NHL 09 Playoffs
Out of context: Reply #217
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- flavorful0
I think a lot of people have the wrong impression of hockey, and their fans. Most people outside of hockey hate fighting, but don't understand it ensures that people like Crosby, Ovechkin, and back in the day, Gretzky and Lemieux do not get overtly cheap-shottéd, and taken out. It's a way of policing their own, and making it blatantly obvious that any minor/ major penalty will result in severe and repeated reminders to not do that.
Most people assume fighting on the ice (which happens rarely, all things considered [unless you're a Flyer]), translates to fighting in the stands. Not so, not so by a long shot.
Exceptions in terms of crowds would be, again the Flyers (no-nothings), and the Boston crowd (really not that far off from Philly in all sports, except their teams are decent). Actually I'd throw Toronto in that mix too.
Though to Maple Leaf fans credit, their team blows and they still travel to see them. I had a blast with them last year at a pub in Pittsburgh watching the EPL in the waking hours for most people over here.
They came to literally see Crosby play in person, and stayed overnite to catch football before heading back. They talked about fights they were in and everything, and we joked about all types of shit, even though I was a Penguin (and Arsenal) fan, haha.