I don’t often do this. In fact, this is the first time it has happened on this site. I am going to directly use a journalist’s article as the basis for one of my own.
Much has been made about fighting in the NHL. Even I have chimed in several times. LastWordOnSports even had a poll asking our viewership to vote on whether fighting should be left as it is or completely abolished. The voted ended with the vast majority opting to drop it from the game.
No matter what side of the debate you are on, it is a hot issue right now, and became even more heated the other night when Jay Beagle took it upon himself to knock Kris Letang’s helmet off. Soon after, in true NHL tough guy fashion, Arron Asham stepped in and had his feelings, all ten of them, expressed on Beagle’s face. For most that is part of the game, and will unlikely leave it anytime soon. But what occurred afterwards is what is making headlines.
Asham celebrated his knock-out in true Ovechkin-esque fashion. Proudly displaying his make-believe heavyweight belt, he paraded around like a rooster. Afterward he was remorseful on his Twitter account, regretting his actions.
Much ado about nothing? I’m not so sure.
I am not going to get into the debate again, not now, but what I do propose is that a line needs to be drawn. It is one thing in the heat of the game to break into a tussle, but the circus act Asham exhibited should certainly be punishable.
Like you, I love hockey. There are aspects I don’t like, and this is at the top of my list.
Few write like Bob McKenzie does. He offers a great article on TSN’s website, which can be found at: http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=378076.
