Don Cherry vs. The Godless YVR Commies

[Shiny Side Up]

And as for fighting in hockey, every time I hear someone say it doesn't belong in the game, I can't help but think they don't know a thing about the game.

I've played some form of organized hockey since I was six, with the exception of the last three years where a combination of poor ice time slots, expense and bad knees (from previous hockey) have caused me to not play. Fighting has no place in any team sport. Lesson learned at an early age. All this time I've never got into a fight, never hit someone from behind. Fighting in the sport is getting worse, and one of the worst things I find is the attitudes of parents towards it in minor hockey now encourage it rather than frown upon it. I used to walk to the nearby arena to watch games, but I don't no more, it has become down right scary in the stands.

Now don't get me wrong, hockey is a contact sport and you're talking to someone who's knocked his fair share of people down. Not particularly proud of that, but all good clean hits, and that's something that wins hockey games. Takes the other team's wind out of their sails. Never take a pass that you have to look down between your own skates to see.

What ever happened to ten minute match penalties? You don't hear about that much anymore. Someone who was on the ice had to serve those when the fight broke out, real punishment when one of your stars was in the box for ten minutes.

Maybe I'm spoiled, I got to see some really amazing people play hockey. Why isn't there more emphasis on playing well anymore? I've seen Howe (just before he retired, I'm not that old), MacDonald, Sittler, Trottier, Dionne, Savard, Lafleur and Gretzky play live. The last when he was with the Oilers. Some hard playing and sometimes outright magic on the ice. Some people don't give Gretzky enough credit - watch his old games - he never misses a pass. Even better was how they often played as a team. Each of these guys was superb because he had four other really good skaters and passers with him, not four other thugs.

[Slats]

Those guys played in the days when they had no talent thugs who were only on the ice for intimidation and "protection" of star players. Those types of players no longer exist in the league and, in my opinion, the overall skill level in the league is higher now than ever. Many of the players from past eras would not make it in today's game.

[Hedley]

Gordie Howe was an amazing athlete - I can't believe how old he played -
but he could play really dirty when the ref wasn't looking. Wasn't a Gordie
Howe hat trick a goal, a penalty, and a fight?

[shitdisturber]

Gordie Howe was an amazing athlete - I can't believe how old he played -
but he could play really dirty when the ref wasn't looking. Wasn't a Gordie
Howe hat trick a goal, a penalty, and a fight?

You're close; it's a goal, an assist, and a fight. They called him "Old Elbows" for a reason. I don't object to fighting per se; what I do object to, is that as soon as somebody gets hit hard, somebody goes after the guy that made the hit. It's one thing if it was a dirty hit; but if it wasn't, then the instigator should get an automatic game misconduct. Sadly, it'll never happen.

[shitdisturber]

Those guys played in the days when they had no talent thugs who were only on the ice for intimidation and "protection" of star players. Those types of players no longer exist in the league and, in my opinion, the overall skill level in the league is higher now than ever. Many of the players from past eras would not make it in today's game.

Do you even watch the game? Every team has at least one "enforcer" some have two or three, care to guess what their job is and their skill level? All those players listed played in the pre expansion era or just after the first expansion, not in the watered down league of today. In other words, they made it to the top during a time when there were only six teams, or twelve so it was that much harder to make it than it is in today's thirty team league. Also to be considered, is the equipment; there's no comparison because it's so much better now than it was then. Put the fastest skater in today's league in a pair of skates from the seventies and I guarantee you he'll be at least five to ten mph slower. Guys like Lafleur and McDonald had bullet shots using wooden sticks that don't flex like the carbon fibre wonders of today; but you'll still be hard pressed to find somebody that can shoot as hard as either of those two. Hell I remember reading in a biography that Bobby Hull had unleashed measured slapshot of 116mph, with a wooden stick. Guys are winning the skills competition nowadays with carbon fibre sticks and shots 10mph slower.

[Changes in Latitudes]

Maybe I'm spoiled, I got to see some really amazing people play hockey. Why isn't there more emphasis on playing well anymore? I've seen Howe (just before he retired, I'm not that old), MacDonald, Sittler, Trottier, Dionne, Savard, Lafleur and Gretzky play live. The last when he was with the Oilers. Some hard playing and sometimes outright magic on the ice. Some people don't give Gretzky enough credit - watch his old games - he never misses a pass. Even better was how they often played as a team. Each of these guys was superb because he had four other really good skaters and passers with him, not four other thugs.

You got to enjoy the likes of those superstars thanks in part to fighting, however. It would be nothing to take a run at Gretzky or give him a dirty shot if not for enforcers and fighting. I spent 12 years playing hockey, AAA, Junior, you name it, I'm sorry to say, its a necessary part of the game, its a rough sport and frustrations boil over. You get to pick; either someone snaps and takes a dirty shot at someone, or two willing parties drop the mitts. I'm not the biggest fan of this incessant fighting, but there is a time and a place for it. Fighting keeps dirty play and cheap shots to a minimum. I'm with Grapes.

[helicopterray]

Some people don't give Gretzky enough credit - watch his old games - he never misses a pass. Even better was how they often played as a team. Each of these guys was superb because he had four other really good skaters and passers with him, not four other thugs.

Superb player, I also saw him play with the Oilers, and against Pavel Bure of the Canucks.
But remember the wrath of Dave Semenko if someone as much as breathed on him the wrong way.

[shitdisturber]

Fighting keeps dirty play and cheap shots to a minimum. I'm with Grapes.

Exactly, the hockey played in Europe has vicious stickwork because there's no danger of the perpetrator getting their lights punched out.

[Slats]

Do you even watch the game?.

Yes I do, very regularly.

[I WAS Birddog]

i) We are witnessing Don Cherry go slowly insane on TV.
ii) Leaf nation is r3tard3d for not seeing the big picture yet paying top dollar for crap.
iii) The Leafs going 43 years without a Cup is like me @ the age of 43 never been laid.
iv) Gary Bettman is a greedy garden gnome.
v) Canada should get a team back...IF not two.
vi) Hockey is so watered down that I'll only really watch the playoff in the final 8 now. The rest is junk.

[Shiny Side Up]

Fighting keeps dirty play and cheap shots to a minimum. I'm with Grapes.

Exactly, the hockey played in Europe has vicious stickwork because there's no danger of the perpetrator getting their lights punched out.

This in my mind is more a reffing problem than a fighting issue. Fighting after all isn't keeping cheapshots in the game to a minimum, it just means people are fighting over them more often. Fighting is getting worse and more incessant in all levels of hockey, so are the cheapshots. One of the worst things that made me turn off the game last time was the ammount of bad penalties. Just outright unsportsmanlike conduct where either unthinking or purposeful attempts are made to inflict career ending injuries on opposing players.

The worst thing is I find that this type of play is permeating down through all levels of hockey. Its bad to see NHLers out there pulling this stuff, but to see right down to atom/mite/novice level players engage in it just says something is terribly wrong. Grapes likes a good contact game, but even he agrees on that.

[Dash-Ate]

2 + 2 = 5. Nanny goverment said so. Now go and make war!!!!
Do not think.

http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/djc ... on-mubarak

Indeed, Cannon's commentary was rich in irony -- or simply the assumption that Canadian voters are all either idiots or Alzheimer's patients incapable of remembering anything that happened more than 15 minutes ago.

"The issue remains an Egyptian decision," the foreign affairs minister told the CBC. "We don't get involved in, as you know, the internal sovereignty of a country…" Unless, of course, that country's name happens to be Afghanistan. But never mind that just now…

[shitdisturber]

2 + 2 = 5. Nanny goverment said so. Now go and make war!!!!
Do not think.

http://www.rabble.ca/blogs/bloggers/djc ... on-mubarak

Indeed, Cannon's commentary was rich in irony -- or simply the assumption that Canadian voters are all either idiots or Alzheimer's patients incapable of remembering anything that happened more than 15 minutes ago.

"The issue remains an Egyptian decision," the foreign affairs minister told the CBC. "We don't get involved in, as you know, the internal sovereignty of a country…" Unless, of course, that country's name happens to be Afghanistan. But never mind that just now…

Are you on glue?

[The Old Fogducker]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GeI5ke0BENw

[Rowdy]

You got to enjoy the likes of those superstars thanks in part to fighting, however. It would be nothing to take a run at Gretzky or give him a dirty shot if not for enforcers and fighting. I spent 12 years playing hockey, AAA, Junior, you name it, I'm sorry to say, its a necessary part of the game, its a rough sport and frustrations boil over. You get to pick; either someone snaps and takes a dirty shot at someone, or two willing parties drop the mitts. I'm not the biggest fan of this incessant fighting, but there is a time and a place for it. Fighting keeps dirty play and cheap shots to a minimum. I'm with Grapes.

I agree and disagree. Its not THAT rough of a sport.. and I'm not doing the stereotypical avcan penis waving competition answer here.. I didnt play much hockey, but I DID play rugby for just as long as you played hockey (quit callin' me chicken legs!!). Just as rough, less padding. Fights rarely EVER broke out. There are bigger hits, but less speed. The games are both quite complex. There really are a ton of similarities. Yet Hockey and hockey FANS seem to encourage revenge and fist fights.

Why the lack of fighting and poor conduct in all of the other pro sports? ITS NOT NEEDED! I mean :

Look at football, how often do you see two linebackers square off fist to fist? They're BIG pissed off dudes too...

Look at Basketball.. another CANADIAN invented sport.. Lots of contact. A bunch of GIANT dudes bashing into each other. No fights.

Look at Soccer.. sure there are fights in the stands between drunken hooligans, but it's not often you see someone bash another players face in on the field, and man, they play DIRTY sometimes.

Look at Baseball.. well.. ya ok.. fair enough it's not really a contact sport.

A fight in any of the above leagues would lead to huge reprocussions and in some cases termination!

Fighting does NOT keep cheap shots and dirty play to a minimum. Its simply piss poor tempers overflowing for the crowds enjoyment. What WOULD keep cheap shots and dirty play from going on would be better reffing and more penalties/game misconducts. Like someone said before, if your top players are shut in the box after a retarded display of physical bruteishnes (yes I made a word up, I hope you speak a little Rowdy) do you not think the coaches and team managers would start discouraging it?