I've watched a lot of sports over the last 15 years, and in those years I've seen a lot of brawls/fights. But I have a simple question: Why are the people who fight in the NBA or NCAA considered thugs, and the ones who fight in Hockey aren't? Just a little bit of evidence for those who don't know what I'm talking about: This commentary is in response to the Cincinnati vs. Xavier brawl <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/eKAbf-6gh2s?hl=en_US&start=4"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/eKAbf-6gh2s?hl=en_US&start=4" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> And here's a lot of the media's opinion on Hockey fights: <object width="420" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/KlL8NmwsR44?version=3&hl=en_US&start=19"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/KlL8NmwsR44?version=3&hl=en_US&start=19" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object> I'm from Houston born and raised, so I don't know a ton about Hockey; but am I just missing something about the sport when it comes to fighting? Please don't bash me, I'm seriously wondering. This isn't meant to be some secret "the world is racist" thread (although it may turn into that).
Most hockey 'purists' will argue that fighting is an integral part of the sport but it couldn't be further from the truth. It interrupts the flow of the game. Look at how much better pro basketball became when they cracked down on violence. Fighting has no place in any sports... except fighting sports.
Well, fighting is a part of the culture and history of hockey, so it's generally going to be accepted there and not in other sports. That said, there are rules to normal hockey fights. There are no brawls like in the basketball clip. Players don't leave the bench (they get ejected and/or suspended if they do), the other guys on the ice don't get involved, it's just a one on one thing. No sticks, no skates, no gloves, and they stop when the ref or lineman tell them to stop. That's not to say brawls never happen, but those aren't "accepted" hockey fights. And then after the fight, the players go the penalty box. Usually a 5 minute major penalty. Also, the fights are often mutually agreed upon. It's not like one player starts beating the crap out another guy who doesn't want to fight. When a fight starts, both guys drop their sticks and gloves. If you drop your gloves, you're agreeing to be in the fight. Fight's that break out in other sports usually start with one guy attacking his unsuspecting opponent. Typically, hockey "enforcers" (though a dying breed) only fight each other. You're not going to have some goon defenseman pick a fight with a smaller, finesse scoring center or winger. And comparing basketball to hockey, basketball's technically not a contact sport, not really. Hockey already involves a lot of hitting and fighting is usually in retaliation to overly rough play. Fighting's going to be more accepted in a sport like hockey than it is in baseball or basketball. A good question is why you almost never see fighting in football, Andre Johnson v Cortland Finnegan aside.
Because it WAS a brawl. Kicking while man is down. Punching a man when he's looking somewhere else. In hockey fights there are rules. Much like MMA and Boxing. Different rules but still rules.
Not thug. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/UbLJV8dC7OM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Short and sweet. An Englishman shaping up to an Australian in a Rugby League test match. Don't shape up to an Aussie.... <object width="480" height="360"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CwmQgaHu2Ok?version=3&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CwmQgaHu2Ok?version=3&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="480" height="360" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
Different culture in hockey. Before I moved to Dallas I didn't know anything about hockey but have learned a lot over the last 10 years. It's as structured a fight as possible, as mentioned above there are lots of rules in hockey fights which aren't as widespread as you'd think if you don't watch the sport.
THIS ^. ONE ON ONE, let the "men" settle it... and when they're on the floor, it's OVER. I know they let them fight because I've only heard it's an "old way" to settle stuff. I don't know further because I don't watch enough hockey, but I have attended Aeros games and I know they're not brawling and kicking people on the floor and throwing a glove, stick, or skate at someone's face. EDIT: Well put, Cannonball I can't believe these guys are actuallly talking about "protecting" yourself and "got disrespected a little bit before the game"... and "you're a man"... WTF? How can you let words incite you like that??? You protect yourself by using defensive stuff, not by getting on someone's face. You go to the school for an education and you're doing the opposite?!?!? You show your true colors and why you're there... with those words and that type of silly argument. Watch the press conference and you'll laugh, like I did. <object width="560" height="315"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/RxnA69ekobI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/RxnA69ekobI?version=3&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="560" height="315" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>
This is a series about the late hockey enforcer Derek Boogaard who died in 2011 that give some background about the culture of fighting in hockey and also a cautionary tale of how much of a toll it can take. Living in Minnesota I got to follow some of the Boogaard's career and a few things not mentioned in the series is that he and his brother used to run a hockey fight camp to teach kids how to become enforcers. Also that his hockey skills were so poor that he didn't even know how to lace and sharpen his skates properly until he was in his first season with the Houston Aeros (The Wild's farm team). <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bjQ5rndAh_Q" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/RAW95j2hxes" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Nsvi9cwJRew" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
It looked like the Aussie was the one who instigated the whole thing, and then threw the first punch as well......
I was just wondering, and even if it isn't a "brawl" and there's just 2 guys on the basketball court going at it, it's still viewed the same way. So I just didn't understand what made the circumstances so different.
A hockey player and baseball player are like the tough sons you want to raise. A little rough around the edges, but they're relatable enough to take home to mom and dad. Whereas basketball players and others with ethnicity in them, they come from the "wrong side of the tracks" with their "hardscrabble" form and unstructured uncouth ways People notice "trashy" forms when its others doing it. For some reason they don't quite see it within themselves. Or they want to put more of a "noble" purpose behind it when they do it.
