Fighting

[bonesy21]

to all you viewers out there, an incident occured last weekend, where a coach told his player to fight another player in a CRHL regular season game. in addition, the coach from what we have heard was serving his suspension this weekend, and i was just remotely curious as to what others thought about the suspension? How many games should a player receive for fighting (dropping the gloves and throwing punches), and what would be a fair punishment for the coach who specifically told his player to fight that opposing player. we have not received word as to how many games the player or the coach were given, but if anyone knows the outcome, inquiring minds wanna know. Moreover, does it specifically state anything relating to fighting issues in the CRHL handbook or rule book, and what that rule or punishment is? i was just curious, but if anyone out there has any knowledge relating to this little situation, i would love to know what you think. thank you very much for your time,

Bonesy

[umroller]

I could be wrong but I don't think the CRHL materials state what specific suspensions are. But from my experience (personal and otherwise) a suspension for fighting will usually get you anywhere from 3-7 games depending ont he severity. 3-5 games is most likely. As for the coach,. I'm not sure that has ever happened before. But in my opinion (which doesn't count for much anymore) a coach who sends players out there to fight or injure should receive a minimum of 5 games. I would say he should get 5-10 games. That is inexcusable conduct. A coach is supposed to act professionally and without malice. You even saw a NHL coach get suspended for doing that.



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[John_S_Osborne]

Bryan Trottier got 3 games for it, in a league where fighting is legal. The penalties should be much greater in the CRHL. If I were in the position of the person doing the fines/suspensions, and if the coach openly admitted to me that he put a player on the floor with the intention of starting an altercation, I would recommend a fine around $75 and a 5-6 game suspension.

- john

[umroller]

John, that's exactly what I was getting at. Of course it may be clear to the refs that a coach sent a player out there to fight or injure, but I doubt the coach would usually openly admit to doing so. I don't think it should matter whether he admits it or not. Anyway, the player would have to be a dumbass to fight anyway right? :-)



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[Falcons77]

I am not saying that I agree with fighting, but how can you prove the coach sent the player out to fight? If it is heard by the refs or team, thats good. BUT what if the player claims the coach sent him to fight but that wasnt the coaches intentions? Either way, USA Hockey gives you a Game Misconduct plus an extra game, I think that is enough. Now, if there become a re-occuring player involved in fights, more may be needed. We all have things that get to us on the court, sometimes in certain situations people toss the gloves. Again, I am not a fight promoter, but this is a competitive game and sometimes bad things happen.

[slapshot09]

1 game is plenty, for the kinda fights your going to see in a college roller hockey league.

[umroller]

A 1 game suspension is most certainly not plenty in regards to a player fighting. One game is nothing. A player should be suspended for 3 games minimum. As for a coach, it doesn't "just happen." A coach is supposed to act professionally, even more so than his players. Additionally he is not caught in the heat of the moment which can many times contribute to a person getting into a fight. He has time to make a decision about sending a player on to fight someone. A coach should be penalized much more than a player. And yes, the best and only way to know if a coach sent the player on is to overhear.



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[MDE3]

To accept that a player cannot help himself from fighting is the beginning of the deception. This is a game which reqires a great deal of self discipline to learn properly and play well as a team. If the self - discipline necessary to avoid a fight cannot be mustered then the player is not ready to play at a level beneficial to the game.

Fighting in hockey became accepted as away of repaying cheap shots by someone who was trying to get away with something already ouside the rules. In some leagues it evolved into part of the "entertainment" - but even in the NHL the fighting is usually restricted to those who are hired to do so - not always but most of the time. The days of using fighting to "intimidate" other players/teams in order to gain an advantage should be stopped as it will only make skilled players look elsewhere to play and result in an evolution to "Slapshot" hockey if left uncontrolled.

Where a team with a large skill advantage already over their competition stoops to fighting as part of their agenda - then not only should the players but the coaching staff be punished but the academic institution and the league's governing body should look carefully at the image they are projecting.

In fact if a rule was drawn up that every time a player engaged in a fight - not only would he be suspended but his coach as well for 2 games - these incidents would dissapear pretty fast.

[GoodNachos]

im one of those guys who grew up in the ice hockey scene, so fighting doesnt seem all that unnatural in the course of the game.

however, this isnt ice hockey, so i understand that restrictions must be applied.

perhaps a nice compromise would be that if a player were to get 3 or so games suspension for fighting, maybe the refs would let the fight last throughout its entirety. if one were to get a hefty suspension, itd be a shame to have receive it without even getting a good punch off. haha.

but in my bit of experience in collegiate roller hockey, i dont think that fights are anything to be concerned about. ive never seen one in a college game, and any game that mightve come close to including a fight, had situations that could easily have been controlled by the refs, and they were.

although i dont promote fights, and quite frankly im pretty sure that i punch like an 80 year old woman anyways, if i were a coach in a game that smelled like trouble might happen, i would make sure the ref knew that if he didn't take care of the other teams chippiness, we would. usually when they hear that, they take better control of the game.

not much of an opinion, but its all i got

[UConnRH]

I don't condone fighting in collegiate roller hockey. It is a game designed around speed, patience, and execution. Furthermore, all of the players are students who cannot afford to get injured in a fight and miss time away from classes. Let's remember that when it all is said and done, we are playing a game. Everyone plays to win, but it is still designed to be a friendly competition played by STUDENT athletes.

During the summer, our team instituted a team rule stating that anyone engaging themselves in a fight AND whom receives an official league suspension will also receive a 1 game team suspension to be served immediately following the completion of their league suspension.

We haven't had any fights and I don't think we will, but the rule is out there and will be enforced if there ever is one.

Re: Coaches sending players out to fight...If I were to ever ask a player to go out and get into a fight or injure someone I would hope that the player wouldn't do so and I also would hope that I was replaced immediately.

Seth Lake
Coach, UConn Roller Hockey

[DannyG]

I have been rather yappy as a new member to this posting site, so I will try to keep this one brief, and it is another of those soapbox oinions.

1. Fighting has no place in hockey.

2. If players were to be suspended for the entire season for engaging in fisticuffs, the practice would end.

3. For those who believe in the Gospel According to St. Barry: NO, the game would NOT degenerate into stick bludgeoning in the absence of fighting.

We must demand that our game be ONLY about skill, ability, heart, and creativity. We must have the guts to get rid of those that will not play like human beings.

Then our sport can reach its full potential, for players, and (even paying) spectators alike.

[missionhockey21]

I agree with you, but getting suspended for the entire season for engaging in a fight is harsh.

[columbus_RHstar]

The whole season is too much.

Does anyone knowwhat the NCAA's punishment is for fighting in ice? that might serve as a guideline or offer some help. Not the exact same. Probably harsher since ice is a varsity sport while inline is still club. Thats just my 2 cents.

[DannyG]

"...too HARSH..." is indeed the entire point.

If the intent is only to penalize, then we are allowing fighting to continue as a tactic, however it may come to be used.

If the intent is to eliminate, the penalty must be so harsh, that the consideration of whether to engage in a fight will be eliminated. If a penalty is NOT too harsh, then we continue to allow the tactic to be considered, and nothing changes, except maybe by degree...

We might contend, IF we really did kick you out "forever" for fighting, that you would certainly think about it a whole bunch of times before you entered into a fight, and you probably would discard the notion as not worth it, precisely because no tactical advantage for the single game would be worth it...ever...

...end of soapbox, I promise.

[missionhockey21]

This "penalty", might prevent lots of fights, but granted that most fights are in the heat of a moment. And if two guys are going after each other in a game likley one of those checks, slashes, trips or elbows is going to start a fight no matter what the penalty is. I agree if it is more serious less will occur but it will never be eliminated from the game.