If not, when you have an hour or so free, do it (links below), then come back and tell me how you feel. You do not need to be a hockey fan or violent individual to appreciate these articles. Learning about the craziness of a man's life and how he used fighting and rage to complete his life long dream of playing in the NHL is pretty spectacular stuff. This also led him to addiction and brain damage making a remarkable story turn devastating.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/06/sports/hockey/derek-boogaard-a-brain-going-bad.html?pagewanted=all
For those readers who do not know the basics around hockey fights, there are a few basic rules and reasons for why and when they happen:
2) Every team has at least one guy who's sole purpose and why they make a pay check is to fight. Everyone knows who these guys are.
3) If you lay out a superstar (Crosby, Datsuyk, etc.), expect to be fought.
4) If your team has no life and is getting beat around the rink, you need to go out there and fight for a spark.
5) Once the refs jump in or a guy hits the ice, the fights over.
Before I dig into the Boogaard stuff, I want to talk about point #3 for a second because it's getting a little out of control. It seems like in today's NHL, every time a guy makes a big hit, he has to drop his gloves. Like he has no choice. Whether it's a clean body check or you accidently run into someone, within seconds, someone's skating at you full speed with their gloves already off. I am all about eliminating the head shots (i.e. Marc Savard), because it's obviously having an impact on player's careers, but if a big dman or an aggressive forechecker drops a guy and it's clean, take his number for the next shift. Don't get me wrong, I love the fights, but guys should not have to fight every time they decide to throw their weight around on someone with their head down.
Anywho, back to the point at hand. There has been a lot of talk on sports radio and the NHL network around this article and the possibility of eliminating fighting from the game. I say this ABSOLUTELY can not happen.
First and foremost, the NHL would lose millions of dollars and fans. Not that people solely go to games or watch the B's on NESN to see a fight, but it's a huge part of the entertainment factor for the regular fan. Secondly, the strategy and impact of a hockey fight is something that makes hockey truly unique. In no other sport, are you allowed (minus a 5 minute penalty) to take matters into your own hands and call out a rival or goon/ass/dbag who's been sticking guys all night and actually fight him. Basketball? Football? Think about how sick it would be if these guys could square off and have a go.
"Marshy, hockey players wear pads, they don't even feel it."
Fighting makes the dirty players, namely Sean Avery, think twice and if he wants to play dirty, he knows he will have to stand up for himself and be accountable for his actions. Hate Avery as much as the next guy, but the guy fights when he needs to and draws penalties when he doesn't.
I follow NHL fights pretty closely and check ESPN box scores daily to see who scrapped the night before and this is usually followed by a quick trip to YouTube to see the tilt. It's such an important and GREAT part of the game that I would be devastated to see it go. The fact that guys brains are turning to mush or these guys in their mid twenties have to sit up at night crying because they know they will have to fight Donald Brashear or Colton Orr the next tight is terrible, but in the case of Boogaaard and a few others (Rick Rypien, Wade Belak) there were other elements to their downfall, including addiction to painkillers, alcohol, etc.
Fact. Getting punch repeatedly in the face leads to brain problems or dementia. Obviously. I don't need to cut Boogaard's brain in half to tell you that.
These are grown men who are making the decision to fight on the ice and none of that blame can be put on the sport or the NHL. Why is the MMA even in existence if fighting is the reason these guys are dying? It would be a shame to lose that element which has been around since its existence to an already great game.
10. Darcy Hordichuk
9. Jared Boll
8. Shaun Thornton
7. Donald Brashear
6. Joey Kocur
5. Lyndon Byers
4. Cam Neely
3. Tie Domi
2. PJ Stock
1. Bob Probert
Notables: Wendall Clark (AHL), Kevin Kaminiski (AHL), Jay Miller, Milan Lucic, Chris Nilan, Dan Carcillo, Terry O'Reilly, Georges Laraque (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JxFS2JAyleo&noredirect=1)
Who'd I miss? Who are your favorites?
Have a good weekend!
Marshy
Really nice post. But you used the word "anywho" in a column about fighting. We'll assume that was a typo or something.
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