, and I did not want to see it. But, I became more knowledgeable and sophisticated about the sport, and began to have a whole new appreciation for it. Canuck. One thing that you do not understand is that there really is not a large portion of Americans who have much of an understanding of the sport. Most do not realize that guys like Bertuzzi are only on the ice for 30-45 seconds at a time, and maybe 22 or 25 minutes out of the game. They do not understand what it means to shoot right. They do not understand that home ice allows the home team to determine the matchups at face-off. What we DO understand are the fights. We understand goals. Most of my friends want to see a fight. The NHL is one fo the only organizations in the world that "allows: fighting. Many believe that fighting should be banned. I don't want to see that, since I believe there is a legitimate role for fighting in the sport. Too bad Bertuzzi has made it much easier to ban fighting altogether. My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyRamone 0 #22 March 11, 2004 They all neeed to play like the Hanson Brothers. Play like SlapShot or dont play at all. Cheap shots are destroying the game. When i played I was an enforcer, my job was to cause fights and knock people around, but cheap shots were not tollerated. His ass should be banned from the game. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #23 March 11, 2004 Rocket - you're a lawyer - just because the NHL allows fights, doesn't mean that we suspend the law for cheap shots - or does it? I don't know maybe it's in the books.... what would happen if a cop saw this happen on a sidewalk? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #24 March 11, 2004 QuoteHis ass should be banned from the game. Who cares about banning? What do you think about him going to jail? ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JoeyRamone 0 #25 March 11, 2004 Who cares about banning? What do you think about him going to jail? *** Hell yes I do. Dam he broke the other guys neck. If it was a straight up fight ...well shit happens but this was a uncalled for personal attack. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
