Fighting in hockey

• friendfromlowry

  What's everyone's opinion on all of the fighting in hockey? I watch absolutely zero hockey during the season but playoff time I will watch a little more just for the hell of it. Plus my dad's from Buffalo so when the Sabre's play he's got it on. So I obviously know next to nothing about hockey but some of these games, every stoppage in play there's shoving and arguing and the refs come in with their whistles blowing trying to break it up. An all-out fistfight is semi-entertaining but just getting in each others faces and pushing wastes time. Break it up and play already.
  Obviously hockey is a very physical sport, but so is football and basketball and you don't see NEARLY any of the amount of fighting there.
  So does all the fighting make it more of an intense, tough game -- or are these guys just overly dramatic?
• Sonofanump

  friendfromlowry;748533 wrote:Obviously hockey is a very physical sport, but so is football and basketball and you don't see NEARLY any of the amount of fighting there.

  Neither of those sports do they carry a weapon and use it on each other. Fighting is necessary in such a contact sport, otherwise you would have much more contact with the sticks.
• 2kool4skool

  

  Sonofanump;748551 wrote:Neither of those sports do they carry a weapon and use it on each other. Fighting is necessary in such a contact sport, otherwise you would have much more contact with the sticks.

  
  They don't allow fighting in Lacrosse and everything works out just fine.
• Hb31187

  

  Its a double standard that fighting is allowed in Hockey and its just "part of the game" But as soon as football or basketball players do it...it headlines sportscenter and theyre all "thugs"
• Hb31187

  

  Sonofanump;748551 wrote:Neither of those sports do they carry a weapon and use it on each other. Fighting is necessary in such a contact sport, otherwise you would have much more contact with the sticks.

  
  Football players use their pads and helmet as a weapon, and its JUST as physical as Hockey. I dont buy that excuse at all
• Mulva

  

  Hb31187;748623 wrote:Its a double standard that fighting is allowed in Hockey and its just "part of the game" But as soon as football or basketball players do it...it headlines sportscenter and theyre all "thugs"

  
  It isn't a double standard, because it's an expected part/tradition of the game in hockey (stupid or not, it's built into the game itself). It's regulated in the rulebook and isn't grounds for an automatic ejection.
  
  If the origins of football or basketball embedded an established tradition of fighting during the game it would probably be considered acceptable in those sports too. But it isn't part of the game and it isn't part of the rulebook, so the situations really aren't comparable at all.
• friendfromlowry

  Sonofanump;748551 wrote:Neither of those sports do they carry a weapon and use it on each other. Fighting is necessary in such a contact sport, otherwise you would have much more contact with the sticks.

  
  I don't really buy this or even understand it, but I never claimed to "get" hockey, either. I think each of those sports and even including baseball have their own dirty plays which don't often result in fighting. Football players take late or unnecessary rough hits, basketball players take hard/flagrant fouls, baseball players get hit by pitches...Rarely it results in a fight and for the most part the game goes on.
• burt07

  It's really stupid. Can be entertaining, but it's really stupid.
• Hb31187

  

  Mulva;748685 wrote:It isn't a double standard, because it's an expected part/tradition of the game in hockey (stupid or not, it's built into the game itself). It's regulated in the rulebook and isn't grounds for an automatic ejection.
  
  If the origins of football or basketball embedded an established tradition of fighting during the game it would probably be considered acceptable in those sports too. But it isn't part of the game and it isn't part of the rulebook, so the situations really aren't comparable at all.

  
  They dont fight because its tradition, they fight because the teams "enforcer" is sticking up for the star, or someone is being dirty just like in other sports. For example when Deng took offense to Derrick Rose ( the star of the team and a smaller player) getting fouled hard in game 1 or 2 of the playoffs, he comes over and simply shoves the player from the Pacers and a lil mini scuffle is all that came of it. Now if he had came over and decked said player it would of lead off sportscenter as them being dirty players thugs, take it back to the playground ect ect.
  
  
  But if a big defensemen for the Pens or the Caps comes to the defense of Crosby/Ovechkin fists a swingnin its part of the game and celebrated? You dont see how thats a double standard? Just because a penalty is built into the game for fighting(like it is in all other sports, just less severe in hockey) doesnt mean its not stupid and childish
• Laley23

  

  ^^^^I will say, you arent gonna see many fights where they dont line up and drop gloves first. Not many cheap shot punches thrown in hockey, like you are alluding to. They will fight, but they typically make sure the other guy is ready for it.
• rock_knutne

  Fighting should be outlawed, you don't see it in international play and the Olympic tournament is one of the most exciting in all of hockey.
• queencitybuckeye

  College hockey is far dirtier than the pros due to no fighting.
• End of Line

  

  Don't care for it.
  
  I HATE it when a clean hit is thrown and a fight breaks out, stupid.
• Laley23

  

  I dont like the fighting in hockey, but I will say this. When a playoff series is in game 6 or 7 and the guys HATE each other at that point...It kind of adds to the series. But typically, I hate seeing it.
• I Am Ahab

  I love it. I think it's funny that everytime the puck is covered fisticuffs ensue. It's unique and entertaining. Just part of the game.
• thavoice

  First off, i mean, 1th, it is against the rules as you get 5 minutes for fighting, and can get a game misconduct as well.
  
  2th, they are ice, with skates, and the punches have a much less effect than if you are on solid ground.
  
  Until recently there was only one referee who could call penalties.
  
  Alot more shit was going on in the background that was not seen or called.
  
  Fighting was a way to police the game by the players at the professional level.
  
  I like it.....i dont care if a game has it or not when I go...but i will cheer with the best of them if one breaks out.
  
  It is part of professionaly hockey.
• Sykotyk

  

  The players self-regulate enforcement. It also keeps players honest if they know they're going to get more than just a penalty. In addition, hockey teams regularly want to play 4-on-4 and the two enforcers for each team will drop the gloves too give them 5-minute majors for fighting to clear the ice of two extra bodies.
• Raw Dawgin' it

  

  Sykotyk;749451 wrote:The players self-regulate enforcement. It also keeps players honest if they know they're going to get more than just a penalty. In addition, hockey teams regularly want to play 4-on-4 and the two enforcers for each team will drop the gloves too give them 5-minute majors for fighting to clear the ice of two extra bodies.

  
  false. it's still 5 on 5 after a fight.
• thavoice

  Raw Dawgin' it;749516 wrote:false. it's still 5 on 5 after a fight.

  
  What do you expect from someone who has that gay fuckin browns elf in their picture?