Rock ’em, sock ’em?
Dropping the gloves against hockey fights
Jacques Marcoux, Volunteer Staff
Last week, six hockey players and two coaches were suspended following a brawl between two teams at the conclusion of a game held in Guelph, Ont. Throughout the entire game, frustration ran high as the players battled it out on the ice. Right as the game was coming towards its end, the players on the ice kept chirping at each other. At that moment, the inevitable happened. Players from both teams cleared the bench to join the fight, the coaches confronted one another ending in a spitting match, the crowd got involved, and finally the RCMP was called in to sort out the melee.
Sounds like your typical NHL brawl, doesn’t it? Unfortunately, the incident I just described involved eight-year-old children, volunteer coaches, and parents. Yes, the incident took place last week and has since raised several questions about the direction Canadian hockey is heading, and rightfully so.
This obviously is not the first time that an incident involving minor hockey players has occurred, but it is the first time that such an incident has received so much media attention. What is shocking is not so much the fact that those involved in the brawl were eight-year-olds, but rather that the coaches actually encouraged it by opening the gates and clearing their benches.
Following an investigation, the RCMP has already stated publicly that the incident will be handled by each team’s respective hockey association. The outcome of this incident however is irrelevant, as this unacceptable event will no doubt be settled accordingly. What is important, however, is the question of where these children got the unintuitive idea of clearing the bench to fight on ice.
The simple answer is: professional hockey. The less simple answer is: their parents.
Let’s start with the simple answer. High-level hockey is riddled with on ice violence. Recall Todd Bertuzzi sucker-punching Steve Moore, knocking him unconscious, nearly rendering him quadriplegic. Then there’s Marty McSorley, who used his hockey stick as weapon against Donald Brashear’s head. To make things worse, fans actually cheer more when violent bouts break out than when exceptional game play is performed. Children view this on television and experience this at the arenas.
The less simple answer is that hockey parents, specifically in Canada, sometimes lack self-control. These parents do not represent the majority, I admit, but they are surprisingly large in numbers. Such parents are responsible and sensible individuals for the better part of the week, but throw them into an arena and they morph into sadistic and senseless animals. I will not provide examples, because most readers already know what I am referring to. Children on the ice observe this transformation in their parents’ attitude and assume it’s normal.
When asked about the brawl in Guelph, the flamboyant Don Cherry said, “It’s a bad thing when you hear stuff like that; it’s ridiculous, it never should have happened. But nobody ever says anything about the thousands and thousands of games where it never happened.” This coming from the man who is essentially the biggest proponent of fighting in hockey? Please, spare me the bullshit. Although I am certain that he truly feels this event was unfortunate, the next time he’s co-hosting CBC’s Coaches Corner, he’ll be right back at it, encouraging aggressive and violent behaviour on the ice.
I do not subscribe to the Canadian hockey doctrine. However, should you do as little as hint to a hockey fan that fighting should be banned, you will generally get two arguments. The first is an illogical answer such as: “Fighting has always been part of the game, therefore it should stay.” Oh, really? That is akin to saying: “Women cannot vote and that how it’s been for centuries, therefore things should remain as they are.” However, the second argument has much more thought behind it and actually is quite convincing – short and quick players are generally those scoring goals. Therefore, they are more likely targets for opposing players looking to inflict injuries by means of aggressive physical contact. By using vigilante justice on the ice (i.e. fighting) teams can actually reduce the amount of violence through intimidation and scare-tactics.
To be quite honest, this is an extremely valid argument. In fact, I believe it to be true. That being said, there is only one simple hole in the argument that is often overlooked. When these players fight, they fight with the intent to injure. Can you think of anywhere else in your day-to-day activities where you can do this without legal repercussions? There are none. This is the message that children involved in hockey are absorbing. The message is: once you walk through the arena doors the unwritten guidelines of civility that exist beyond the walls of the arena are washed away. Parents, coaches, and players are free to act like savage animals.
The next time you hear the old joke, “Last night I went to watch a fight and a hockey game broke out,” maybe you’ll think twice about laughing like an idiot.
Jacques Marcoux is a fourth-year commerce student.
