We went to a Hershey Bear Hockey Game tonight. I hadn't been to one in a decade. I used to go to hockey games at least once or twice a year when i was younger. What caught my attention at the game was the amount of intentional violence and the fans reactions to a fight.
In the first ten seconds of the game there was a fight. Two players circled each other for about 5 minutes un-interrupted by the refs and cheered on by the crowd. (I hadn't seen so much choreographed dancing since the olympics.) The fight continued until one guy was flat on the ice and the other guy was on top of him. The fans were in a frenzy over this display of needless violence. After play started again 5 seconds later a second fight broke out. So fifteen seconds into the game 2 fights? over what? nothing had happened?
After the first period they interviewed a player and one of the questions was about the fights. The player basically stated that he thought that the fights sent a message to the other team that Hershey was serious. What a lousy excuse. What a stupid message. The game and the fights soured me to Ice Hockey as a sport. Was I blind to this violence as a teen? Or is it worse now? not sure.
My wife's cousin loves two sports, professional wrestling and ice hockey. I used to think they were different. I do not anymore.
Leave a comment