(1) In your first paragraph you say “at least one of the kids involved was auditioning for a job doing exactly what he did in that fight”. THAT is exactly my point — I think it is really sad that some of these talented kids feel that they have to prove that they are a fighter if they have any chance of getting a job in the NHL. Until the “powers that be” change the culture from the top down, talented young kids are going to continue thinking (correctly I am sure) that the only way they can get a gig in the NHL is if they are an enforcer/ fighter/ goon/ thug — whatever you want to call it. I don’t understand why this has to be a part of the GAME of hockey. Let me be clear that I am not talking about the odd fight that comes out of normal, competitive play where, for example, two players are jockeying for the puck and have a bit of a problem pulling back after the whistle goes. I am talking about the superfluous, gratuitous, mindless fights that happen well after the whistle goes — exactly like the fight you taped. There were a lot of fights like that in the game we watched. I am deeply disappointed that this is what a lot of these kids have to do in order to get a job.

(2) I am not condemning competitiveness in hockey. I understand that violence, in the broad sense of that term, is a part of hockey. It is a part of football and rugby and soccer too. What I do object to is society’s blind acceptance of needless and gratuitous fighting as a part of the GAME. It turns my stomach that the crowd at that hockey game were never as loud as they were when the fights took place. Have we not evolved at all since the days of the gladiotors? I checked when we left and, much to my surprise, none of these people had their knuckles dragging on the ground as they left the arena. These were normal-looking folk many of whom had even brought their kids to the game with them. Worse yet, a number of these youngsters were clearly enjoying the fights as much as their parents. No wonder we struggle as a society to deal with violence that crosses the line and turns criminal. I accept as a basic premise that not all violence is criminal: many, many fights are not assaultive in the sense that they are consensual. That having been said, judging by the number of people who are charged with assault (domestic or otherwise) on a daily/ weekly/ monthly basis, I suggest that a good number of people don’t care to distinguish between criminal and non-criminal violence. In my view, your suggestion that because we “tolerate” violence elsewhere we shouldn’t be surprised to see it in organized sport is the easy way out. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any misguided believe that we should all live in some purple / Barney / everybody loves everybody kind of world but I do believe (very strongly) that we should seriously examine why we “tolerate” violence as much as we do. I also strongly believe that unless and until we (as a community) teach kids that there are ways to settle differences with others that don’t involve violence, we will never see a decrease in the number of people who get charged with assault (particularly domestic assault).

(3) You say that my viewpoint is honestly and sincerely held. It is. But you cannot deny that I grew up with the culture surrounding the game of hockey probably even more that you did: I am from Sudbury for heaven’s sake!! My brother played organized hockey his entire childhood and my father is a level 5 hockey coach. I spent many, many hours in areas throughout the Greater Sudbury area watching countless hockey games. As you know I disliked fighting in hockey then as much as I dislike it now. I have NEVER found fighting entertaining and I expect I never will. I must admit that I didn’t much like watching hockey at all when I was a kid (probably b/c I didn’t have much of a choice) but I do enjoy watching as an adult. That having been said, as much as I like watching a good GAME of hockey, I will turn the t.v. off when the fighting gets out of control and I will get up and walk out of my seat when a stupid fight breaks out on the ice (just like I did the other night).

Just kidding. I understand what you feel and you are of course entitled to feel that way. I don’t disagree that the fight in question was basically pointless except in the sense that at least one of the kids involved is auditioning for a job doing exactly what he did in that fight.

But I’ve made the point elsewhere that it is somewhat false and artificial to condemn violence in hockey (at least in such absolute terms) without considering the role it plays elsewhere in our society. I won’t repeat the argument here again, except to summarize: fighting and violence exists in hockey because it exists in our society. We DO tolerate it elsewhere, and can’t be surprised that it then shows up on the ice, field or gridiron.

I respect your viewpoint; I know it is honestly and sincerely held. Maybe it’s just because I’ve grown up with the culture surrounding the game for so long, but it doesn’t bother me as much as it does you. In fact, I admit to enjoying watching a good bout every now and then. It’s odd, because when I play hockey, I agree with you that there’s so much nonsense involved, but when I watch it – as entertainment – it doesn’t get me upset very much at all.