Stop the Fight against Fighting!

This past Saturday I stood with my head down at the TD Garden during a moment of silence for Derek Boogaard who suddenly died at an age far too young.    I certainly couldn’t help but think of what damage his recent concussion may have done or how it potentially contributed to his early death.  I also couldn’t stop thinking about how Mark Savard might never play again for fear of meeting the same fate.

Bottom line is concussions are killing athletes and the blind-side hits, targeting the head, and reckless play needs to come to an immediate stop.

That being said... When I returned to mu humble abode I flipped on the NHL Network to catch the highlights of the game I just watched (It’s a guy thing).  The meatstick behind the desk was talking about Boogaard and how her got a concussion from a fight with another player.  Dip-stick McGee (or whatever his name is) continued to ask when fighting will be removed from the game and expounded on how unnecessary it is to Hockey.

Shut up!  Seriously?!  I’m not going to go off on why fighting in hockey is as vital as a slap-shot.  About how it’s the way the game has always been played and how it always should be played.  Rather I want to discuss the opinion that the way to eliminate concussions is to eliminate fighting.

Fact: One can get a nasty concussion during a hockey fight.

Fact: One can get a nasty concussion from a blindside hit to the head.

So what’s the difference?  Simple. One does not look at his opponent and say “Hey Alexi, next time I skate by you with my head down pop me in the back on the head with your elbow!” 

Nope…that would be stupid.

But when two players fight they square off, face to face, drop their gloves in agreement that it’s on!  It’s not cheap.  It’s not unfair.  It’s mano y mano battle.  If you punch an unsuspecting player you get suspended.  If you just into another guys fight you get suspended.  If you have anything on your fists when your  fight you get suspended.  There are more rules protecting the fighters than there are a center driving crease. 

So get off it.  Is it tragic that Boogaard is dead?  Yes.  Is it cause for the NHL to take a serious look at concussions? Yes!   Is fighting the reason for most concussions?  Not even close.

Stay focused on eliminating the cheap shot artists of the league (talking to you Matt Cooke) and let the tough guys fight it out if they want.  Boogaard was a fighter and had nothing but respect for his fellow tough guys, and as made clear in the league wide reaction the respect certainly went both ways.