Game 24: Canucks at Flyers; 11/25/19 @ 7

[CoachX]

Fighting has always been in the rules and allowed. So to argue that its the only major sport to allow it is insignificant.  Fans accepted it, embraced it and it became an accepted norm. 

 

I find it particularly interesting when we all comment on what players are thinking and how they view the issue. Seriously, how does a fan know what players are thinking? Seems to me, that whenever this issue arises, the players always support the rule

 

So like I said, the NHL can neuter the league all they want, I'll be too busy watching anything else to notice

[elmatus]

1 hour ago, mojo1917 said:

There is a "we're 'allowed' to do this so we should do this" vibe to most fights today that I can't get with. 

 

 

I agree with you. That said, I agree with @brelic in that this league is highly likely to continue pruning out fighting in the coming years. As far as lower leagues go, they will inevitably also follow suit. The writing is on the wall. 

 

And as far as the fan base is concerned, we may very well go down as the last of the old school hockey fans. Despite having no emphasis on fighting, other sports that are way more popular than hockey worldwide have absolutely no problem maintaining or even growing a fan base. I honestly think all it will take is time, before fighting in hockey is really just an afterthought for the sport history books.

 

Now, is this what I *want* to see happen? No, not really. But it is what I think seems likely to happen at this point.

 

57 minutes ago, CoachX said:

So like I said, the NHL can neuter the league all they want, I'll be too busy watching anything else to notice

 

This is fine, and obviously that's your choice to make. I just don't think making that choice is going to change anything as far as the NHL is concerned. They want to move away from the bruiser mentality (or at least the more dangerous parts of it), and I'm pretty sure they're going to do just that. Again, I'm not saying it's what I want either, but it's going to happen regardless of what I want or think.

 

I also don't think it's going to be a death knell for the sport. I think hockey is very much still alive and well and growing worldwide. It will continue to grow no matter how often we lament on the current state of the game here on these boards.

Edited November 27, 2019 by elmatus

[brelic]

1 hour ago, mojo1917 said:

@brelic

 

I was never a fan of the staged fights after a face-off.

 

There was an intensity that you've mentioned that doesn't seem to be in the game anymore until the playoffs.

Backinaday there were home & homes where two teams played back to backs in each team's arena. /game 2 of that scheduling technique used to have a fair amount of chippiness due to proximity.

There  was a time when I was okay with fights if they arose organically.  Guys getting their sticks and elbows up in the corners would lead to someone "having enough".  There was less padding, worse helmets, no visors...people would get opened up more easily and playing recklessly would and should have consequences.

Now guys want to fight after clean hits .

There is a "we're 'allowed' to do this so we should do this" vibe to most fights today that I can't get with. 

It is a contact sport, guys skating fast in an enclosed area with sticks, it has violence built into to it. The fighting used to be a way to reset building tension and get back to playing hockey, now it's a distraction from everything. 

 

 

 

Football is a contact sport and doesn't tolerate fighting the way hockey does. It just has a long history with hockey and is a generational change before it's completely gone. 

 

But, yeah, I really do miss the intensity and chippiness that made me care about my team and truly hate the other team. Now, it's just a bunch of dudes skating around and I like the orange ones lol. 

 

As I said in another post, though, it could really be a function of having sooooo little Flyers playoff action in the past 7-8 years. I enjoyed watching the Lightning/Jackets playoff series last year and the atmosphere on the ice and in the stands is what we just don't get as Flyers fans when they're golfing in early April.

[brelic]

1 hour ago, CoachX said:

Fighting has always been in the rules and allowed. So to argue that its the only major sport to allow it is insignificant.  Fans accepted it, embraced it and it became an accepted norm. 

 

I find it particularly interesting when we all comment on what players are thinking and how they view the issue. Seriously, how does a fan know what players are thinking? Seems to me, that whenever this issue arises, the players always support the rule

 

So like I said, the NHL can neuter the league all they want, I'll be too busy watching anything else to notice

 

Yes, it did become an accepted norm. And it's now becoming an unaccepted norm. 

 

They've gone from over a fight per game to one fight every five games. 

https://www.tsn.ca/fighting-continues-to-fade-from-nhl-1.1216252

 

 

 

 

The same trend is happening in the lower leagues in almost identical proportions. 

 

So, whether or not you go on and do other things, fighting is going away.

[Podein25]

18 minutes ago, brelic said:

 

 

 

 

Jesus, that looks like the performance of my "investment portfolio"

Edited November 27, 2019 by Podein25

[CoachX]

2 hours ago, brelic said:

 

Yes, it did become an accepted norm. And it's now becoming an unaccepted norm. 

 

They've gone from over a fight per game to one fight every five games. 

https://www.tsn.ca/fighting-continues-to-fade-from-nhl-1.1216252

 

 

 

 

The same trend is happening in the lower leagues in almost identical proportions. 

 

So, whether or not you go on and do other things, fighting is going away.

Sure fighting is going down. There's no argument. And most likely you are right, it will be removed entirely at some point. The cost however, is speculative 

 

Recent reports show DTV has lost a significant number of subscribers. With that, sports tv contracts will take a hit. The move is toward streaming. With newer options at lower costs, sports leagues will be impacted. Right now, Center Ice packages all games at one price. I have not subscribed for 2 years because the cost is not worth the product. When i find a streaming service that will allow me to just sign up for flyers games, I'll probably take it, as long as the cost is minimal

 

Im willing to bet there are a large number of customers that share my POV

[radoran]

@King Knut

 

Look, I get it. I'm not saying that there aren't positive things.

 

I'm saying that I'm lacking a reason to give a damn. Another bubble effort after seven years is just not grabbing me. And from the looks of the crowd and from the interwebs, I'm not alone.

 

I want to see the team make me WANT to be a fan. It's just not there at this point. Bumbling along getting garbage points just smacks of more of the same. Make the playoffs and lose in the first round. Joy.

 

There's nothing magical about keeping this group together.  I'm watching. I'm giving them "a chance" - again. I bought a new hat at the HHOF and had my pic taken with the Cup next to the 7475 winners facing front. Great.

 

But if they can get something that will help the young ones for Voracek or JVR or Ghost or even Giroux, I'm in favor of doing it. None of them are making me sit up and say I need to go to more games.

 

Instead I just have the feeling they're still going to be a team that might win a round in the playoffs. Maybe. Perhaps.

 

That's not good enough. For me. YMMV, which is fine.

 

Go Flyers.

[ruxpin]

19 hours ago, mojo1917 said:

The fighting used to be a way to reset building tension and get back to playing hockey, now it's a distraction from everything. 

Yes. It distracts most in the lower bowl from checking their portfolios and reading the Journal. 

 

Good post. Just pesting. It's what I do.