Hockey for Dummies

[Guest AuNuma1]

I just don't understand the sport that is hockey. Why are people allowed to fight, bare fists and all? Why is it such a surprise when someone actually gets hurt from someone throwing a punch at them (sucker punch or not) and the police are called in? Maybe it's because I couldn't care less about hockey but either let them fight AND get hurt or don't let them fight at all. What am I missing? :huh: And they say football is a violent sport...

Moore suffers fractured neck

[sutiger1 0]

Thing about hockey is that players hold grudges and take it too far. Moore took a cheap shot on a Canuck Captian and went unpunished from the league, leaving the players feeling like they had to issue justice. Bertuzzi was retaliating for a hit Moore did about three weeks ago. This is similiar to old school baseball, when pitchers would purposely throw at people's heads and it was justified as retaliation. I thought this sort of thing would stop after the McSorley incident.

[PenguinAUB 0]

just like fights in spring football practice, fights are there to fire up a team and bring the intensity level up a notch. many people say fights in football practices are ok, but what about when someone gets hurt?

[Guest AuNuma1]

just like fights in spring football practice, fights are there to fire up a team and bring the intensity level up a notch.  many people say fights in football practices are ok, but what about when someone gets hurt?

First of all, the fighting is allowed during hockey games...obviously it's not during football games.

Secondly, give me an example of when one football player fractured a teammate's neck and the police were called in after a spring practice.

I see what you're saying but you can't apply it in this situation. If fighting was allowed in football games, then you'd have an argument.

[PenguinAUB 0]

Secondly, give me an example of when one football player fractured a teammate's neck and the police were called in after a spring practice.

what bertuzzi did was not legal

legal fighting in hockey usually doesnt hurt anyone

but didnt romanoski but a teamate out for the year in a summer fight last season?

[Guest AuNuma1]

what bertuzzi did was not legal

legal fighting in hockey usually doesnt hurt anyone

but didnt romanoski but a teamate out for the year in a summer fight last season?

Yeah, that's a good point. But it was still a punch if I'm not mistaken. I just don't understand why they allow it in the first place.

And yeah, Romanowski crushed a guy's eye socket...but that's NFL, not college.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

Technically, they don't allow it. The refs try to break scuffles up before they get out of hand. But you have to remember, the players are wearing a ton of padding and usually don't truly hurt each other that badly. The refs can't and don't wear the same amount of padding and could get hurt if they don't wait for an opportunity where the fists have stopped flying so freely.

Those big fights you see where folks are throwing punches and such for extended periods of time results in major penalties where they are down a skater for 5 minutes. If it's a particularly uncalled for or egregious hit, the player does get suspended.

Hockey is just a rougher sport than the others, even football. There's no out of bounds, just a hard wall to get slammed into...and within certain parameter, those smashing body checks are legal. And the ice is so much harder than grass. And just think...until about 10 years ago, they didn't have to wear helmets.

[AUesquire 1]

I don't think charges were filed, but a few years ago, didn't Michael Westbrook Jap Slap , oh, I'm sorry, that was politically incorrect and insensitive. I mean bitch slap Steven Davis at the Redskins training camp?

[Ranger12 46]

Like TitanTiger said, it is not actually legal and they don't allow it to go on as much on as they did a few years ago. They still fight some, but refs are more active about breaking them up before anybody gets hurt. There are now penalties for taking your gloves off and taking an oppenents shirt over their head now in an altercation. NHL has cracked down on fights. I am a diehard Avs fans so I am really ticked about this. Also, it was not a fight,but a cheap shot that happened during live play.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

Bertuzzi has been suspended by the NHL for the rest of the regular season and playoffs:

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,113890,00.html

This is pretty significant because Vancouver is currently the 4th seed in their conference if the playoffs started now.

This suspension adds up to a minimum 17 games (rest of regular season and if Vancouver was swept in the first round), is costing him $500,000 in salary, and his eligibility for next season isn't guaranteed.

I'd say this is appropriate.

[WarTiger 3,901]

As a huge hockey fan, i'm appalled at this incident. Its hard enough for hockey to get the respect it deserves as being a great game, then you have some idiot like this that feels the need to sucker punch somebody for something that happened weeks ago. Bertuzzi should be DONE with hockey. He should not be allowed to ever play the sport professionally again. It was totally intentional, and premeditated and that is inexcuseable.

Fighting in the NHL is NOT legal, yet like titan said, the officials aren't wearing nearly the padding or protection the players are, thus going in between them to break up a fight is not an option. Thats why the officials don't step in until after one of the players hits the ice. Once he's down on the ice they will step in and seperate them. Trying to provoke someone into a fight vs. sucker punching someone then driving them face first into the ice are two totally different things. I for one am hoping the NHL makes this suspension permanent.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

I think the suspension is appropriate. I wouldn't kick him out forever unless the damage he did was permanent. In other words, if Moore's career ends because of this, so should Bertuzzi's. But if he's able to come back, then the suspension and loss of half a million dollars is sufficient for me.

I think the sucker punch was intentional. I think the take down was pretty much intentional. But I don't think he intended the severity of the results. I think he was going for a headache, a black eye, a busted lip, and that sort of thing. I really don't think he actually wanted to break the guy's neck or jeopardize his career.

[Tigermike 3,027]

Not being much of a hockey fan I have to ask, if there were no fights, would anybody come?

[WarTiger 3,901]

I think the suspension is appropriate.  I wouldn't kick him out forever unless the damage he did was permanent.  In other words, if Moore's career ends because of this, so should Bertuzzi's.  But if he's able to come back, then the suspension and loss of half a million dollars is sufficient for me.

I think the sucker punch was intentional.  I think the take down was pretty much intentional.  But I don't think he intended the severity of the results.  I think he was going for a headache, a black eye, a busted lip, and that sort of thing.  I really don't think he actually wanted to break the guy's neck or jeopardize his career.

Titan, whether he intended to injure him as severely as he did, isn't the issue, the fact that what he did was TOTALLY PREMEDITATED AND INTENTIONAL is the issue. Everybody knows when something like this happens there's a strong possibility of serious injury. I am NOT in favor of just letting him come back to the game because the player he INTENTIONALLY went after is able to come back. I think that is totallly irrelevant. It should completely end his career in the NHL...

[WarTiger 3,901]

Not being much of a hockey fan I have to ask, if there were no fights, would anybody come?

YES, without question. Those of us that really enjoy watching hockey LOVE the game. In a lot of cities with NHL teams, these arenas are packed every game. We don't watch hockey for the fights, we watch because they are some of the greatest skaters alive, and some of the toughest players to play any sport.

[jaydubb121 22]

I think the suspension is bogus. If the injuries were taken out of the equation, it's not much different than the cheap shot that Moore took on the guy a few weeks ago, there wasn't even a penalty for that. I know it looks bad for non-hockey fans, but in no way should Bertuzzi's career be jeopardized. He's not a goon and is an All-Star scorer. I hate that it happened for him this way.

[TitanTiger 20,482]

Yes, that is one thing that isn't being mentioned much. Moore took a cheap shot at a Canucks player a few weeks back and there was bound to be some payback when they played again. Sort of like baseball where they plunk the opposing pitcher or someone else on the team as payback for a perceived bean ball received earlier.

I do think intentions should matter here. I don't think he meant to hurt him this badly. It was a cheap shot, no doubt. But he wasn't trying to kill the guy or end his career.

[jaydubb121 22]

If anyone's ever been to a hockey game, you know a lot goes on that's not necessarily on the TV version of the game. A lot of the most malicious unpenalized shots are taken during line changes when no officials are paying much attention. Hockey is a great sport and the fighting is necessary to keep order on the ice. If you know you can get your @$$ handed to you , you're less likely to take those cheap shots. How long do you think it will be before Moore takes a cheap shot at someone?

[Ranger12 46]

Not being much of a hockey fan I have to ask, if there were no fights, would anybody come?

YES, without question. Those of us that really enjoy watching hockey LOVE the game. In a lot of cities with NHL teams, these arenas are packed every game. We don't watch hockey for the fights, we watch because they are some of the greatest skaters alive, and some of the toughest players to play any sport.

I feel the same way about hockey. I don't watch it for fights. What makes hockey fun is similar to the same reason that alot of people watch football- the action and hard hits. I would rather see a few good hard checks rather then a fight in hockey. There in nothing like have seats on the glass and getting the glass rattled in front of you!!! I started being a fan a few years ago and have not looked back. NHL has taken the NBA's place for me. I am a born and raised Alabama country boy, but I like my hockey!!!

On the hit, as an Avs fan, I am really ticked. As a hockey fan, I think the penalty for the rest of the year and loss of income is sufficient. I do not think a lifetime ban is called for. Obviously it was intentional and a cheap shot, but I don't think the outcome was what Bertuzzi was looking for. I have seen worse cheap shots that looked like they would have cause more damage then what Bertuzzi did. The refs can't see it all and like one poster said, it happens alot during line changes. I think Bertuzzi is truly remorseful for what he did and would never intentionally injure a player as to the extent he has Moore. If Moore never fully recovers, Bertuzzi's career will probably be over without a suspension because that will stick with him for the rest of his life.