I played low levels of contact sports, including full contact ball hockey, but not ice hockey (I'm a terrible skater)
And I recognize this is a huge part of the game.
I do have some personal connections with former athletes who live with the results of concussions on a daily basis. Which is part of the reason for my passion on the topic.
What are their opinions on stuff like this?
I’m with you most of the way here Jiri. Targeted headshots and fighting should be gone. But the sport will always be dangerous. Not allowing that hit is the same to me as not allowing a slapshot because it might hurt someone. A slapshot could very well kill a person. There are things happening on the ice that are out of yours or anyone’s control, and things are moving crazy fast. There’s no time for that kid to consider whether or not he will hurt that other player. There is a man cutting through the mid zone with the puck and he’s the dman he has a choice to step in or play him back. If he chooses to step in he MUST take that guy out of the play. If he takes the puck instead of the man and gets danced around, he’s enjoying the bench. The velocity at which they are moving (natural flow of the game) and lack of preparedness by the offensive player is what causes an injury there.
It’s tough to see no doubt. I’ve watch it happen to kids I care about too. But they choose to play knowing this might happen. They and their parents sign waivers and insurance forms, and there are options available to people who don’t want to hurt themselves playing a sport. The highest competitor league possible is not that place.
I played low levels of contact sports, including full contact ball hockey, but not ice hockey (I'm a terrible skater)
And I recognize this is a huge part of the game.
I do have some personal connections with former athletes who live with the results of concussions on a daily basis. Which is part of the reason for my passion on the topic.
Well I certainly appreciate your honesty on this. However being you have never played the game on that level, you perhaps dont truly understand the core fundamentals of what makes the game of contact hockey great and different.
Full contact ball hockey is nothing like ice so it's definitely not comparable. I respect your passion for whatever it is you think is best for the game. However truly speaking you're most likely outnumber on this. I can't see it happening nor in my opinion should it. The game is fine just as it is minus the instigator penalty.
There is room for skill in the league and there is room for physicality as well. Those who can handle both or alter their own game to fit in where they lack(Gaudreau has skill but isn't physical, but is shifty and wise) and excel make it. Those who can't don't. There is a reason why less than 1 percent make the NHL.
Well I certainly appreciate your honesty on this. However being you have never played the game on that level, you perhaps dont truly understand the core fundamentals of what makes the game of contact hockey great and different.
Full contact ball hockey is nothing like ice so it's definitely not comparable. I respect your passion for whatever it is you think is best for the game. However truly speaking you're most likely outnumber on this. I can't see it happening nor in my opinion should it. The game is fine just as it is minus the instigator penalty.
There is room for skill in the league and there is room for physicality as well. Those who can handle both or alter their own game to fit in where they lack(Gaudreau has skill but isn't physical, but is shifty and wise) and excel make it. Those who can't don't. There is a reason why less than 1 percent make the NHL.
I've never bought into the "you didn't play so you don't know" position.
In fact, my general view is that NHL players are terrible at protecting themselves and don't have a PA that does it well either.
The player POV is one input of many to discuss these things.
And my view is that the game isn't just fine and will need to evolve.
Which are all things we can disagree on. And right now I'm aware I'm outnumbered. But over time I think that will change.
There have been many issues over the years where if we just stopped talking about things because that's how the majority feels, progress wouldn't be made.
Are we removing hitting for the players or are we removing hitting so that we feel better morally for watching? Do we think the players don't understand the risks involved in hockey? I suffered three concussions in my "career" while I was playing and I came back every time aware of the potential risks. I was still trying to make it somewhere at that point. It's a livelihood for these guys. There's plenty of jobs out there that have varying degrees of risk involved.
Do people think MMA should be abolished too? The fact is that hockey can be a dangerous sport. Is it not acceptable for a dangerous sport to exist?
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Hey Connor, It's Mess For This Useful Post:
Are we removing hitting for the players or are we removing hitting so that we feel better morally for watching? Do we think the players don't understand the risks involved in hockey? I suffered three concussions in my "career" while I was playing and I came back every time aware of the potential risks. I was still trying to make it somewhere at that point. It's a livelihood for these guys. There's plenty of jobs out there that have varying degrees of risk involved.
Do people think MMA should be abolished too? The fact is that hockey can be a dangerous sport. Is it not acceptable for a dangerous sport to exist?
Dangerous sports should and will always exist. You're correct indeed. Hockey isn't even a dangerous sport generally speaking. I suffered concussions and also torn ligaments during my midget and junior playing days. Its a contact sport and things happen. Heck even if it wasn't a contact sport you can get hurt. I took a puck to the face recently.
I finally got this to post properly (Youtube had an issue yesterday) - have you ever checked out this video from 1994 - a series that many of us probably watched - and marveled at how Don Cherry characterizes many of these dangerous plays as "beauty hits"?
Wow! Gives you a whole new perspective on the discussion at hand...
S_C
The Following User Says Thank You to Southern_Canuck For This Useful Post:
That video shows how absolutely barbaric the NHL had been - Craven putting Roberts neck into a post, Diduck smashing Zalapski's face into the glass, or McCarthy punching Linden's head from behind.
All of those would be lengthy suspensions now and rightfully so. There were some good hits but lots of players targeting the head with dangerous hits designed to injure. Doesn't seem like the enforcers were used as a deterrent but more so as a weapon.
Matheson posted a photo on Oct. 1 of his little dog, Hank, wearing a Panthers jersey. The caption read: “It’s finally October and Hank is super excited to have his jersey on…”
Quote:
Here’s a small sample of some of the replies…
“You don’t deserve this animal. You monster!”
“Your dog is ugly.”
“I feel bad for your dog.”
“[Expletive] your dog piece of [expletive].”
“Who are you kidding, you’re definitely a cat person you ginger [expletive].”
“Take your ginger [expletive] head, your demon spawn ass, and get back in your hell hole where you belong.”
I saw the photo of his dog. I can confirm that he is not ugly.
Yeah, some of those old videos make you wince... the play at:35, Diduck actually places his forearm on the back of Zalapski's head and smashes him face-first into the glass. That's just gross. 10 games? Probably?
__________________ "The great promise of the Internet was that more information would automatically yield better decisions. The great disappointment is that more information actually yields more possibilities to confirm what you already believed anyway." - Brian Eno
Eric Francis made a really bad taste comment on Pettersons injury... No fan of his but the outrage brigade is out in full force on him on twitter which is even more nauseating.
"Leafs-free radio continues on the EFShow on @Sportsnet960 with a chance to win two tix to Thursday’s Pizza Pigout. Name the finishing move Matheson used on Patterson and best ones get tix. Send me the answer on Twitter. Creativity counts"
It may have already been discussed, but did anybody catch Daniel Carcillo and him go at it over this? Then Carcillo mic drops by referencing Francis' ridiculous and tasteless call out of Brodie over turning down Team Canada? Followed by Francis deleting said Brodie tweet.
Pure gold. I'm not a fan of Carcillo for what he did when he played, but he's quite the advocate for pushing for a cleaner game, post career. What a clown Francis is. And his 'apology' isn't even an apology. Never once did he even say 'sorry'.