"I'm coming after you next time we play each other"...

[MD56]

Curious how you guys handle this situation.

We beat a team two weeks ago in what was definitely one of the more physical games I've ever played in. The other team was a bunch 22-23 year old guys with a short fuse a chip on their shoulder. Toward the end of the game things got pretty chippy, words were exchanged, there were a few scrums after the whistle but nothing more than a face wash and telling guys to "chill out".

So after the handshake a couple guys on their side pick out one of our smaller guys (but also one of our more physical player) and call him out (apparently he did something they didn't like). I think the exact words were "We're F'ing coming after you next time we play you guys".

So as luck would have it, guess who we play again this week!?

Our team is a bunch of 30 year old guys with families, none of us are looking to get in a scrap, get kicked out, or worse (our rink is owned by a NHL franchise and has been known to call the cops after a dust up). There's no doubt in my mind that these other guys are going to come in looking to start crap...

So i guess the question is, how do you guys approach a game like this?

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[Renbarg]

Just play. They'll say something or face wash him or something like that, but nothing major will come out of it.

 

[HarrisonFord]

Just play, and play them just as hard. Typically in mens league, if you don't want to fight you don't have to fight. Let them take penalties. This stuff happens. If they are going to press the issue, they'll likely find themselves suspended from the league

 

[Retire91]

I had this happen in a casual no hit leauge. Guy started stuff went after our goalie then then singled me out when I pulled him off. Next time we played he blind sided me after a whistle. Tore my rotator cuff and seperated my shoulder. I still have issues to this day. I would seriously watch it. It sucks being in leauges with 20 year olds. They don't know how to control their emotions. Happens in any leauge but I noticed the all ages leagues the most. Just keep your gaurd up and remember your family is more important than your pride when challenged by some 20 year old blow hard.

 

[Ozz]

Just play. Let them be the jerks.

My leagues get very dirty at times, and we're all full grown adults as well.

My team(s) and most others have people who take things overboard during or after games while still on the rink; and for the most part once it's done - it's done. Once in a while we'll have someone just keep advancing a melee, and it takes a guy like me to ice it over w/the other team. Necessary, probably not, but the show of goodwill is not lost on people. Even when I do get dirty or rough, the other teams know me to be a good guy rather than someone just looking for trouble. Thing is, those on my team who look for trouble will just throw punches and it'll look bad. I would hurt people and it would BE bad, which is why I don't get involved in that manner.

One of the leagues has started NOT scheduling games for certain teams to play each other unless the playoffs dictate such, but when it ever happens it's not like anyone goes out headhunting from the drop of the puck. If anything, the tight games lead from one thing to another and it eventually boils over and the game just goes berzerk

 

[leftwinger37]

Doesn't sound like that's really your team's game. Always dictate the play; if you start trying to play their game, they've already won. Let them take a bunch of bad penalties and you guys can cash in on the PP. Just keep your heads up.

 

[sandysan]

Curious how you guys handle this situation.

We beat a team two weeks ago in what was definitely one of the more physical games I've ever played in. The other team was a bunch 22-23 year old guys with a short fuse a chip on their shoulder. Toward the end of the game things got pretty chippy, words were exchanged, there were a few scrums after the whistle but nothing more than a face wash and telling guys to "chill out".

So after the handshake a couple guys on their side pick out one of our smaller guys (but also one of our more physical player) and call him out (apparently he did something they didn't like). I think the exact words were "We're F'ing coming after you next time we play you guys".

So as luck would have it, guess who we play again this week!?

Our team is a bunch of 30 year old guys with families, none of us are looking to get in a scrap, get kicked out, or worse (our rink is owned by a NHL franchise and has been known to call the cops after a dust up). There's no doubt in my mind that these other guys are going to come in looking to start crap...

So i guess the question is, how do you guys approach a game like this?

this is always hard to say, if you turn the other cheek they might see this as a sign that there are no consequences for taking repeated liberties.

I'm not saying that this will work, but I know it has worked. Next time you play, line up right beside them and say " i dont want to go, but if we are gonna go lets go here and now and I'm only going once" Two possible outcomes, he drops it and you don't have to look over your shoulder all game or you go and at least you have a chance of defending yourself and not risk getting a lot more injured if he runs you or goes after your knees. the third possibility is that he declines and then submarines you anyways which unfortunately doesnt help you at all but as you realize, if that's his intention its hard to stop him no mater what you do. letting someone in the league know that you heard it thought the grapevine that there might be fireworks that you want no part of might help, but if you do get into it with the guy, that pre-knowledge isnt likely to help you at all.

lots of idiots think they are super tough and say stupid things in the heat of the moment. time passes and tempers cool down. if its an empty threat, its pretty easy to expose it.

its really a crappy situation to be in, no one should be planning " payback" in a pickup league.

 

[Brunomics]

Play hard, take no **** and keep your head up.

Odds are nothing is going to happen next game anyways.

 

[Goonzilla]

I say 'why wait buddy'?..'there's no time time like the present' and 'don't let fear hold you back'.

Then 'are you just gonna stand there now and let everyone see what a big ***** you really are'?

See you next time then.

 

[Goonzilla]

Most guys are just hot air..especially the ones that say 'we'll get you next time'. 'Next time..really'?

 

[ArcataShark]

I'd say, "well then, I'll have to call your mom and tell her I'm gonna be late.." ohhhhhhhh

 

[lorwood]

Once you come to the realization that all beer league games are meaningless affairs you reach full maturity nirvana. Then you can really start to have fun with the neanderthals.
Once someone starts to chirp in your face and wants to go try some of these quips to throw them off their game

"Golly you don't have to get so sore" use boyish inflection

"Gee mister I don't want any trouble" same inflection

"AHH YOUR MOTHER'S SISTER IS YOUR AUNT!!!" Say loudly with snarl
9 times out of 10 your "opponent" won't know how to react"
I am sorry but to get into an altercation in beer league hockey?

 

[tarheelhockey]

I agree that most of the time it's just hot air.

That said, maybe during warmups you sidle up next to the refs and quietly explain what happened last game and that you don't want to see things get ugly. That should take care of it early.

 

[bigwillie]

I agree with tarheelhockey. 99% of the time, it was a testostone-fueled, heat of the moment remark that won't result in anything. But, to cover your bases, you or your captain can mention to the ref in warmups to keep an eye on him. If he does start acting up, the ref will know why, and will be quicker to settle him down. Hell, that may even help you - he starts throwing a few small slashes or gives a few shoves, you may end up with an early, easy PP because of it.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Ultimately, if you want to keep playing, then you basically have to just ride out the bull-**** until the other team gets themselves penalized and/or kicked out.

I've never been scared in men's league of someone breaking my ankle with an angry slash, so I wouldn't worry about that kind of thing too much.

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

If you let that get into your conscious whatsoever then they succeeded in their objective.

 

[sandysan]

If you let that get into your conscious whatsoever then they succeeded in their objective.

so you ignore it an hope that the idiot who essentially threatened you doesn't have the stones to follow through ?

this isn't the stanley cup, there are ( much to the chagrin of many) no scouts in the stands. my guess is that it is nothing but an empty threat, but I would really hate to play a shift much less a whole worrying that some guy is going to submarine my knees as recompense for some slight real or perceived. there are enough idiots out there that I don't need to play worrying about what they might do.

I think that fighting a guy in men's league is pretty silly, most fights are completely useless. but if you think a guy isnt bluffing and is likely to be " coming after you next time", I'm way more down with doing something where you have at least some modicum of control and the ability to defend yourself. if it gives you the hook, you still get to walk to your car.

 

[jazzykat]

This hasn't devolved yet so I will wade in:

The only time I ever retaliated was when I was slew footed and I felt sort of dumb afterwards because I got the wrong guy. Oh, and they also got a PP

To me the best thing is to not get stupidly hurt by whatever means. Accidents happen and this is a contact sport so injuries will happen but no one wants to get submarined or get a black eye fighting (do you?).

My recommendation is your assess the situation, maybe talk to your team's captain about it and as a team take the option that makes you all the safest and is least likely to escalate (because most likely that guy is just a talker and he won't do anything).

I personally would play my game like always with special attention to compromising situations (back turned digging in corner or whatever) and ensure that whatever I did to the other team was hard but legal.

 

[Brunomics]

so you ignore it an hope that the idiot who essentially threatened you doesn't have the stones to follow through ?

this isn't the stanley cup, there are ( much to the chagrin of many) no scouts in the stands. my guess is that it is nothing but an empty threat, but I would really hate to play a shift much less a whole worrying that some guy is going to submarine my knees as recompense for some slight real or perceived. there are enough idiots out there that I don't need to play worrying about what they might do.

I think that fighting a guy in men's league is pretty silly, most fights are completely useless. but if you think a guy isnt bluffing and is likely to be " coming after you next time", I'm way more down with doing something where you have at least some modicum of control and the ability to defend yourself. if it gives you the hook, you still get to walk to your car.

Wait you've never been threatened in a hockey game before??? I find that hard to believe. **** like that happens all the time. It's a rarity that anyone ever follows through.

Not to call you out on it but you have to have pretty thin skin to worry about someone saying "they are going to get you" in a rec league game.

 

[Beezeral]

I wouldn't worry about it. Mention to the ref before the game to keep an eye on the player who made the threat and play the game. Unlikely that there is a carry over. Its beer league

 

[Blufreezy]

Put a smile on your face and skate away when they talk ****, play the game and let them watch from the box.

 

[iconoclast22]

I would go in and play hard and clean. However, anybody that would take a cheap run trying to hurt someone or myself just being a punk, his ass would get worn out. Suspend me or do whatever after, but that would come with consequences and I'd accept mine without resistance. I wouldn't start it or even chirp with the guys, but an unprovoked attempt like that after they had time to cool off last game? Nope.

 

[Goonzilla]

I would go in and play hard and clean. However, anybody that would take a cheap run trying to hurt someone or myself just being a punk, his ass would get worn out. Suspend me or do whatever after, but that would come with consequences and I'd accept mine without resistance. I wouldn't start it or even chirp with the guys, but an unprovoked attempt like that after they had time to cool off last game? Nope.

Like this. Never start or look to start anything, walk (or skate) away if you can, but if it's unavoidable then do what is needed not to come second..and really send them a message. If someone is seriously out of line then their own team likely aren't gonna back him or have any sympathy for him.

 

[iconoclast22]

Like this. Never start or look to start anything, walk (or skate) away if you can, but if it's unavoidable then do what is needed not to come second..and really send them a message. If someone is seriously out of line then their own team likely aren't gonna back him or have any sympathy for him.

Exactly my thoughts, and I'm not sure I explained it myself too well in my post. My thoughts are for the unavoidable situation, some guy just blasts you or a team mate trying to injure and there was no skating away and no fueling the fire yourselves beforehand. Like a previous poster stated, you can end up with guys having long term nagging injuries like rotator cuff tears and stuff like that. I generally feel that fighting is a)avoidable, and b)trashy (if its not purely for sport). There are times though when you have to, and it's ok to when its in defense or to force someone to stop relentless bullying or a blatant attempt to harm. But by all means, avoid it if you can. Perhaps you could approach the officials beforehand and explain the situation-you want a clean game, such and such happened last game, and they can be mindful speech and body language that would indicate possible escalation and keep the ropes tight, limiting the possibility of things going to that level. If something STILL happens after all of that, well, it can be a good life lesson for a younger 20 something to learn that he's really not all that and cant just steamroll anyone whenever he wants without having to consider unpleasant consequences.

 

[OkimLom]

Seeing as this was the end of a game where emotions are probably still high, and was two weeks prior, most likely, the guys forgot they said anything at all. I find people who do this type of thing don't have mental capacity to remember anything two or three weeks later anyway. And if they do remember, they usually get themselves in penalty trouble early and some will even get themselves kicked out.

My advice is to just keep your head up, know your surroundings like any typical game and don't bother thinking about it. If you're worried about anything you're not going to play your best game and could lead to your team losing. If they somehow do remember just go to the ref, respectfully, and let them to know to keep an eye on the situations on the ice.