What's so different about hockey?

[AmsterBison]

Last weekend there was a college hockey game. There were three fights during the game and then more during the handshake. This didn't make any news and nobody was troubled by it. What set this game apart was that a coach got caught flipping off a ref. During the game, the announcers made approving noises about the fights. After the game, local media were chuffed because "their boys" showed some spunk and the coach defended his players saying they should be congratulated for sticking up for their teammates (by sucker punching an opposing player with his hockey stick). The media said the last fight (the one during the handshake) was the refs fault and that the refs were wrong to allow the handshakes to take place at all since it is obviously inconceivable that hockey players are capable of the sportsmanship it takes to shake hands after a game without fights breaking out nor can coaches be expected to be anything but powerless to control their players in that kind of situation (i.e. a handshake line).

Now, contrast this with the FIU v Miami game fight. The football commentator who expressed approval over the fighting was fired and pilloried in the media. The football players who couldn't control themselves were kicked off their teams or given serious suspensions and were derided as thugs in the media. The football coach who couldn't control his players was fired. The Presidents of the universities made abject public apologies and vowed it would never happen again. However, in college hockey, this kind of things happens every week. Why the difference? Why among all college sports is hockey the one where participants are expected to fight?

The NCAA could all but end fighting tomorrow if they wanted to. However, maybe hockey isn't the problem. Maybe it's every other NCAA sport that is wrong. Should the NCAA should tacitly allow fighting in all other sports? Some football player gets pushed down and the ref doesn't call it, should his teammate jack the guy who did it and then sit out for four downs? How about a WBB player who thinks she is getting handchecked too much? Cat fight! I gotta tell you, I'm thinking women's VB could easily become a pay-per-view type commodity with this type of simple rule change.

What do you think?

[andy7171]

What's hockey?

[Cobblestone]

You make some good points. I guess with hockey fighting is considered part of the game, probably because it is so physical and there is not as much cover as in football. Also fighting has been part of the hockey tradition. I'm not saying this is an excuse but it is a fact.

I work with a guy who is a hockey ref. He told me when there are two players who have been slamming each other and sticking each other the entire game that most refs have the attitude of let them fight to get it out of their systems.

But have to say I think the NCAA does a pretty good job of enforcing fighting penalties in hockey. In fact I've seen very few fights at any college hockey games I've been to. But the situation you describe sounds extreme and totally out of control. Check out an AHL game sometime if you REALLY want to see fighting and hockey... in that order.

[schmofstra]

xflaggedx You must be talking about that game last weekend involving North Dakota and, I think, Minnesota. I saw the highlights of that only once, on ESPN I think. That's the first time I've EVER seen a fight break out during the post-game center-ice handshake ritual. What a mess that must have been.

Fortunately there is very little fighting in college hockey. It's tolerated more in pro hockey for lame commercial reasons. In college hockey and international hockey, the penalties for fighting are too severe to take the risk.

One thing that makes hockey a bit different from football is that in hockey, after the whistle, especially in front of the goaltender, the opponents have to let go of each other and skate away without banging into the goalie -- so the defenders have a tendency to "help" the opponent ensure that he doesn't skate into the goalie while they're doing this. So you're grabbing and pushing each other and you're basically THIS CLOSE to fighting anyway.

In football -- let's say the quarterback is sacked and there's a bunch of blockers and defenders littering the ground are him -- there's more space to get up after the whistle blows and nobody is stumbling around on skates.

The old-school hockey argument is letting the guys duke it out lets off some steam and prevents the more dangerous treachery of attacking the guy with your stick. But there aren't that many stick attacks in college and international hockey, eh?

So I think you're right about it being a double standard.

I can't imagine being a hockey linesman -- with the expressed task of getting in between these fighters and prying them apart. These linesmen are TOUGH.

One thing I've noticed in football recently is the tendency of the officials to allow players to whack around the other team -- and even PULL PEOPLE OFF THE PILE -- when they're battling over a fumble. I think it's 'Katy bar the door' for the players on the bottom who can reach the ball, and there's nothing much the officials can do about that because it's impossible to see what's going on. But they should not let the other players come in after the whistle and start nailing people and pulling them off the pile. I think it actually makes it harder for the officials to get a view of the ball. They should start throwing flags on this.xflaggedx

[UNH_Alum_In_CT]

That's a very unusual scenario for college hockey. As was said above, fighting in NCAA Hockey is significantly less than in the professional ranks. When you're penalized for fighting in a college game, you're automatically disqualified for the following game too. That has been a huge deterrent. And with everybody wearing protective cages, not many want to hand a punch to the face any more either.

I'm assuming there will be significant punishment for the incident you described, as there should be.

[The Sheriff]

Here's the espn.com story regarding the topic at hand.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncaa/news/story?id=3228837

[Franks Tanks]

Hockey and is for guys who arent good enough to play Football, Basketball, or Baseball---well at least in my neck of the woods, probably not the case in the NorthCountry.

[Ivytalk]

That's a very unusual scenario for college hockey. As was said above, fighting in NCAA Hockey is significantly less than in the professional ranks. When you're penalized for fighting in a college game, you're automatically disqualified for the following game too. That has been a huge deterrent. And with everybody wearing protective cages, not many want to hand a punch to the face any more either.

I'm assuming there will be significant punishment for the incident you described, as there should be.

Agreed. I remember a Harvard-Minnesota game years ago that got rough, and the Crimson coach told Harvard's "enforcer" NOT to start anything. The kid complied, and the game continued with end-to-end excitement. Both teams' fans appreciated the restraint.

[AZGrizFan]

xflaggedx You must be talking about that game last weekend involving North Dakota and, I think, Minnesota. I saw the highlights of that only once, on ESPN I think. That's the first time I've EVER seen a fight break out during the post-game center-ice handshake ritual. What a mess that must have been.



Maybe in College hockey, but certainly not in professional hockey.

Hockey is a dying sport, waste of human breath and time, and will be gone from the American landscape in 15 years. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx

[Reed Rothchild]

Now, contrast this with the FIU v Miami game fight. The football commentator who expressed approval over the fighting was fired and pilloried in the media. The football players who couldn't control themselves were kicked off their teams or given serious suspensions and were derided as thugs in the media. The football coach who couldn't control his players was fired. The Presidents of the universities made abject public apologies and vowed it would never happen again. However, in college hockey, this kind of things happens every week. Why the difference? Why among all college sports is hockey the one where participants are expected to fight?



Were the hockey players swinging their helmets at each other and stepping on the guys on the ground with their skates?

Football is a collision sport where the victor is determined by who hits and moves the other the best with their body. There are collisions in hockey but the outcome is not dependent on controlled violence.

[Cobblestone]

Maybe in College hockey, but certainly not in professional hockey.

Hockey is a dying sport, waste of human breath and time, and will be gone from the American landscape in 15 years. xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx xsmhx

No, that would be soccer. I hope. xprayx

[Thunderstruck84]

Were the hockey players swinging their helmets at each other and stepping on the guys on the ground with their skates?

Football is a collision sport where the victor is determined by who hits and moves the other the best with their body. There are collisions in hockey but the outcome is not dependent on controlled violence.
I'm not a hockey advocate in any way but I have to disagree with you there, controlled violence is a huge part of hockey. In most hockey games that I've watched the more physical team is the victor. It's a lot easier to move the puck of offense and defend your zone if you don't have to worry about checks and hits from the opposing team. You could say that football is more dependant on physicality but it is also a big part of hockey.

[Pattycakes]

The Minnesota-north dakota rivalry in hockey is like the osu-michigan rivalry in football. These two teams HATE each other. I was at the game and the refs called a horrible game for both sides. There was so much tension that i think everyone in the arena knew something was going to go down.

I wish that espn would provide more coverage of college hockey. it is way more exciting and interesting then the nhl