until we saw one of these KO types of hits. Unlike past years, there's been a dearth of them.
I saw a video that took place at the Hockey Hall of Fame, with Scott Stevens on a panel with Ron Francis (victim of a KO hit by Stevens) discussing these types of hits and their place in the game. Francis basically said it is part of the game and it shouldn't be legislated against.
Two things come to mind when I think about this. One, the league as a whole suffers when a star player gets injured. The NFL as POPO mentioned realized this and has since started trying to protect the QBs and receivers who are especially vulnerable.
The second thought was that if you start taking away the physical part of the game, does it decrease the appeal and the general nature of the sport? I was ready to say yes, but again, looking at the NFL, they still somehow put out a quality product that is still pretty hard hitting.
The fact is, that if the players had their way, they wouldn't be wearing helmets. There is a culture in the NHL of bravado, sometimes to their detriment. There are dopes like Don Cherry who question the manhood of players who wear a shield. Go say that to Iginla's face, fat ass.
Yeah the mandating of the helmet shows what idiots the players can be. What sport is played on a slippery surface where falls are common? What playing surface is harder than ice? What sport allows full speed collisions with guys carrying pieces of wood?
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't play in the NHL without a full cage.