Fighting poll

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Interesting fact :

Bob Probert called the Red Wings an embarrassment to the league when it comes to fighting

link?

[T.Low 1,011]

"Personally I feel fighting does have it's place in hockey, & if anyone has played the game - they'd most likely agree"

That statement is 100% true, also fighting will never be banned, it just wont happen, it is woven to deep into the fabric of the game.

I voted little effect. I figure that I already hate all the little gimmcks implemented to make it a more "marketable" game, and I still watch the Wings, so I wouldn't like a fighting ban, but I would still watch.

The only thing Bettman really needs to do if he wants to increase the hockey market is to educate more people about hockey. The more people know about hockey, the more they like it.

[Spinner 6]

I love hockey, I'll watch it no matter what.

[Uncle Danny 155]

While fighting no longer has the appeal it did to me when I was younger and more full of piss and vinegar, I definitely still enjoy watching willing participants scrap within the code. I think it definitely has a place in the game, strategically and in terms of policing dirty play. That said, I don't buy the arguments that fighting is the only way for this policing to occur. Anecdotally, Kronwall just (as in less than 10 minutes ago) laid a nice, legal, open ice hit in retribution to a heavy hit on (I think) Franzen seconds before. No gloves were dropped, but the message was clear.

Would I watch less hockey if they removed fighting from the game? Hell no. Would I think it was a stupid move and miss watching them? Absolutely.

As a quick tangent, I often hear the argument that removing fights would draw more fans, as many avoid the game due to the violence. My question is: who the hell are these people saying that they don't watch the game due to fighting? I've never, ever encountered someone that held that opinion. It smacks to me of the NHL wanting to eliminate a perceived controversy, rather than anything based on actual market research. The only people I can possibly imagine saying that are "concerned citizens" that would never watch a period of hockey anyway, regardless of my personal favorite major penalty's presence.

For the love of God, think of the children!

[devan 0]

Am I the only one who realizes that there's hardly anymore fighting in hockey as it is today. Since we're all still fans, I guess that means it has had a small effect. However, the league needs to get rid of the stupid instigator rule, because hockey doesn't have the edge that it used to. Maybe then we'll see more than 1 guy in the league crack the 200 PIM mark. Hockey with no fighting = football.

EXACTLY! I'd hate to see hockey become like all the other 'high-scoring', mind-numbing sports.

[josh 0]

EXACTLY! I'd hate to see hockey become like all the other 'high-scoring', mind-numbing sports.

yea and they are thinking about making the nets bigger that sucks

[Guest NumbaSixty-Six]

Fighting makes hockey different... and thats what attracts me to the sport... don't take that away from me please

[SaCkaveli20 275]

I'd much rather watch European players score nice goals than two North American players knock eachother out.

I watch Hockey for nice saves and better goals..I watch UFC for fighting lol..

[octopusonice 0]

As far as Probert's comments go, how many Cups did we win with him around? I do not watch hockey in anticipation of the next fight, but I am also against outlawing fighting. I think that the move to outlaw fighting in the NHL is inspired by the 'People for a Perfect World'.

What I mean by that is there are these utopian types that want a world that is perfect so that there is nothing negative. Although negativity by definition is usually less desirable, trying to eliminate it at all costs to the point of absurdity is a far worse fate. You would live in this sterile, overly politically correct world where no one gets an F in school, we all hold hands and sing Kumbaya and instead of saying something sucked, we would say 'double plus ungood'.

Someone in this thread said that they know of no one who doesn't watch hockey because of the violence. I'm not going to take the time to look it up, but I'm guessing that person lives in the Detroit area or some area with more hockey fans per capita.

Out here in California, I could find several who claim they don't watch hockey because of the fighting. My feeling is that these people have never bothered to learn the game and its heritage and based on the ignorance of the rest of their remarks probably wouldn't follow the game if they did outlaw fighting. The NHL is not going to convert many of these people if they did outlaw fighting.

If fighting gets to the point where most games are like a 'fight where a game breaks out' the sport will suffer, IMO. The most extreme example I can think of was a minor league game I saw where the fighting was almost continuous and over 200 penalty minutes were handed out. I would not want to see that all the time and I think even most fight enthusiasts would not either. We like the game of hockey and we like to see good hockey. Fighting is simply a natural phenomenon of the game that arises when there is a need to enforce the Code.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

Id stop watching.

I like Boxing and MMA, but there is a different element with Hockey Fights. that make them that more exciting.. Mostly because these things are not planned out, Majority of these fights happen because of the emotions in the game. Mma isn't the same..

[uk_redwing 495]

Id love to say Id keep watching...but I just wouldnt.

Fighting is what got me interested in hockey in the first place. Alot of wings games are great to watch without fights, thats not the problem. The problem is once they ban fighting, then the league will be filled with cheapshots until they make a rule against big hits. Eventually we have european style hockey. THEN I stop watching.

It would be a slippery slope toward non-physical hockey. Id probably just watch a different league, that actually plays ice hockey, not figure skating with sticks.

Anyways, fighting will never be fully banned. Too many of current hockey fans love the fights (not that you could tell reading this forum), and there would be huge agro. As seen over the last few years, fighting is on the increase so Im not worried.

PS, Hail Downey.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

im glad i live in the heart of the IHL, because i can watch the Fury all year long, and that satisfies my love for teh hawkey fites.. AHL is down the road to with GR, just depends on what players we got this year..

i know detroit is hopeless for fights this year.. but ;\ meh.. i can still hope.

[Hank 0]

I'd much rather watch European players score nice goals than two North American players knock eachother out.

I watch Hockey for nice saves and better goals..I watch UFC for fighting lol..

Counterpoint - I'd rather watch two North American skaters score goals and then punch someone out.

I don't watch hockey for fighting but I'd love it if the Wings had more North American's that could do a little of both.

The Wings have so many Swedes they should consider changing their colors to Blue and Yellow.