More Violence in Hockey

Saturday, March 10, 2007

...Chris Simons' attack brings out the worst in hockey fans...

O

n Thursday, March 8th, Chris Simon of the New York Islanders thought he was a baseball player instead of a hockey player. Thought his stick was a bat and Ryan Hollweg's head a baseball. With two hands and one swing, Simon smashed his stick into Hollweg's face.

It was a repulsive and barbarous act that highlights the worst aspects of hockey.

There can be no justification for his attack. It was criminal, yet to hear some callers on the FAN 590 in Toronto, incidents like this were bound to happen because of the instigator rule.

They argue that if the instigator rule were removed, the players could police themselves. They could drop their gloves at will and everything would be fine. But it wouldn't be fine.

Chris Simon took matters into his own hands and swung his stick. Swinging his fists instead simply eliminates the stick.

What they are really saying is that they love blood sports, want to watch fights, not hockey. They want one form of barbarism in place of another.

Allowing players to fight at will with no consequences is vigilante justice. No respect for rules or civilization. What matters then is not the rules of the game or fair play, but might and will and individual preference.

When things aren't going you way, just send out the goons. In response, the other side sends out their goons. Each side hires more goons so they can send them out. More goons and more goons.

Do we need more goons? Absolutely not.

Get rid of the goons, get rid of fighting. If that means people won't watch because they want to see fights, then so be it.

Posted 2007/03/10 at 10h28ET in Hockey.