By David Bitonti
Hockey has been a huge part of my family for generations. When I was a kid, back in the ‘80s, every Saturday evening after my brother and I played our own minor league game, we’d all pile up in the living room to watch the Montreal Canadiens on the CBC French-language affiliate CBUFT. Between periods, my father would grab the most current edition of The Official NHL Hockey Guide (otherwise referred to as The Bible) and test our hockey knowledge. It was a bastardized version of hockey Jeopardy that no one ever won.
It seemed like hockey was simpler back then. Players were concerned about scoring goals and working hard, not securing lucrative endorsement deals and squabbling over multi-million dollar contracts. The reporting was crude and hard to come by and we savoured any juicy bit of news we got. Today, thanks to our best friend the Internet, we know everything about a given hockey player down to his IPod playlist and favourite restaurant.
And that’s not all that’s changed. Headshots. Concussions. Suspensions (or lack thereof). The recent and chilling image of Max Pacioretty lying face-down on the ice for over five minutes after getting ploughed by Zdano Chara has stuck with me and a lot of other hockey fans. I watched the game in real time and I really thought I had witnessed a death.
It’s got me thinking twice about registering my own nine-month old son when he’s old enough. I know that’s not really something I need to worry about yet, but I can’t help but feel I’ve already lost something important.
Players are being seriously injured at an epidemic rate and even stars like Marc Savard and Sidney Crosby (the face of the freaking league!) are not immune. We can blame Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell all we want but that’s like making fun of George Bush — too easy. The players need to stop hiding behind excuses like “The game is so fast,” “I was just finishing my check,” “I didn’t know that stanchion was there,” etc., and start taking responsibility for their decisions. Sure, the league’s response has been reactive as opposed to progressive but the players need to account for their own actions out there. Do these 200-plus pound behemoths really need to drive each other’s heads into turnbuckles and glass to win the game? I thought it was about who scored the most goals.
If things keep getting worse, I think my boy Andy might end up be wearing soccer cleats instead of skates. Sorry Dad.
My chief complaint with hockey these days, is that it would be nice (for hockey fans and for the players) if the highlight of a game was the hockey and not the fighting or checking or other injuries. The day after a game I more frequently hear fans talking about the fights and aggression rather than the hockey. I don’t think hockey should be “wussified” either, Rhiannon, but I agree that more emphasis should be placed on the game itself, rather than it being known as an aggressive, unsafe sport. Hockey is becoming increasingly dangerous and I think it’s wise for parents to consider this before putting their children in it.
As a mother I would prefer my son playing soccer or baseball due the nature of hockey these days. Like the majority of mass marketing, targeting the mothers of the new generation of potential players can’t be ignored. I’m not suggesting Hockey ought to be wussified but a declining younger demographic coupled with the increasing violent direction of the game is bound to have an effect on its future. I am interested to hear about how other mother’s feel…….
Hey Scott are you a bitter Canucks fan? J/K What if I whimp out but also put my kid in soccer and teach him to be respectful…. When it all comes down to it, I’ll let my kid play any sport he wants to. The Pacioretty hit obviously got me stirred up, how could it not? Maybe my reaction was typical but your reaction wasa typical Hab-hater response…. And unless you are a medical doctor lets not get into comparing post-concussion syndrome symptoms. It’s not as simple as you’ve put it. Even as much as I hate Boston, I was calling for Cooke’s head last year. If my kid wants to play hockey of course I would let him, but I personally don’t see the same league I saw when I was playing. The game is faster and arguably more exciting but at what cost. I’ve been an advocate of stiffer suspensions long before this recent hit. One last thing, don’t you think Chara should be playing forward on the Celtics instead of hockey?
Typical overreaction. So, now that you’ve taken a breath or two since, do you feel any differently? Perhaps the Hab fan in you is too upset to process clearly. I’d hate to see your son lose out and wind up in soccer cleats because your sainted franchise decided to use Pacioretty’s injury as a tool to try and get the captain of a divisional rival suspended. Serious concussion, my foot. Tender Maxy would still be in a dark room like Savard or Crosby if he had any sort of serious head trauma; he wouldn’t have been tweeting at the movies four days later.
My issue is: Where were all of the Hab fans back when Cooke tried to take Savard’s head off?? Back then, I think I remember a lot of hey, he didnt use his elbow, so it’s a hockey play…heard that from some Hab fans, definitely. Now, the shoe is on the other foot. Hypocrisy, alive and well in Quebec and apparently in the hearts and minds of Hab fans.
Look, it’s about respect for the opponent. As long as players and fans alike are hypocritical and biased towards their laundry, be it black and gold or bleu blanc et rouge, no progress will be made. Here’s a thought; starting with your son’s generation, we teach kids respect for the opponent and eventually such hits will be a thing of the past.
Nothing gets accomplished by whimping out to go play soccer.