From: allan@cs.UAlberta.CA (Allan Sullivan)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.hockey
Subject: Re: What the world needs now is an AMERICAN TV CONTRACT.
Date: 9 Apr 92 07:08:11 GMT
Article-I.D.: kitscoty.allan.702803291
Organization: University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada

ARBOGASTW@vaxb.gbus.virginia.edu (Warren Arbogast) writes:

>In article <allan.702679696@kitscoty> allan@cs.UAlberta.CA (Allan Sullivan) writes:
>>ARBOGASTW@vaxb.gbus.virginia.edu (Warren Arbogast) writes:

>>>In article <allan.702362807@so-heart-rv> allan@cs.UAlberta.CA (Allan Sullivan) writes:

>>I also base my opinion on a friend of mine, who played hockey first
>>with the OHL (Junior A), where fighting is allowed, and then University
>>Hockey, where fighting is not allowed. (I think the player gets suspended
>>for the season if he fights.) His observation? A lot of players at
>>the University level were careless with their sticks, because they knew
>>that the other players were powerless to do anything about it. If
>>fighting were allowed at the University level, then the players could
>>quickly end the careless use of sticks right then and there.

>If 560 players can get together on this strike thing, why in the world, as 
>some of the best athletes in the world, can't they get together and protect 
>their bodies?  Your suggesstion that they need a rule to protect themselves 
>from beating each other with bare hands is like the owners claim 
>that they need rules to prtect themselves from themselves.  

Well, for one, the strike vote wasn't unanimous; there were 4 people
who voted against it. And in the case of fighting, all you need is
one 'goof' (like Ulf Samuelson) who is careless with the stick,
or throws dirty checks. (Ulfie would thrive in a no fighting
league... He doesn't fight, he just plays dirty.)

With most fights, its usually two 'heavy-weights' who are going
at it. (I doubt any team would send a Probert or a Crowder
to beat up on Gretzky). And they are rarely hurt.
(There's sort of a 'code of honour' among the 'goons'.)
Before worring about fighting, more should be done to
remove high sticking which causes much more severe injuries.

In Europe, and in many of the North American amature leagues, where
fighting is not allowed, things like stickwork are much more prevalent.
(It seams like the only cases of kicking i've heard about
involve Europeans.) Is this a fluke? Maybe, but I doubt it.

For the record, I don't watch hockey because of the fights. But I do
appreciate the results; namely, the reduction in stick infractions
and as a type of 'release mechanism'.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   \  \                   |Allan Sullivan (allan@cs.ualberta.ca)
    \  \                  |Department of Computing Science,
     \  \_______          |University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
      \    ###  \     _   |---------------------------------------------------
       \___###___\   (_)  |My opinions are mine and mine alone.
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"It is amazing how much can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the
 credit..."          - U. of A. Golden Bears Hockey Motto (C. Drake)
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From: cadams@hpspdla.spd.HP.COM (Chris Adams)
Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1992 21:23:03 GMT
Subject: Re: Dear Sherri
Organization: HP Stanford Park - Palo Alto, CA