unwritten rules of beer leagues?

[ponder]

I don't see whats wrong with chirping? If you play a clean game, and you can back up your words I say, say whatever you like. Agitators really do have a place in hockey more the Perry type than Carcillo I'd say. Guys who take you off your game by shadowing you and talking smack, and then while your all flustered go and score that big goal. Words do a lot to take a guy off their game, its just annoying when you've got a guy following you around hacking and slashing you (not getting any calls against him) and just talking smack, those are the guys who get hurt.

The problem is that you're comparing yourself to NHL players when you're playing beer league. Agitating is arguably slightly effective, but is it really worth it for beer league?


Also, for all the talk in this thread about violent retribution towards guys who are d-bags, it's actually extremely rare in beer league from what I've seen. If you are physically chippy towards people, expect to get it back (hit/slash and you'll be hit/slashed back, as expected), but if you're just showy/cocky but otherwise clean everyone will think you're a serious tool, but likely will not actually hurt you. Maybe guys will be a bit more physical with showboaters, but I've never seen guys take true cheapshots just for being flashy.

 

[SJGoalie32]

I don't see whats wrong with chirping? If you play a clean game, and you can back up your words I say, say whatever you like. Agitators really do have a place in hockey more the Perry type than Carcillo I'd say. Guys who take you off your game by shadowing you and talking smack, and then while your all flustered go and score that big goal. Words do a lot to take a guy off their game

I've never really seen "trash talking" actually take someone out of their game......or at least not more than a bad ice surface, a hard day at the office, a couple of kids who won't go to sleep, or the fatigue from a team that doesn't have it's full roster in attendance.

Chirping works sometimes in highly competitive play between two teams playing at their peak where the 1% difference in play it might cause one way or the other might actually swing the course of the game. When your chirping actually has less of an effect than whether or not a team's 4th d-man showed up because his boss made him work overtime......then in reality, it's just about you being a major dick.

Which is the point of guys like Perry and others at the NHL level.....they are PAID to do whatever it takes to win at all costs. In beer league, where people are paying to play, where you get people of varying skills and motivations, who have more important things in life to deal with, that sort of "win at all cost" mentality is out of place and can range from disrespectful to dangerous.

Best case scenario.....what....you annoy someone so much that they try to injure somebody and take a penalty....for what? So you can score a goal on the ensuing PP that the distracted scorekeeper will award to somebody else to help your team win a game that moves you up one higher seed for the playoffs that everybody makes for a championship that has no actual value? I just don't see the real benefit of being an intentionally disrespectful jerk to most people.

 

[madmutter]

i'm a 92, so this spring will be my first time playing adult hockey, all my friends made a team and this is everyones first time playing adult as well. i was wondering if theres any unspoken rules, things that everyone already knows

my friends are all talking about getting tinted visors and how they're going to dangle the **** out of everyone and etc. i feel like they're going to run up the score/ be cocky, and then get their ass kicked by some 30yr old guy who doesn't give a ****.

we're all used to competitive hockey, most of the guys played travel and/or high school.


ps. anyone use the warior ak? i finally switched from a two-piece to a one-piece and was thinking of getting it

Thing is, if you are a 92 and you are moving to a rec team with a lot of the guys you have been playing with I assume you are Junior A players at best. That's pretty good hockey but every year there are lots of guys as good as you who join rec leagues and keep playing hockey and even though it's not as serious as what they used to play they still improve in some ways. At 19 you don't have your man strength yet either. I have played on rec teams with former major junior and ncaa players, never mind junior A and B guys who are actually fairly common and it wasn't even on top tier teams. If you are in the right division, you will be like a team of rookies. The guys who dominate the top tiers of Canadian rec leagues often have significant hockey DB profiles. Not trying to knock yo down a peg or anything, just temper your expectations of beer league glory.

As for unwritten rules, never ever ever forget when it is your turn to bring the beers.

 

[Rush22*]

I notice that anyone who chirps during a beer league game is usually one of the worst players on the ice, the problem in they think they don't know it and think they are one of the best.

Chirping/trash talking has no place in beer league at all. If you're chirping on the ice you probably have a severe lack of skill and are compensating for it, even though you don't notice it and think you're an all-star.

Beer league is about playing hard and enjoying the sport of hockey while keep a mutual respect for your opponents and knowing everyone has to get up for work the next morning.

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

I notice that anyone who chirps during a beer league game is usually one of the worst players on the ice, the problem in they think they don't know it and think they are one of the best.

Chirping/trash talking has no place in beer league at all. If you're chirping on the ice you probably have a severe lack of skill and are compensating for it, even though you don't notice it and think you're an all-star.

Beer league is about playing hard and enjoying the sport of hockey while keep a mutual respect for your opponents and knowing everyone has to get up for work the next morning.

Pretty much. I don't think there's any place for agitiating/chirping in a beer league game.

As for celebrating goals, I think it's a similar line to any other league. Close games, low-scoring games, players who rarely score bagging one--all are worthy of a good celebration. But just don't hot dog it. Riding the stick, firing the rifle at a glove you've thrown in the air, diving along the ice, etc.--all are a bit overboard and poor form. Even moreso if you're doing it in a blowout.

 

[Skraut]

Realize you all have day jobs, and this is just something you do for fun.

Had a teammate go into the boards and break his arm. The other team's bench practically cleared with everybody jumping off it to rush and see if he was ok.

The class of the people I play with, and against, are the reason I play.

 

[ponder]

Realize you all have day jobs, and this is just something you do for fun.

Had a teammate go into the boards and break his arm. The other team's bench practically cleared with everybody jumping off it to rush and see if he was ok.

The class of the people I play with, and against, are the reason I play.

Exactly, everyone is paying to play, not getting paid to play. No need to be a dbag, it's not "win at all costs" like it is in more competitive hockey, it's "play very hard, but in a clean/respectful way."

And despite some of the beer league horror stories you hear, like you I play on a team full of awesome guys, and generally our opponents are great too. Very few show-offs/dirty players/"agitators" in the league I play in.

 

[nuckss]

As everyone is saying, just don't be a jerk. If you and your friends are dangling around everyone, you're not playing in the right division. If you continue to do it, you're going to get your ***** handed to you, to put it nicely. Don't underestimate man strength.

You've been listening to Kevin Weekes! Remember, once Stamkos gets his manstrength, look out!

 

[ChiTownHawks]

I notice that anyone who chirps during a beer league game is usually one of the worst players on the ice, the problem in they think they don't know it and think they are one of the best.

Chirping/trash talking has no place in beer league at all. If you're chirping on the ice you probably have a severe lack of skill and are compensating for it, even though you don't notice it and think you're an all-star.

Beer league is about playing hard and enjoying the sport of hockey while keep a mutual respect for your opponents and knowing everyone has to get up for work the next morning.

In my league it is kind of the reverse. Granted I am a noobie, but I am one of the better players in my league. Just to give you an idea and not to brag I have 27 points in 13 games.

On the other hand there are a lot of guys in my league who lack skill but try to make up for it with over the line physical play in a non checking league. For example lets say we are going after a puck on the boards and since I get there before them I am checked into the boards. If this was a checking league then fine, I would brace myself for that hit, but since it is not I am taken off guard and I have been hurt a couple times b/c of this. I used to react to this stuff by being physical with them, but then I would end up in the box for a retalitory penalty. I decided instead of doing this I would start chirping the guys who were doing this to me. Never before they did anything to me only after. So if someone hits me in a game now I just tell them they blow at hockey, or call them a hack the next time we run into each other. I find that this is the better option for me. The thing is these kind of guys don't have respect for the other guys in our league so they dont deserve mine.

Oh yeah and only 1 guy in my league wears a visor and everyone makes fun of him. Popular names are smokehouse, smoke visor, robocop, etc...

 

[mfd1068]

In my league it is kind of the reverse. Granted I am a noobie, but I am one of the better players in my league. Just to give you an idea and not to brag I have 27 points in 13 games.

On the other hand there are a lot of guys in my league who lack skill but try to make up for it with over the line physical play in a non checking league. For example lets say we are going after a puck on the boards and since I get there before them I am checked into the boards. If this was a checking league then fine, I would brace myself for that hit, but since it is not I am taken off guard and I have been hurt a couple times b/c of this. I used to react to this stuff by being physical with them, but then I would end up in the box for a retalitory penalty. I decided instead of doing this I would start chirping the guys who were doing this to me. Never before they did anything to me only after. So if someone hits me in a game now I just tell them they blow at hockey, or call them a hack the next time we run into each other. I find that this is the better option for me. The thing is these kind of guys don't have respect for the other guys in our league so they dont deserve mine.

Oh yeah and only 1 guy in my league wears a visor and everyone makes fun of him. Popular names are smokehouse, smoke visor, robocop, etc...

Remember, the golden rule of non contact hockey...its only non contact if both players agree. Some of the roughest games I've played in were "non contact".Lol

 

[Holy Jokinen]

In terms of chirping, i look at it this way.

After every game, just about everyone goes and has a beer together. It'd be pretty awkward to have a beer with a guy who you've been talking **** to all night. That's basically the difference between beer leagues and competitive leagues -- you don't have to see the guy off the ice. Though, with that being said, some guys have been dicks to me off the ice before i even met them on the ice. So in that case, chirp away!

Also, i have no idea what people are talking about with not celebrating your goals. Every goal i've seen in the various leagues i've played in, people always celebrate their goals. Now, they may not be throwing their glove in the air and shooting it with their stick, but there's still some definite celebrating going on, and i'm 100% okay with that.

 

[RobertKron]

I don't see whats wrong with chirping? If you play a clean game, and you can back up your words I say, say whatever you like. Agitators really do have a place in hockey more the Perry type than Carcillo I'd say. Guys who take you off your game by shadowing you and talking smack, and then while your all flustered go and score that big goal. Words do a lot to take a guy off their game, its just annoying when you've got a guy following you around hacking and slashing you (not getting any calls against him) and just talking smack, those are the guys who get hurt.

It's beer league. Being the guy running his mouth all game is ****ing embarrassing. If you haven't clued in yet to the fact that it's embarrassing, it is still almost certainly embarrassing as hell to your teammates to have to be associated with some dipsh*t that thinks they're still playing Bantam house or whatever.

 

[ChiTownHawks]

Remember, the golden rule of non contact hockey...its only non contact if both players agree. Some of the roughest games I've played in were "non contact".Lol

Haha, yeah I know that for sure. If my league was non contact I think everyone on the ice would be in the box. I'm more talking about the full on checking/blind side hits.

 

[SidTheKid87]

If you've played travel or high school, then don't sandbag it. You should be playing in an A or B league, not padding your stats against newbies in C or D.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I concur with those who say, be careful during blowouts. If you're on a team with guys who showboat and run up the score, there will be retribution coming the other way. As a scorekeeper and player I see a lot of beer league and pickup hockey, and my gut always sinks a little when a bunch of chirpers get a 3-goal lead.

 

[Scott Hall]

If it's a non-contact league, make sure you let your players know that.

I've played with guys who would talk about (especially the not-so-good ones) nailing someone, catching someone with their head down, etc... That just takes the fun out of games for both your team (since you'll face fines, suspensions and be blacklisted by the league) and for the other team.

And plus, people like that usually wind up starting scrums and/or fights they can't finish. It just leaves a bitter experience for everyone involved.

Also, join a tier that's appropriate for your skill level. Sandbaggers ruin it for everyone.

 

[SJGoalie32]

For example lets say we are going after a puck on the boards and since I get there before them I am checked into the boards. If this was a checking league then fine, I would brace myself for that hit, but since it is not I am taken off guard and I have been hurt a couple times b/c of this. I used to react to this stuff by being physical with them, but then I would end up in the box for a retalitory penalty. I decided instead of doing this I would start chirping the guys who were doing this to me. Never before they did anything to me only after. So if someone hits me in a game now I just tell them they blow at hockey, or call them a hack the next time we run into each other. I find that this is the better option for me. The thing is these kind of guys don't have respect for the other guys in our league so they dont deserve mine.

There's an important difference between verbally confronting players who behave disrespectfully on the ice as a means of trying to get them to stop attempting to injure people without resorting to physical confrontations, and intentionally trying to irritate people as a means to make them play worse.

What you were doing is reactive, protectionary, and to a certain extent trying to help to make the game more fun for everybody. You don't chirp if everybody just plays a clean game, so that's fine, IMO. The other way is just a selfish person's way to boost himself up by trying to make everyone else around him miserable.

 

[iamjs]

That's really it. As for celebrating goals, as long as it's a close game then congrats with teammates (high 5s) is always cool, maybe even a touch more for big goals (OT winner in the playoffs or really any hard fought game), just don't go over the top, no Radulov/Ovy type celebrations.

Ponder you post is spot on.

In our league, a lot of the goal celebrations are nothing more than a stick raise, maybe a slight fist pump after a breakaway. The one thing that I do notice is that everybody after the goal - no matter which team - always goes back and glovetaps the goal scorer.

I think I might have seen one or two AO celebrations, but it was done as a joke.

 

[cptjeff]

Also, for all the talk in this thread about violent retribution towards guys who are d-bags, it's actually extremely rare in beer league from what I've seen. If you are physically chippy towards people, expect to get it back (hit/slash and you'll be hit/slashed back, as expected), but if you're just showy/cocky but otherwise clean everyone will think you're a serious tool, but likely will not actually hurt you. Maybe guys will be a bit more physical with showboaters, but I've never seen guys take true cheapshots just for being flashy.

Yeah, I've never seen a true cheapshot for being flashy or being an ass. I have seen true cheapshots, and taken one or two, but that's another story entirely. The team responsible for most of those was a constant headache for the commissioner...

Physically chippy- expect that. It happens. The refs are low level too, and sometimes have issues controlling games. Some teams are a LOT worse then others about taking shots. Usually it doesn't go too far. Usually. It can, and I've certainly played in one or two of those games. But again, you won't get those just for being flashy. You'll get those because some teams contain a lot of hyper-competitive jerks.

But if you're flashy and an arse about it, expect to be dumped on your arse in front of the net, and expect to take a little extra when hit (yes, hitting happens in no check leagues. When ever I use the terms no check or non contact in relation to beer leagues I use airquotes). You won't get blown up with an open ice hit or flipped into the bench, but expect to be rubbed out, shoved around in front of the net, ect. The refs tend to regard anything that could be construed as going for the puck as legitimate.

You've been listening to Kevin Weekes! Remember, once Stamkos gets his manstrength, look out!

It's legitimate. Male bodies will fill out and solidify in the 20's. You get stronger.


As for chirping, if it's friendly, go ahead. If you're doing NHL style meanness to try and get a guy off their game, don't. It does no good and makes you look like an ass.

As an example of the right way to do it, I was covering the point right in front of the opposing bench. Puck comes up to me, I tee it up for a slap shot, and then utterly whiff. Don't even hit the puck. Guy on the bench says something to the effect of "Had a shot like that on the golf course today", I laughed, then recovered and got a snapper off before their winger got back up to cover.

That kind of stuff is fine. Good natured jibes are normal and expected. Player to player, player to ref- it's for fun, so feel free to screw around in a friendly way.

But don't be a dick about it.

 

[Kulluminati]

In my league it is kind of the reverse. Granted I am a noobie, but I am one of the better players in my league. Just to give you an idea and not to brag I have 27 points in 13 games.

On the other hand there are a lot of guys in my league who lack skill but try to make up for it with over the line physical play in a non checking league. For example lets say we are going after a puck on the boards and since I get there before them I am checked into the boards. If this was a checking league then fine, I would brace myself for that hit, but since it is not I am taken off guard and I have been hurt a couple times b/c of this. I used to react to this stuff by being physical with them, but then I would end up in the box for a retalitory penalty. I decided instead of doing this I would start chirping the guys who were doing this to me. Never before they did anything to me only after. So if someone hits me in a game now I just tell them they blow at hockey, or call them a hack the next time we run into each other. I find that this is the better option for me. The thing is these kind of guys don't have respect for the other guys in our league so they dont deserve mine.

Oh yeah and only 1 guy in my league wears a visor and everyone makes fun of him. Popular names are smokehouse, smoke visor, robocop, etc...

What kind of idiots makes fun of someone for wearing a visor in a beer league?? Its just a beer league a place where men go to play some good old hockey, not a place where people go to get their eye taken out by some idiot with a stick on skates.

 

[Pedagogue]

Man the O.P. will be in store for a surprise. Just because you are 19/ 20 do not expect to dominate. As others have said if this is a good organized beer league your "wet-behind-the-ears" team will be in for a rude awakening. Some of those middle age guys have been playing as a team for years. Their team will be so organized it will make your head spin. Your boyz and their dangling attitude will realize that the effective teams pass the puck. If you are playing in the right tier you will not be able to dangle like you think you will!

 

[Mr. Canucklehead]

Man the O.P. will be in store for a surprise. Just because you are 19/ 20 do not expect to dominate. As others have said if this is a good organized beer league your "wet-behind-the-ears" team will be in for a rude awakening. Some of those middle age guys have been playing as a team for years. Their team will be so organized it will make your head spin. Your boyz and their dangling attitude will realize that the effective teams pass the puck. If you are playing in the right tier you will not be able to dangle like you think you will!

It's also a heck of an adjustment for some guys going from a league where grinding/full contact play was the norm to a beer league, where more often than not contact is completely disallowed. I was never a very physical player at all so it wasn't such a big difference for me; but these days when guys coming up from minor hockey or returning from junior join our team, they have a difficult time adjusting. People go for dangles and pull of moves they would never get away with in a million years playing full contact(myself included). So get ready to get dangled...hard.

 

[nuckss]

It's legitimate. Male bodies will fill out and solidify in the 20's. You get stronger.

I know it's true, I just didn't know there was such a word as "manstrength"!

Have you ever seen an older chimpanzee? The ones in movies are always young because they are easier to control, the old ones are built!

 

[ChiTownHawks]

What kind of idiots makes fun of someone for wearing a visor in a beer league?? Its just a beer league a place where men go to play some good old hockey, not a place where people go to get their eye taken out by some idiot with a stick on skates.

Calm down champ. I forgot to put in that he wears a mirrored visor. Almost everyone in my league wears a full cage or fishbowl. We make fun of his mirrored visor, not the fact that he wears eye protection.

 

[nyqs81]

Also, i have no idea what people are talking about with not celebrating your goals. Every goal i've seen in the various leagues i've played in, people always celebrate their goals. Now, they may not be throwing their glove in the air and shooting it with their stick, but there's still some definite celebrating going on, and i'm 100% okay with that.

I don't think most people are against any celebration just don't be a dick about it. High-fives, fist bump and a fist pump are all well and good. Don't hot dog it.