Fighting in Beer Leagues

[HIFE]

Last night I went to a friend's game(there was no televised games, haha). The opponents only had 5 players and a goalie. The score got out of hand and I'm sure they were frustrated. Anyway with 6 min to play their guy was rushing to the net, got tangled up with our player, and slashed him in the mid-section as he was falling. There was a scuffle behind the net and I thought the situation would diffuse.

All of sudden our boy starts pummeling the face of a guy that had fallen behind the net, it was brutal. Then a second fight breaks out. The two are both down quick so the one guy is cranking punches to this players ribs and back, it looked like a MMA fight! Sadly unlike the pros these refs did not jump in to break it up.

The whole thing was sickening, I'm sorry. What are you trying to prove? I thought it was shameful, grown men at an empty rink in the middle of nowhere on a Wednesday night having a bloody fistfight. So stupid and uncalled for. The strange thing was that (almost)everybody shook hands as they were exiting. Weird.

The game was called off and the 4 players who fought got 2 game suspensions. Next time they will be done for the season. In another league I know you are banned for even 1 fight. Is this a more common punishment for fighting?

Sorry for the essay here, just wanted to vent and hear others view of the topic.

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[Jumbo*]

They are idiots. Simple as that.

 

[Malreg]

This is the reason why I never got involved in any adult/garage leagues. Way too many people who think they're playing for the Stanley Cup.

Also, I don't blame the ref's for not stepping in. They are there making probably $30 to ref the game, the last thing they want is to get hit while trying to separate grown men acting like idiots.

 

[Pog Form]

Yep, happened all the time when I was playing in ASHL (a popular beer league around here). Um, it's 11:45 p.m. on a Monday night and I have work in the morning, don't try to punch me in the face wtf?

 

[ponder]

I think this is my 4th or 5th season of beer league now, there have been 2 fights involving my team in total. It's pretty stupid/uncalled for in beer league, but at least it's rare, like once every 50 games or so (with my team at least). It just happens in hockey at basically all levels though, sometimes guys just get heated. It was a 2 game suspension in the league I was playing in too (in a new league now, not sure what the rules are there). I understand the refs not stepping in once the fight is started, but one of the 2 fights they definitely should have stepped in. Two guys were battling for position in front of the net, give each other some shoves and taps once the play goes the other way, guy on my team goes to skate away, guy on their team drops his gloves, grabs him, and tries to start a fight. For a good 10 seconds or so the refs were standing right there, guy on my team says he has no interest in fighting, but the refs don't step in. Finally the guy on the other team just starts throwing punches, bad choice for him though as he picked a big dude on our team who knows how to throw em, guy on our team is forced to fight and 1 punches the other guy. When the guy on the other team fell to the ice he broke his hand and his collar bone, guy on my team was fine, and actually didn't even get suspended since the refs saw he clearly didn't want to fight. Instant karma for the other guy for his stupidity.

 

[HIFE]

Wow. Judgement for sure.

Talking with my buddy today he says sadly a fight happens with their team about 1/4 games. That seems crazy to me. He says it does tend to be the players who are aged 30-40's, may be it's part of that old-school culture. Like games in the 1980's through the 90's was a lot of fighting so they see it as a part of it all. My friend says he does try to discourage his team-mates from brawling, reminding them to just have fun and control their temper.

 

[nesford2457]

This is the reason why I never got involved in any adult/garage leagues. Way too many people who think they're playing for the Stanley Cup.

Also, I don't blame the ref's for not stepping in. They are there making probably $30 to ref the game, the last thing they want is to get hit while trying to separate grown men acting like idiots.

ONLY $30? They are there for a hour that's pretty good money for not doing a hole lot. Yes they should have broken it up they are being paid to do a job and they didn't do it.

 

[Malreg]

ONLY $30? They are there for a hour that's pretty good money for not doing a hole lot. Yes they should have broken it up they are being paid to do a job and they didn't do it.

I can tell you've never referee'd before...

Most of the time these leagues only have 1 referee on the ice, you really expect him to try and break up a brawl or two guys going at it?

 

[Grave77digger]

It happens. It took me over well over 100 games in adult league til I snapped on someone. A guy crashed our net and fell on top of goalie. I was standing directly behind the guy as he stood up and he planted an elbow straight into the middle of my face cracking my visor and bruising my nose. Needless to say I snapped. This stuff is typical with guys that wear cages. I got tossed from the game for trying to rip the guys cage off.

 

[OpenIceHit42]

I don't blame the refs for not stepping in, why risk any injury to themselves if a couple of benders want to be clowns?

I've seen a-lot of the wanna be bad guys in mens roller hockey then ice hockey. I currently play in HNA and they have pretty much no tolerance for fighting/etc (with the price of the league I know for one I'd be PO'd if I lost a few games for something stupid).

Now, I'm not saying I've never had my fair share of rough stuff because I have but there becomes a time when you realize it's not worth looking like an idiot/risking injury. I'm still a very physical player but there's a fine line between physical play and stupidity.

 

[Wildturkey12]

I think it happens anytime you men mix testosterone with adrenaline. We have 6 teams in my league and I would say during a 20 game season there is usually 3 fights. Its not always the meathead guys fighting either.

I once saw a fight on the green during a golf league. We were sitting on the patio laughing pretty hard. So it happens in every sport.

 

[Gino 14]

ONLY $30? They are there for a hour that's pretty good money for not doing a hole lot. Yes they should have broken it up they are being paid to do a job and they didn't do it.

The refs aren't paid to break up fights, rather they are told to stay out of them. When you've reffed for a few years and had to put up with the crap that officials take you can come back and give us your opinion then. Until then, just skate at half speed for a minute at a time, get off the ice and sit for 6 minutes and tell us how hard it is to do their job.

 

[OpenIceHit42]

This is the reason why I never got involved in any adult/garage leagues. Way too many people who think they're playing for the Stanley Cup.

Also, I don't blame the ref's for not stepping in. They are there making probably $30 to ref the game, the last thing they want is to get hit while trying to separate grown men acting like idiots.

I find it hard to believe their making $30 a game unless it's a high school league game or college game. Not a "beer league" game.

The refs aren't paid to break up fights, rather they are told to stay out of them. When you've reffed for a few years and had to put up with the crap that officials take you can come back and give us your opinion then. Until then, just skate at half speed for a minute at a time, get off the ice and sit for 6 minutes and tell us how hard it is to do their job.

I reffed youth (8&u-high school) for awhile a couple of summers ago and I tried to break up one fight in a high school game, BOTH myself and my partner got jacked during the fight. Needless to say that was the last time I tried to stop a fight.

 

[kr580]

ONLY $30? They are there for a hour that's pretty good money for not doing a hole lot. Yes they should have broken it up they are being paid to do a job and they didn't do it.

NHL refs get paid way more and they still wait until the fighters fall on the ground and are too tired out to do anything more. What makes you think a beer league ref wants to get themselves hurt for chump change? They have to work in the morning too. It's recreational hockey for everyone, not just the players.

 

[Bexlyspeed]

ONLY $30? They are there for a hour that's pretty good money for not doing a hole lot. Yes they should have broken it up they are being paid to do a job and they didn't do it.

also who protects the referees? obviously if the league lets fighting goe on do they really care if the ref gets a beating? if they didnt want fighting in the game they would have a ban the TEAMS from the competition. ibut once the $ is collected the organisers dont care, well thats my experience anyway.

 

[Greeneye]

Fighting in beer league? Probably the dumbest thing ever. People need to go to work the next day.

 

[markrander87]

This is the reason why I never got involved in any adult/garage leagues. Way too many people who think they're playing for the Stanley Cup.

Also, I don't blame the ref's for not stepping in. They are there making probably $30 to ref the game, the last thing they want is to get hit while trying to separate grown men acting like idiots.

I hate it when people say this. Everybody obviously knows they aren't going to the NHL and it's only a beer league. That being said it is still a physical sport with high energy, competitive people. Some times things get out of hand and it's not because people are "trying to win the stanley cup" or are clinging on to some sort of hockey career. It's called competitiveness get over it.

 

[The Tikkanen]

I hate it when people say this. Everybody obviously knows they aren't going to the NHL and it's only a beer league. That being said it is still a physical sport with high energy, competitive people. Some times things get out of hand and it's not because people are "trying to win the stanley cup" or are clinging on to some sort of hockey career. It's called competitiveness get over it.

Agreed. You don't have to be playing a sport. I've seen guys get knocked out cold walking down the street. You're dealing with men, some guys have some messed up reasons but hockey is a sport where basically you can mug somebody and sit in a penalty box for 2 minutes. If you did it in public you could go to jail. I've been playing in beer leagues for 18 years, have rarely seen fights, even more rare is 2 guys who know how to fight. It's usually a lot of talking, thumping of the chest but very rarely do I see 2 guys who want to fight. I try to never get caught off guard or go out on the ice expecting each person to play with sportsmanship and I have yet to get my ass handed to me or have a long list of injuries as a result of playing.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

It's part of the game. If you don't want to fight, then don't fight, if someone jumps you it becomes assault.

 

[mbeam]

I've only ever seen it happen a handful of teams after 5 or 6 years in various beer leagues, so it's not a real concern. Sometimes things get heated and shoving starts, but rarely has there ever been a fight.

Not to get off topic, but what do beer league refs make per game in your guys leagues? The one I used to play in, refs made well over $30 a game and I know if there was only one ref for an upper tier game they could make as much as $75. I'm not sure about the league I'm currently in.

 

[Fixed to Ruin]

Fighting in beer league? Probably the dumbest thing ever. People need to go to work the next day.

This is why I don't play Beer Leagues anymore.

My last game we we're up 7-1 in the 3rd period when i went into the corner to retrieve the puck. When I got 5 ft from the boards the defenseman cross-checked me in the numbers making me fall head first into the boards.

Luckily I got my hands up and ended up injuring my shoulder instead of getting a concussion (i already have a history of concussions) or a broken neck.

When I skated by the penalty box a few moments later and asked him in very strong language why he did that. The player with a big stupid smirk on his face told me he was sending a message for the next game.

Obviously, he's just one idiot in a group full of decent guys, but it just takes one idiot to ruin a game for everyone or worse put someone in a wheelchair.

People need to grow up

 

[Jarick]

Never seen a fight break out. You fight in my league, you get tossed for a year. Second fight, lifetime ban. Works great IMO. I have seen some goons come in and then get the one year suspension within a few games...waste of $500 + jerseys.

 

[iamjs]

Never seen a fight break out. You fight in my league, you get tossed for a year. Second fight, lifetime ban. Works great IMO. I have seen some goons come in and then get the one year suspension within a few games...waste of $500 + jerseys.

That's the way the last league I played in was (1 fight = gone for a year, 2nd fight = banned).

There were some exceptions, like one guy who was banned for repeated attempts to fight. Found out later he was banned from a handful of leagues prior to joining our league for fighting, and any attempt to fight would get him a ban from the league.

He agreed to it and lasted 2 games.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Yes they should have broken it up they are being paid to do a job and they didn't do it.

It's likely that you don't understand their "job", and you're just making an incorrect assumption. Refs in our adult leagues are specifically told to not break up fights. (In other words, by not breaking up the fights, they are "doing their job").

 

[Wilch]

I find fighting in non-combat sports in general is stupid.