Has this offseason changed your view about fighting in hockey?

[tacogeoff]

Absolutely! I'll never argue that fighting isn't entertaining.
But I also believe that's the only thing it offers anymore.
And if that's the case, is the game so bad that we need to allow bare-knuckle boxing to help promote it?
The NHL could have ****-fighting during intermissions and I doubt many would leave their seats for it.
So in that regard, my question is, just because it's entertaining, does it belong in the game?

I've changed my views over the years. I honestly don't believe fighting does anything to change the outcome of games. If it did, we'd see even more of it in the playoffs.
Fighting is a sideshow attraction and I'm not sure the NHL wants to risk a P.R. nightmare where a player is dead on the ice only to satisfy the blood-lust of it's fans.
We had 3 goons die this summer and it was all over the news - and not in a good way.
I can only imagine what kind of damage would occur for the NHL if someone died, ala Don Sanderson, in an NHL game.

Anyway, thanks for the thoughtful reply. It's nice to discuss fighting and voicing my displeasure for it without name calling being involved.

Just to correct you. 3 Hockey players passed away this summer, even though they chucked knuckles they still played the game...just not as skilled as most.

Fighting has a rich history in hockey and is nothing new. As for promoting the aspect of fighting...I believe the fans do this via youtube, websites etc due to the interest of fighting in sport. Thus proving its popularity.

I cannot see the NHL banning it. If they ban fighting then they might as well ban all physical contact as most serious injuries in the NHL have occured via blind side hits, icing plays and hitting from behind. I believe someone will more likely die from a physical play then a fight.

Np I am always up for a discussion about fighting. I believe it has a place in hockey along with the big heavy hitting. Take those out and we might as well have figure skaters with sticks. :p jk.

Heck I wont lie, I enjoy having gritty players in the NHL. My favorite player always has been Chris Neil.

 

[BogsDiamond]

Just to correct you. 3 Hockey players passed away this summer, even though they chucked knuckles they still played the game...just not as skilled as most.

Fighting has a rich history in hockey and is nothing new. As for promoting the aspect of fighting...I believe the fans do this via youtube, websites etc due to the interest of fighting in sport. Thus proving its popularity.

I cannot see the NHL banning it. If they ban fighting then they might as well ban all physical contact as most serious injuries in the NHL have occured via blind side hits, icing plays and hitting from behind. I believe someone will more likely die from a physical play then a fight.

Np I am always up for a discussion about fighting. I believe it has a place in hockey along with the big heavy hitting. Take those out and we might as well have figure skaters with sticks. :p jk.

Heck I wont lie, I enjoy having gritty players in the NHL. My favorite player always has been Chris Neil.

I promise not to hold that against you.

Regarding big-hitting, the funny thing is, if you watch classic games from the 50's thru 80's there's barely any hitting. If it weren't for the horrendous stick work, you would think you're watching a game of shinny.

Regarding the whole head-hits, etc. I'm still unsure why the NHL and NHLPA haven't simply banned hard-capped equipment.
It's very hard to be a human cannonball if you're shoulder will separate after each devastating hit.
You'd have to be far more selective in picking your shots.

Cheers!

 

[tacogeoff]

I promise not to hold that against you.

Regarding big-hitting, the funny thing is, if you watch classic games from the 50's thru 80's there's barely any hitting. If it weren't for the horrendous stick work, you would think you're watching a game of shinny.

Regarding the whole head-hits, etc. I'm still unsure why the NHL and NHLPA haven't simply banned hard-capped equipment.
It's very hard to be a human cannonball if you're shoulder will separate after each devastating hit.
You'd have to be far more selective in picking your shots.

Cheers!

Lol I like a physical game. I guess he has been a favorite player in my eyes because he reflects the way I used to play with grit, passion, heart and the odd goal.

I think we need to keep in mind that the game is always evolving. It is never going to be the same from decade to decade. There will always be ways to improve and win as you highlited with some guys doing boxing and MMA training. The same can be said with new forms and evolution in strength/endurance training and equipment changes. Furthermore the money has gotten alot better then back then thus raising the competitive level among players.

 

[BogsDiamond]

Lol I like a physical game. I guess he has been a favorite player in my eyes because he reflects the way I used to play with grit, passion, heart and the odd goal.

I think we need to keep in mind that the game is always evolving. It is never going to be the same from decade to decade. There will always be ways to improve and win as you highlited with some guys doing boxing and MMA training. The same can be said with new forms and evolution in strength/endurance training and equipment changes. Furthermore the money has gotten alot better then back then thus raising the competitive level among players.

VERY, very true.
Add in talent from across the pond and you have a lot less jobs, making every shift a measure of dire straits.

The players are all so hungry to earn an NHL job, it's like they'll stop at nothing to earn one.

 

[txpd]

a couple of points.

* fighting is a cheap and lazy way of getting a team to get involved in a game. the majority of nhl fighting is about setting a tone or creating momentum. if you cant score a goal, you can start a fight. if coaches and managers didnt use that crutch, this would be less of an issue.

we certainly know that brian burke like a heavy fighting squad for strategic reasons. its not about standing up for a teammate. its about using a fighting advantage to gain advantage elsewhere in the game.

too much of that sort of fighting is the problem.

* NHL fighting is a profession and players that fight are getting hurt more often and worse. It used to be people would say that nobody gets hurt in a hockey fight. Its different now. The Capitals had three players that did most of their fighting. Matt Bradley, Matt Hendricks, and John Erskine. That all three of them were concussed last season in fights is a red flag. That can't continue.

 

[tacogeoff]

a couple of points.

* fighting is a cheap and lazy way of getting a team to get involved in a game. the majority of nhl fighting is about setting a tone or creating momentum. if you cant score a goal, you can start a fight. if coaches and managers didnt use that crutch, this would be less of an issue.

we certainly know that brian burke like a heavy fighting squad for strategic reasons. its not about standing up for a teammate. its about using a fighting advantage to gain advantage elsewhere in the game.

too much of that sort of fighting is the problem.

* NHL fighting is a profession and players that fight are getting hurt more often and worse. It used to be people would say that nobody gets hurt in a hockey fight. Its different now. The Capitals had three players that did most of their fighting. Matt Bradley, Matt Hendricks, and John Erskine. That all three of them were concussed last season in fights is a red flag. That can't continue.

It is a players choice to fight. Bradley, Hendricks and Ersk did not have to fight. It is their personal choice to drop the gloves or not.

I do agree with your post regarding Burke and how he likes to have a grittier team. But I dont find anything wrong with that. Currently his team is not really that heavy in fighters at all.

I understand that you are against fighting in hockey. I believe that hockey fights have a rich history and entertainment factor in the NHL. I think it is a staple in the NHL and should continue based on fan fair. Sad to say but I do believe there will be a decline in interest with fighting removed and body contact moderated so much.

Lastly I just have to say that it is the player who decides if they want to drop the gloves and it is the player who decides if that this type of role is the way they want to earn their living. It is the player who decides they want to make millions of dollers a year in a very physical sport and risk putting their body in harms way.

 

[txpd]

i am not against fighting in hockey. i am against the weak and misguided defense of hockey. i am against the over use of fighting. the unnecessary fighting. i am against fans that claim fighting has to be in hockey or the cheap shots will run amok when what those fans really want is more fighting because they like fighting. like those that are against the instigator rule. you would think that removing the instigator rule would deter bad things and actually cut down on fighting. when i dont know a single anti instigator fan who is not also in favor of more fighting.


lets start with, "Bradley, Hendricks and Ersk did not have to fight. It is their personal choice to drop the gloves or not."

you are just lying to yourself if you believe this. during 24/7 hendricks talks about his fighting. he didnt fight. he didnt want to fight. he found that a player of equal ability and result as a hockey player would get that last nhl roster spot if he was willing to fight.
adding fighting to his game got him in the league, but if he didnt need to do it to stay in the league, he wouldnt.

in the same episode boudreau tells him that he "doesnt have to fight all the time. that its a terrible thing and he doesnt have to do it every game, but sometimes he does."

as long as fighting to gain the upper hand/momentum in a game is legal and encouraged there will be players that have to do it. if you think a player like hendricks isnt selling himself to get into the league and that he fights because he wants to, you are greatly misinformed.

erskine has said similar things. he was concussed in a fight. returning he said that he didnt want to fight anymore. if he has to, he will, but he would prefer not to anymore.

there's this defense of fighting that says that the players know what they are getting themselves into when they drop the gloves. if they get hurt, its too bad, but its hockey and people get hurt.

what the nhlpa and the league are saying is that they dont want to do it anymore if the injuries are escalating. that they know what they are getting into and dont want to do it anymore.

 

[Mike8]

Very nicely said, txpd.

 

[tacogeoff]

i am not against fighting in hockey. i am against the weak and misguided defense of hockey. i am against the over use of fighting. the unnecessary fighting. i am against fans that claim fighting has to be in hockey or the cheap shots will run amok when what those fans really want is more fighting because they like fighting. like those that are against the instigator rule. you would think that removing the instigator rule would deter bad things and actually cut down on fighting. when i dont know a single anti instigator fan who is not also in favor of more fighting.


you are just lying to yourself if you believe this. during 24/7 hendricks talks about his fighting. he didnt fight. he didnt want to fight. he found that a player of equal ability and result as a hockey player would get that last nhl roster spot if he was willing to fight.

adding fighting to his game got him in the league, but if he didnt need to do it to stay in the league, he wouldnt.

there's this defense of fighting that says that the players know what they are getting themselves into when they drop the gloves. if they get hurt, its too bad, but its hockey and people get hurt.

what the nhlpa and the league are saying is that they dont want to do it anymore if the injuries are escalating. that they know what they are getting into and dont want to do it anymore.

So what you are saying is that it was hendricks personal choice and decision to fight in order to get the last roster spot........so how am I lying to myself that it wasnt his decision to fight?

You just told me Hendricks made the personal choice to fight in order to make the NHL? So by his own means and whims he decided to drop the mitts and take on that roll to make a living. It was his choice to do so.


They do know what they are getting themselves into. As a hockey player if I drop the gloves with a person I am playing against we arent going to play rock paper scissors.....

I do not know how it will affect the game if fighting is removed. The NHLPA has every right to consider the aspect of injuries that do occur from fighting and other aspects of the game.

I believe if they take fighting out of the game they may as well take body contact out of the game as well. As a high percentage of injuries occur due to body contact.

With that being said...if they do choose to remove fighting, how will it change the game in your eyes? also do you believe it will have an effect on the U.S. markets?

 

[BogsDiamond]

txpd, I agree.
I don't think there's many hockey players that look forward to fighting.

I think of it as high school. If I knew I had to fight every 3rd day, I'd dread going to school. I'd probably quit, or drown my anxiety with booze and substances.

Now, if I'm at school and everything's going swell until some meathead acts like a jerk, and you defend yourself - that's one thing.
You weren't anticipating it, it just happened out of anger or defense.

But a lot of fights occur on the ice due to unwritten rules that are outdated today.

However, I want to give credit to Ziggy66. He's voicing his opinion in a very mature manor without piping off with name-calling or theatrics.
And he fully admits that fighting is entertaining. Of that much, we can all agree.

However, I think in today's era, that's all fighting brings to the table. A sideshow of entertainment that has no bearing on the outcomes of any games. Only to thrill the crowd.

 

[BogsDiamond]

So what you are saying is that it was hendricks personal choice and decision to fight in order to get the last roster spot........so how am I lying to myself that it wasnt his decision to fight?

You just told me Hendricks made the personal choice to fight in order to make the NHL? So by his own means and whims he decided to drop the mitts and take on that roll to make a living. It was his choice to do so.

I hope you don't mind if I answer some of these.
First, you're right, Hendrix chose to fight in order to earn a spot. But I think what txpd is saying is that he'd prefer he didnt' have to make that choice - that he could make a team based on skill and if it were up to him, he'd never have to fight.

I do not know how it will affect the game if fighting is removed. The NHLPA has every right to consider the aspect of injuries that do occur from fighting and other aspects of the game.

I believe if they take fighting out of the game they may as well take body contact out of the game as well. As a high percentage of injuries occur due to body contact.

I'm not sure about that. There's a lot of body contact in the World Jrs and Olympics even without fighting and it's the best hockey you'll see all year.
You could say the same for playoff hockey as well.
But I agree that way more injuries occur due to body contact. But I think if they can eliminate all dirty hits and head-hits, you'll knock those numbers down big time.

With that being said...if they do choose to remove fighting, how will it change the game in your eyes? also do you believe it will have an effect on the U.S. markets?

I think it'll hurt some markets. But not as bad as some think. In the big hockey markets, people will watch no matter what. Hockey fans are rabid and loyal. Coming back from 2 lockouts in 10 years proves that.
There'll be a lot of disgruntled fans at first, but I think people will still come to enjoy the sport.
And in most non-traditional markets, most of those teams don't even have a fighter.
TB and Carolina have done well at the gates and both teams are built on speed and finesse.
Ironically, it's the big hockey markets like Philly, Toronto and Boston that have a lot more goons.

I also believe there's great potential to attract a whole new legion of fans that stayed away due to fighting. Who knows?

 

[tacogeoff]

txpd, I agree.
I don't think there's many hockey players that look forward to fighting.

I think of it as high school. If I knew I had to fight every 3rd day, I'd dread going to school. I'd probably quit, or drown my anxiety with booze and substances.

Now, if I'm at school and everything's going swell until some meathead acts like a jerk, and you defend yourself - that's one thing.
You weren't anticipating it, it just happened out of anger or defense.

But a lot of fights occur on the ice due to unwritten rules that are outdated today.

However, I want to give credit to Ziggy66. He's voicing his opinion in a very mature manor without piping off with name-calling or theatrics.
And he fully admits that fighting is entertaining. Of that much, we can all agree.

However, I think in today's era, that's all fighting brings to the table. A sideshow of entertainment that has no bearing on the outcomes of any games. Only to thrill the crowd.

To sum up my thoughts

I think it is the crowd that matters. Being totally selfish here but these are highly trained athletes who are being paid hundreds of thousands of dollers up to the millions a year. This money comes from the ticket holders and merchandise buyers. They are there to entertain us that is what a sport is..entertainment. Fighting is an aspect or a part of the game and has been for decades. The removal of it would bring along upheaval but eventually become accepted. The acceptance may change the game for better or for worse but may also alienate some of the market. In the U.S. today MMA/UFC is making leaps and bounds in veiwership and following so this tells me that fighting is a very embraced part of sport in the U.S. Lets face it a large portion of fans are males 20-35 who are full of testosterone and enjoy the physical aspect of the game along with the amazing plays and glorious goals.

So if they take fighting away will I be choked?....probably but I will come to accept it. If they limit the physical play and hitting to the point that players wont take risks to make those big hits...I may step back and question if I am entertained.

 

[BogsDiamond]

To sum up my thoughts

I think it is the crowd that matters. Being totally selfish here but these are highly trained athletes who are being paid hundreds of thousands of dollers up to the millions a year. This money comes from the ticket holders and merchandise buyers. They are there to entertain us that is what a sport is..entertainment. Fighting is an aspect or a part of the game and has been for decades. The removal of it would bring along upheaval but eventually become accepted. The acceptance may change the game for better or for worse but may also alienate some of the market. In the U.S. today MMA/UFC is making leaps and bounds in veiwership and following so this tells me that fighting is a very embraced part of sport in the U.S. Lets face it a large portion of fans are males 20-35 who are full of testosterone and enjoy the physical aspect of the game along with the amazing plays and glorious goals.

So if they take fighting away will I be choked?....probably but I will come to accept it. If they limit the physical play and hitting to the point that players wont take risks to make those big hits...I may step back and question if I am entertained.

That's really where the debate falls on either side.
As a fan, you want to be entertained and who's not entertained by fighting?
As a fan who used to love the fights and big goon showdowns, I've changed my tune.
I see the longterm damage it can cause and the blackeye it gives the sport.

Fighting's always been a part of the game, but not nearly as much as it is now.
The goon was used in the 70's to help sell tickets in the WHA. To help create excitement and entertainment for the fan.

If the NHL really believes it needs fighting to give a fan their money's worth, then perhaps they need to look at their game and see why it can't be sold on it's own.

This is a debate for another day, but I believe if the game featured more clean, quality goals, fighting wouldn't be needed to sell tickets.

 

[Rob Scuderi]

So what you are saying is that it was hendricks personal choice and decision to fight in order to get the last roster spot........so how am I lying to myself that it wasnt his decision to fight?

You just told me Hendricks made the personal choice to fight in order to make the NHL? So by his own means and whims he decided to drop the mitts and take on that roll to make a living. It was his choice to do so.


They do know what they are getting themselves into. As a hockey player if I drop the gloves with a person I am playing against we arent going to play rock paper scissors.....

I think his point is that when that "decision" to fight or not commands a difference in pay that's at least hundreds of thousands of dollars then it's really not much of a decision anymore. Sure plenty of people could live comfortably off the close to 6 figure salary that a guy on a two-way would be paid, especially if you're just organizational depth, but when the stakes are that high it's easy to understand how the players could feel forced into choosing to fight. Granted none of it is really required but if you were going to lose your dream and paycheck it wouldn't feel so simple to just walk away or start fighting.

 

[tacogeoff]

I think his point is that when that "decision" to fight or not commands a difference in pay that's at least hundreds of thousands of dollars then it's really not much of a decision anymore. Sure plenty of people could live comfortably off the close to 6 figure salary that a guy on a two-way would be paid, especially if you're just organizational depth, but when the stakes are that high it's easy to understand how the players could feel forced into choosing to fight. Granted none of it is really required but if you were going to lose your dream and paycheck it wouldn't feel so simple to just walk away or start fighting.

A decision is a decision. the previous poster proved my point. He consciously decided to fight in order to propel himself into a NHL organization. Obviously he has been a fan of the game and knew what the game entails and that his offensive play was not up to snuff. No one made him or forced him to follow the path he did.

 

[txpd]

To sum up my thoughts

I think it is the crowd that matters. Being totally selfish here but these are highly trained athletes who are being paid hundreds of thousands of dollers up to the millions a year. This money comes from the ticket holders and merchandise buyers. They are there to entertain us that is what a sport is..entertainment. Fighting is an aspect or a part of the game and has been for decades. The removal of it would bring along upheaval but eventually become accepted. The acceptance may change the game for better or for worse but may also alienate some of the market. In the U.S. today MMA/UFC is making leaps and bounds in veiwership and following so this tells me that fighting is a very embraced part of sport in the U.S. Lets face it a large portion of fans are males 20-35 who are full of testosterone and enjoy the physical aspect of the game along with the amazing plays and glorious goals.

So if they take fighting away will I be choked?....probably but I will come to accept it. If they limit the physical play and hitting to the point that players wont take risks to make those big hits...I may step back and question if I am entertained.

mma and ufc are fighting bodies. nhl is hockey.

honestly you sound like a guy that would have been unhappy with the end of the gladiator bouts in rome.

 

[tacogeoff]

mma and ufc are fighting bodies. nhl is hockey.

honestly you sound like a guy that would have been unhappy with the end of the gladiator bouts in rome.

Please...we do not need to resort to personal attacks. This is a discussion.

Obviouisly MMA and UFC are different then the NHL ....never said they were the same. But a large amount of UFC fans are also hockey fans. TThe UFC sold out very fast in Montreal, Vancouver and record breaking in Toronto. They have/share the same age/group market as the NHL. That is the reason why I used them as an example in my previous statement.

 

[Mike8]

Please...we do not need to resort to personal attacks. This is a discussion.

Obviouisly MMA and UFC are different then the NHL ....never said they were the same. But a large amount of UFC fans are also hockey fans. TThe UFC sold out very fast in Montreal, Vancouver and record breaking in Toronto. They have/share the same age/group market as the NHL. That is the reason why I used them as an example in my previous statement.

I don't see the MMA/UFC argument helping your cause at all in this argument, frankly. UFC is very popular in Montreal, sure. And yet, Montreal fans aren't huge fans of fighting in general. If you wander over to that forum, you'll see as much, if not more, support for the eradication of fighting from hockey than of fans who enjoy fighting.

 

[tacogeoff]

I don't see the MMA/UFC argument helping your cause at all in this argument, frankly. UFC is very popular in Montreal, sure. And yet, Montreal fans aren't huge fans of fighting in general. If you wander over to that forum, you'll see as much, if not more, support for the eradication of fighting from hockey than of fans who enjoy fighting.

It is understandable that you do not see the parallels between the two markets. My point with the comparison between the two markets was that they were one in the same. I was attributing a possible decline in viewership if fighting is banned and players are afraid to commit to body contact based on increasing suspensions. These are current aspects of the game that my generation (20-30) has grown up with, learned to love and appreciate along with the fast pace, great scoring and fabulous playmaking.

I guess we will wait and see what happens. I think this is like the Hawaiian pizza conondrum..half the people will like it and half will not.

 

[txpd]

I believe if they take fighting out of the game they may as well take body contact out of the game as well. As a high percentage of injuries occur due to body contact.

i know what i want to say here and i won't. if you believe that, you are allowed your opinion.

 

[txpd]

txpd, I agree.
I don't think there's many hockey players that look forward to fighting.

I think of it as high school. If I knew I had to fight every 3rd day, I'd dread going to school. I'd probably quit, or drown my anxiety with booze and substances.

Now, if I'm at school and everything's going swell until some meathead acts like a jerk, and you defend yourself - that's one thing.
You weren't anticipating it, it just happened out of anger or defense.

But a lot of fights occur on the ice due to unwritten rules that are outdated today.

However, I want to give credit to Ziggy66. He's voicing his opinion in a very mature manor without piping off with name-calling or theatrics.
And he fully admits that fighting is entertaining. Of that much, we can all agree.

However, I think in today's era, that's all fighting brings to the table. A sideshow of entertainment that has no bearing on the outcomes of any games. Only to thrill the crowd.

ziggy wants fighting. thats the bottom line and he is allowed his opinion. 0n the other hand those defending fighting by saying it just happened out of anger or defense are passing over the basic difference of opinion.

that is that i have no issue with the anger or defense fight. those are a minority though. reality is that a team gives up two first period goals and are listless and the coach sends out someone that will fight. there is a pre face off conversation between that player and an opposing player and after the face off, two players that had hardly breathed on each other all night are fighting. sometimes its two goons, but often times its guys like bradley or downie or carcillo or prust.

the majority of nhl fights are like these now days. its not about anger or defense. its about momentum. the league and the nhlpa very likely recognize that these fights of choice and of tactics/strategy are not worthy of a concussion. out of anger or defense might very well be worth the risk, but the kick start a listless team? hell no.

where my opinion and ziggy's conflict is that he and those like minded fans dont want any reduction in fighting. they would be very happy to see more. while i think the time has come to check the optional fights at the door in order to save the required fights as part of the game.

 

[habsjunkie2*]

I have yet to see a list of benefits for removing fighting. The possible side effects of eliminating it, which is impossible btw, are far greater than not.

Why should banning fighting be a top priority. The game has had fighting since it's existence, so prove your case as to why it should be eliminated. I chose hockey as my favorite sport knowing that the odd fisticuffs would happen, why should it be removed?

Give 3 reasons.

Keep in mind that there has been zero ties to the 3 deaths and fighting and that the idea that the overall product would increase with slightly superior forth liners is bs. It wouldn't, so why the crackdown? To change a rule you have to show how it would improve the game, I haven't seen a good case yet.

 

[txpd]

are you choosing not to see the reasons? personally i am not suggesting eliminating it. in fact ive said that it would never be eliminated. i am suggesting that it should be reduced.

* fighting is resulting in increasing numbers of head injuries as the fighters themselves become better at the trade.

* the league is making is direct effort to cut down on head injuries. trying to reduce and/or eliminate blows to the head loses its credibility when players are allow and even encouraged by coaches and management to punch each other in the head.

Thats all the list you need to see. Thats the push behind any talk of change.

 

[habsjunkie2*]

A decision is a decision. the previous poster proved my point. He consciously decided to fight in order to propel himself into a NHL organization. Obviously he has been a fan of the game and knew what the game entails and that his offensive play was not up to snuff. No one made him or forced him to follow the path he did.

On top of that, why do NHL coaches/gms feel the need to employ tough guys, if it was so meaningless and useless, these guys wouldn't need to fight to make a roster in the first place, seems many hockey minds feel that they are a valuable asset to their clubs.

Why do 99% of players polled answer overwhelmingly that they do NOT want fighting removed, many of the players not being fighters themselves. Why did Teemu Selanne suggest that having the Grim Reapers presence on the bench alone make playing hockey for him easier. Was he lying? Is he brought up in a culture that completely deludes his opinion, I find that to be a stretch. Those involved in the game believe that fighting has it's place. Just the other night when Shanny addressed the hit by the wiz he stated in his explanation that the wiz could of sought revenge/retaliation in a different manner, what do yu think he was referring to. It is much safer for two combatants to square off and rop the gloves rather than throw sucker elbows to the head. Retaliation will happen in a game as fast pace and intense as hockey and fighting is the safest form.

 

[habsjunkie2*]

are you choosing not to see the reasons? personally i am not suggesting eliminating it. in fact ive said that it would never be eliminated. i am suggesting that it should be reduced.

* fighting is resulting in increasing numbers of head injuries as the fighters themselves become better at the trade.

* the league is making is direct effort to cut down on head injuries. trying to reduce and/or eliminate blows to the head loses its credibility when players are allow and even encouraged by coaches and management to punch each other in the head.

Thats all the list you need to see. Thats the push behind any talk of change.

To be honest, there hasn't been much talk of change within the league itself, I don't think they are ever seriously even considering it. Reducing fighting will not reduce concussions. Retribution will be sought and fighting is the least likely form to result in a concussion.