millbank Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Does Fighting belong now? Responding to questions regarding Wednesday night's incident with Todd Fedoruk, Colin Campbell wondered if it was time to bring up a subject that's been long debated. ''I think it's time to ask the question,'' Campbell told The Canadian Press on Thursday. ''I think you have to ask the question because of what's happening out there. It's incumbent on me, because of my position, to ask the question.'' The latest evidence in the case against fighting was Fedoruk being stretchered off the ice Wednesday night. Related Info Campbell is no namby-pamby. He used to drop the gloves in his day as an NHL player. But the NHL's director of hockey operations worries about what could happen today. ''I'm not afraid now to talk about the fact that we should look at fighting in hockey,'' said Campbell. ''I think if you discussed this even three or four years ago you would have got pooh-poohed out of the game. ''But now I think because of the size of our players, where we're at in sports and in life, I think we have to look at it.'' It's going to be a hard, long battle to convince enough people, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Does Fighting belong now? Responding to questions regarding Wednesday night's incident with Todd Fedoruk, Colin Campbell wondered if it was time to bring up a subject that's been long debated. ''I think it's time to ask the question,'' Campbell told The Canadian Press on Thursday. ''I think you have to ask the question because of what's happening out there. It's incumbent on me, because of my position, to ask the question.'' The latest evidence in the case against fighting was Fedoruk being stretchered off the ice Wednesday night. Related Info Campbell is no namby-pamby. He used to drop the gloves in his day as an NHL player. But the NHL's director of hockey operations worries about what could happen today. ''I'm not afraid now to talk about the fact that we should look at fighting in hockey,'' said Campbell. ''I think if you discussed this even three or four years ago you would have got pooh-poohed out of the game. ''But now I think because of the size of our players, where we're at in sports and in life, I think we have to look at it.'' It's going to be a hard, long battle to convince enough people, though. I agree it's time to review the situation. I'm not sure of the answer...but a serious review is warranted. Personally, I find it to be a freakish side-show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millbank Posted March 23, 2007 Author Share Posted March 23, 2007 Whatever perspective one has on fighting it does seem only a matter of time until a death does happen. Its on those responsible for implementing the rules of the game, that all concerned do their level best this does not occur. I agree it's time to review the situation. I'm not sure of the answer...but a serious review is warranted. Personally, I find it to be a freakish side-show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dean Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Whatever perspective one has on fighting it does seem only a matter of time until a death does happen. Its on those responsible for implementing the rules of the game, that all concerned do their level best this does not occur. People gotta die, Grant. It's just a matter of when and how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Fighting belongs. Fedoruk doesn't. Seriously...I've never seen anyone get KO'd during a fight before like he was, and doesn't he have a steel plate bolted to each side of his jaw? One might suspect that he's not healthy enough to be fighting to begin with... Plus...he's a Flyer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mile High Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Plus...he's a Flyer. We have a winner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinandjokin Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Fighting is one of the many great parts of a great game. Right around the time of the Sabres-Sens rumble, I heard a guy arguing against fighting, and his point was, "How am I going to bring my 10-year old to a game and have him sit there and watch two players abandon the sport they are playing so that they can throw punches at each other?" The other guy asked him if he went to a lot of Blackhawks games when he was 10-years old growing up in Chicago. He said, "Of course, I went all the time." The other guy responded, "And didn't you love the fights?" And the guy yelled, "Of course I loved the fights!" But apparently, now that he's older and wiser, he will take it upon himself to make sure that nobody is scarred for life because they were forced to watch two goons swing away. Even if you're not a hockey fan, would you EVER change the channel when you see two guys fighting? The fact that the NHL currently has a rinky-dink TV deal plays a role here, too. Many announcers, analysts, and even NHL front office personell want to use fighting as a scapegoat for why they can't appeal to mass audiences and why they can't get on ESPN. That's horseschit. The only time the sport makes it on to ESPN is when there's a good fight. These morons need to stop using fighting as a crutch and realize that the production value of a televised game does nothing to bring the live action of an incredibly quick and exciting sport to the home viewer. Don't play me for an idiot and tell me that the 0.65 fights per game is the reason TV execs are wary of showing hockey. I just watched Terminator 2 on ABC the other day. I think there was slightly more fighting in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dib Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Once, I went to a boxing match, and a hockey game broke out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattyT Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 I think the NHL is trying to do whatever they can to ensure that they never get a major TV contract in the US ever again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dante Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Mark me down as one for fighting. Easy for me to say I guess since im not in there taking shots. Last night, Sharks Mark Bell took out Thrashers John Sim for the year by busting his orbital in this . I like fights but I don't like seeing guys seriously hurt. Unless its someone like Torres on the Oilers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eball Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Fighting isn't the problem -- guys who fight each other know what's coming. Colin, wake up and fix the problem of cheap and dirty shots to the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevbeau Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 Fighting belongs. Fedoruk doesn't.Seriously...I've never seen anyone get KO'd during a fight before like he was, and doesn't he have a steel plate bolted to each side of his jaw? One might suspect that he's not healthy enough to be fighting to begin with... Plus...he's a Flyer. I think your right Tom. He's had his face rebuilt twice. If I gave Fedoruk any credit, I'd say he faked his KO before he ended up with rebuild #3. As for fighting....I like it when it's based out of emotion. However I can do without the staged fight crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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