"Old Time Hockey" - Going to a Fight and a Hockey Game Breaks Out?

[tomalak301]

I've heard the phrase being bounced around a lot lately "Old time Hockey" which is a way to describe a game with a lot of fighting and what I guess one could call "Looking blood/revenge" type games. It happened last week with the Bruins and Dallas, and it happened this week with the Bruins and Habs and then again tonight with the Pens and Islanders.

My question is, did I get into the wrong sport because I don't find fun in this at all? One of the reasons I like Hockey is because of the skill involved and the pace of the games. I don't mind an occasional fight, and actually find some entertaining, especially the communication in a fight. Like tonight, I was watching a fight in the Pens game in the first period and they got too tired and agreed to stop. I thought that was funny. Anyway, Hockey is best when it's actually played, when there is skill involved, and I find it the most entertaining of all the major sports, mainly because it keeps moving. I went to a few hockey games at HP and was amazed at how great the game is in person.

Well, I see what happens in the games I've mentioned and I just wonder if this is the sport that I know and like. I wasn't around for "Old Time Hockey" but I'm sure a lot of it didn't include line brawls and the players on the ice acting like idiots. I'm actually kind of embarrassed in that we've seen all this commotion this week. Am I alone here? Are people really entertained by the brawls instead of the excitement of the actual game itself? Also, as we get to the one year anniversary of the Olympics, I think about that tournament and miss that kind of Hockey that was played. I would much prefer watching that rather than what we've been getting in the last week.

 

[Canadave]

The past couple weeks it's been a bit excessive, it's true, but fighting is a big part of hockey. And if you take tonight's Islanders\Penguins game as an example, there's a case where that's two teams that have worked through their issues—the Isle felt insulted by the Pens after their last meeting, and tonight they embarrassed them with both their sticks and their fists. It's rather unique amongst major sports, really, and I think it's a big part of why you almost never see an actual bench-clearing brawl in hockey.

And personally, I love it when the occasional game turns into a recurring brawl. I wouldn't want to see it every night of course, not by any means, but a game like tonight's, again, is just hilarious, and very entertaining in it's own way.

The one thing I will say is that I think it's too bad hockey has lost a lot of the guys who can score and can fight; players like Wendel Clarke, Gordie Howe, and Maurice Richard. Hell even, the (IMO) most technically skilled player ever in the game was well-known for his skills when dropping the gloves...

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpoPUXF-2dE&feature=related[/yt]

 

[tomalak301]

And personally, I love it when the occasional game turns into a recurring brawl. I wouldn't want to see it every night of course, not by any means, but a game like tonight's, again, is just hilarious, and very entertaining in it's own way.

I think the key word in that paragraph is occasional. I'm probably the same way, but when you have, what 4 games in a week span doing that, isn't that a bit much?

 

[Canadave]

And personally, I love it when the occasional game turns into a recurring brawl. I wouldn't want to see it every night of course, not by any means, but a game like tonight's, again, is just hilarious, and very entertaining in it's own way.

I think the key word in that paragraph is occasional. I'm probably the same way, but when you have, what 4 games in a week span doing that, isn't that a bit much?

That's why, as I said, it's been a bit much in the past couple of weeks. Still, I'd hate to see the game sanitized to the point where it never happens at all.

 

[mimic]

One year my family attended a neighborhood Christmas party that happened to be at the same time as a Flyers game. The host didn't have the game on TV because they said they don't really like hockey because it's too violent, and my Mom and I were all "you'd be surprised, fights don't actually happen that often." They agreed to turn on the game, and just our luck it was in the midst of a brawl between the Leafs and the Flyers.

It does get frustrating when a game takes that turn; it interrupts the flow of the game. I do get a kick out of the announcers reading off all the penalty minutes. When the Flyers and the Senators lost it in the 3rd earlier this year the announcer was still announcing the previous fight's penalties when new ones broke out.

 

[hamudm]

I've heard the phrase being bounced around a lot lately "Old time Hockey" which is a way to describe a game with a lot of fighting and what I guess one could call "Looking blood/revenge" type games. It happened last week with the Bruins and Dallas, and it happened this week with the Bruins and Habs and then again tonight with the Pens and Islanders.

My question is, did I get into the wrong sport because I don't find fun in this at all? One of the reasons I like Hockey is because of the skill involved and the pace of the games. I don't mind an occasional fight, and actually find some entertaining, especially the communication in a fight. Like tonight, I was watching a fight in the Pens game in the first period and they got too tired and agreed to stop. I thought that was funny. Anyway, Hockey is best when it's actually played, when there is skill involved, and I find it the most entertaining of all the major sports, mainly because it keeps moving. I went to a few hockey games at HP and was amazed at how great the game is in person.

Well, I see what happens in the games I've mentioned and I just wonder if this is the sport that I know and like. I wasn't around for "Old Time Hockey" but I'm sure a lot of it didn't include line brawls and the players on the ice acting like idiots. I'm actually kind of embarrassed in that we've seen all this commotion this week. Am I alone here? Are people really entertained by the brawls instead of the excitement of the actual game itself? Also, as we get to the one year anniversary of the Olympics, I think about that tournament and miss that kind of Hockey that was played. I would much prefer watching that rather than what we've been getting in the last week.

I too LOVE hockey and have played for years. I still play at least once a week and am a big NHL fan.

However, nothing pisses me off more than the hooliganism. Hockey is arguably one of the most skill-intensive sports on earth. Essentially, you have to balance on two thin blades, while moving extremely fast, controlling a slippery puck and all the while have defenders trying to squash you -- no easy task! I love the skill and I love the physicality.

However, with all the outcry that the NHL isn't doing enough to protect its players, when's the last time the NHLPA's stepped in and asked its membership to maybe take the onus on themselves and stop the fighting?? Hockey can be just as hard-hitting and physical without fights. Sure tempers may flare from time to time, but there's no reason for the abundance of fights that there are. I mean, what reason could two goalies possibly have for fighting?

EDIT: Check it http://communities.canada.com/thepr...14/dear-hockey-players-stop-being-idiots.aspx

 

[Garak]

One of the worst things to happen to hockey is the 24/7 media cycle and the surplus of hockey "analysts" (fuck you Nick Kypreos), who beat stories to death.

You get games like what happened with Mtl/Bruins or the Penguins/Isles and you get these media guys trying to justify their paycheck by writing an article about how the game has gone to shit, players have no respect, is there room for fighting in the NHL any more, blah blah blah.

The truth of the matter is that those are the exceptions, not the rule. Old time hockey was when it happened almost every game, even in the warmups for crying out loud. Guys could jump off the bench back then too, and teams weren't built on skill, they were built on the ability to kick the shit out of another team. Todays NHL couldn't be farther from that, and it shows. It's a passionate sport and these things do happen, but to think for a second that hockey is still a goon sport is just being totally dishonest.

 

[hamudm]

One of the worst things to happen to hockey is the 24/7 media cycle and the surplus of hockey "analysts" (fuck you Nick Kypreos), who beat stories to death.

You get games like what happened with Mtl/Bruins or the Penguins/Isles and you get these media guys trying to justify their paycheck by writing an article about how the game has gone to shit, players have no respect, is there room for fighting in the NHL any more, blah blah blah.

The truth of the matter is that those are the exceptions, not the rule. Old time hockey was when it happened almost every game, even in the warmups for crying out loud. Guys could jump off the bench back then too, and teams weren't built on skill, they were built on the ability to kick the shit out of another team. Todays NHL couldn't be farther from that, and it shows. It's a passionate sport and these things do happen, but to think for a second that hockey is still a goon sport is just being totally dishonest.

There needs to be a 'like' button for posts like this

Yes, fuck kypreos in his stupid ass. That jack hole was a goon himself, so he shouldn't talk.

 

[Danny99]

I think the biggest deterrent to these kinds of brawls could be the removal of the instigator rule.

After a player gets blindsided with a bad hit or a sucker punch, teams sit and fester for weeks until the next game against the offending team. Then it turns into a spectacle.

 

[DeafPoet]

This shit drives me nuts. If it were up to me they'd be handing down automatic suspensions for fighting. I guess the odd fight is tolerable, but there's no way to regulate that. If you allow the odd tilt then you open the door for the kind of disgraceful shit we've seen recently.

I went to a WHL game last week and it was the best game I've seen since the Olympics. I think that's telling about the state of the NHL. They've got the best talent in the world and they're all rolling around on the ice buttfucking each other.

What a shame.

 

[hamudm]

I went to a WHL game last week and it was the best game I've seen since the Olympics. I think that's telling about the state of the NHL. They've got the best talent in the world and they're all rolling around on the ice buttfucking each other.

What a shame.

OK -- I laughed pretty hard