Quote:
Originally Posted by Street Pharmacist
This argument is easy to defeat.
We're not arguing that people don't like it. What we're arguing is of you removed it, people will still like hockey. There are 30+ hits per game, and maybe 0.2 rights per game. Removing one radically changes the game, the other is a simple small change.
No one is arguing the combatants don't do it willingly, and no one is arguing that people don't like it. Stop with that stuff people.
The equation is:
Fan enjoyment + benefit to hockey > the negative health effects of fighting
For some is true and some it's not. If you're thinking the > isn't getting much smaller though you're wrong
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Well I wish I had unverifiable proof to just say you are wrong because I say so. I guess the argument is over because you wrote an equation and told me what the data is according to you.
People love to play hockey without fights, without hits and yes even without slapshots. It's called rec hockey and it is not marketable at the level of the current NHL. This is my opinion. We differ in opinion whether one day it will be.
And I don't disagree that over time true thuggery lovers have become a much smaller group. But I think player safety as the bedrock principle is being far overvalued by the anti-fight side here.
The league and the players have a vested interest in player safety. If it is so self evident fighting must be eliminated from the game why is it still there? You are imposing your own views of how much risk a player should take on behalf of adult professionals who don't assess it the way you do.
I don't think my position is unreasonable to take...I am saying the amount of fighting is right where the league wants it and it will stay where it is now. It is not being promoted and as you say it's a small part of the game. So they have the balance just where they want it. Fans who enjoy fights get what they want. Fights that benefit the game still get done. Negative impacts on player health and safety are within acceptable levels. No reason to take any steps to remove fighting from the game any more than it has been to date.