"People pay to see fighting"

[punks]

"Shame they don't fight, butt"

"Get into him, butt"

"We need a good scuffle to stop them from playing"

----

I had to listen to the above and variations of it last night (from lads who fancied themselves hockey pundits...) and a hell of a lot more around the rink lately and simply ask this; do you pay to see fights?

Also, are you living in the past?

Do you enjoy risking a player in the penalty box?

Are we taking neutrals to games on the premise there will be fights?

Move on with the times, folks. It's over.

 

[Travis bickle]

Move on ? When two willing guys drop the gloves the whole crowd are on their feet, sometimes players need to sort shit out for themselves as the refs in this league are so bad. It's the snowflake and newbies and people with lack of understanding for the game that have other ideas of how the game should be played that want a good old fationed straightener removed from the game. If a poll was done with fans I bet 75% at least would like the odd fight in a game

 

[MA18]

"Shame they don't fight, butt"

"Get into him, butt"

"We need a good scuffle to stop them from playing"

----

I had to listen to the above and variations of it last night (from lads who fancied themselves hockey pundits...) and a hell of a lot more around the rink lately and simply ask this; do you pay to see fights?

Also, are you living in the past?

Do you enjoy risking a player in the penalty box?

Are we taking neutrals to games on the premise there will be fights?

Move on with the times, folks. It's over.

It’s not ‘needed’ in every game but momentum shifts certainly are. If a bit of roughing or a fight occurs in the aftermath of a big open ice hit or a check being finished against the boards then so be it.
Personally I’d rather see handful on Brandt, Batch and Louis checks than one fight a game…but I’d like to see something.

 

[NathanG]

I don't go to games in the hope there's a fight. I go and hope to see some high intensity hockey. End to end with some juicy hits thrown in here and there.

I do love a good scrap because you can feel the energy in the rink and as Travis said above, it's a way for players to sort a couple of things out. It definitely has its place in the sport but Im not bothered if I don't see one during the course of a game

 

[Earnie]

Well we could have done with a bit more physicality last night that’s for sure.
As for a big time fight , I shall sit on the fence.

 

[Wannabe2]

I don't go to games in the hope there's a fight. I go and hope to see some high intensity hockey. End to end with some juicy hits thrown in here and there.

I do love a good scrap because you can feel the energy in the rink and as Travis said above, it's a way for players to sort a couple of things out. It definitely has its place in the sport but Im not bothered if I don't see one during the course of a game

Absolutely the days of going to games to watch fights are long gone, now its based more on speed and skill which obviously can be very entertaining, however a Brandt hit, a mid ice hit, and the occasional dropping of the gloves can have a big part in changing a games direction. I am yet to see people walking out, or falling asleep when two players want a bit of each other, all these things have there place in this great sport.

 

[Kevlar68]

No you don't pay to see fights but to watch a team play with a bit of passion and grit isn't to much to ask.

 

[BostonBart22]

Move on ? When two willing guys drop the gloves the whole crowd are on their feet, sometimes players need to sort shit out for themselves as the refs in this league are so bad. It's the snowflake and newbies and people with lack of understanding for the game that have other ideas of how the game should be played that want a good old fationed straightener removed from the game. If a poll was done with fans I bet 75% at least would like the odd fight in a game

I would say 85%

 

[lloyd_jeff]

It does add to the game and also detract if it’s done too much, l guess circumstances in which players find it necessary to drop gloves and are, let’s say let loose, tend to be the best games to watch. In our case when we started the season the coach comments regarding big physical bodies up front and fans naming Brandt as the most entertaining player for yrs in a Devils shirt, then yes, those kinds of fan comments are to be expected when it’s not happening………again. The only reason you’d have big body forwards is to muscle & aggravate defensemen, which will naturally only go one way, the game will go aggressive.

 

[moggy#9]

"Shame they don't fight, butt"

"Get into him, butt"

"We need a good scuffle to stop them from playing"

----

I had to listen to the above and variations of it last night (from lads who fancied themselves hockey pundits...) and a hell of a lot more around the rink lately and simply ask this; do you pay to see fights?

Also, are you living in the past?

Do you enjoy risking a player in the penalty box?

Are we taking neutrals to games on the premise there will be fights?

Move on with the times, folks. It's over.

Another symptom of saturday night games as the knuckle draggers go to IAW on their way to their own drunken 2am punch up on st Mary Street?

Don't get me wrong, there will always be some fighting in hockey, that's how the game polices itself, but this isn't slapshot.

If we carry on encouraging those sorts of people we'll end up hockey being just like football with crowd trouble and abusive behaviour.

 

[Wannabe2]

Well if we paid to see fights there would be no one at the Arena, so that theory is out the window.

 

[Earnie]

Not a brilliant topic. Been done too many times before. Going nowhere imo.

 

[Kevlar68]

Not a brilliant topic. Been done too many times before. Going nowhere imo.

I don't think this topic is the usual fighting topic, about fighting in the game, i think it's more about some spectators are going because they've seen films like Slapshot, Youngblood etc or heard that there is fights and are going expecting fights not for the ice hockey itself.

 

[moggy#9]

I don't think this topic is the usual fighting topic, about fighting in the game, i think it's more about some spectators are going because they've seen films like Slapshot, Youngblood etc or heard that there is fights and are going expecting fights not for the ice hockey itself.

Agreed. It's about the get shit faced and have a punch up crowd.

 

[kingmo19.1]

Not a brilliant topic. Been done too many times before. Going nowhere imo.

That’s very disrespectful - you asking for a fight ?

 

[hip check]

Matches down the rink are generally attended by regulars/semi regulars, who all know what to expect from a game of hockey. Skill, speed, physicality, commitment, body checks and the odd gloves off. Pushing and shoving is more the norm these days than a full blown toe to toe.
Personally I like a good toe to toe which I believe adds to the spectacle.
Newbies and one timers would probably be disappointed if they came to see some fisty cuffs as we rarely get any these days so would soon lose interest, as for the OP stating time wasted in the sin bin both players would be penalised so we would still see even numbers on the ice, fighting is part of the game and sometimes necessary so let's all sit back and enjoy the game as a whole fighting included.

 

[Swarley]

If you want to pay to see fights then go watch mma, hockey is about skill, speed, big hits and a team that lives and breathes for the badge.

Do I like hockey fights? Hell yes it's part of the game but its not needed at every game.

 

[Hodor]

I'd like to think anyone who attended last Saturday (vs Steelers) expecting to see a fight, would have been more impressed with the quality of the 1st period, than disappointed by the lack of fighting. Maybe wishful thinking, though.

 

[Wannabe2]

I'd like to think anyone who attended last Saturday (vs Steelers) expecting to see a fight, would have been more impressed with the quality of the 1st period, than disappointed by the lack of fighting. Maybe wishful thinking, though.

Like you say that first period was pure poetry in motion, and at that stage fighting was the last thing to think about, the speed, the skill, the saves were all so good, but as the game started to drift away from us we needed something to try turn this thing around, and that didn’t have to be fighting. But we were the home team, we have some big guys in this team, and this is our barn, if you can’t give the fans goals then give them something to shout about, this is Devils v Steelers our most disliked opponents were running the show. Giving away 2/3 goals obviously don’t help, but when your opposition are getting the upper hand and skill alone ain’t getting you anywhere, then other methods need to come into operation. It’s always crap watching Steelers outplaying you, but when their physically outplaying you also it’s a real bummer.

 

[hip check]

Like you say that first period was pure poetry in motion, and at that stage fighting was the last thing to think about, the speed, the skill, the saves were all so good, but as the game started to drift away from us we needed something to try turn this thing around, and that didn’t have to be fighting. But we were the home team, we have some big guys in this team, and this is our barn, if you can’t give the fans goals then give them something to shout about, this is Devils v Steelers our most disliked opponents were running the show. Giving away 2/3 goals obviously don’t help, but when your opposition are getting the upper hand and skill alone ain’t getting you anywhere, then other methods need to come into operation. It’s always crap watching Steelers outplaying you, but when their physically outplaying you also it’s a real bummer.

Absolutely hit the nail on the head there 'Wannabe'