Quote:
Originally Posted by Galaxy
Fighting?
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I loved fighting in hockey as a kid, but as I have aged I see a lot more negatives than positives. Even before all the recent talk of concussions and depression etc, my stance has shifted to anti-fighting.
My biggest issue with fighting has less to do with the battle itself than the ripple effect it has. I don't really care if two grown men want to slug each other in the face for 45 seconds in order to preserve some kind of code.
The bigger issue is that these guys didn't start slugging people in the face the day they turned 18 or entered the NHL. They've been doing it since they were 13, 14, or 15, at the encouragement of a culture that places a premium on the role of an enforcer.
I would hate to think that someday my sons (or anyone else's) might feel that the only way they can 'make it to the bigs' would be to start slugging it up 50 times a year at the age of 14. I also hate to think of all the kids that have to skate around trying to avoid being the next target on some goon-on-the-rise's resume.
Hockey is a great sport, and ya, it's physical and tempers flare and whatever. Fights happen. Hell, I once got in a fight in sponge hockey game. It happens. But the fact that it is basically allowed (5 minutes a piece is not a deterrent) leads to enforcers, staged fights, and all sorts of shenanigans that have a negative impact way beyond the NHL.
A fight should be a rare occurrence, not a nightly one. The result should be fines and suspensions for both players involved (unless one guy is basically attacked, in which case he shouldn't get the suspension). 1 or 2 games would probably be enough, maybe escalate a bit for repeat offenders. Enough to make it so that the only time a player drops the gloves is when he is really, truly enraged with something another guy has done.
Anyways, that's my long-winded anti-fighting stance.