| Fan Action Network
January 2009 Newsletter
Fighting as a Hockey Value
Hockey thinkers have for some time felt that fighting added value to the game and believed that it must be a part of the product marketed to viewers to be a successful source of sport entertainment. The rationale for fighting has taken many positions ranging from fighting being an inevitable by-product of the game due to the intense nature of the activity, fighting being a part of the game to eliminate “stick work”, to fighting being an essential entertainment feature that serves some primeval need of the average fan. Dissenters have been accused of trying to “pansify” the game if I may use a word coined by Mike Milbury, a regular on Hockey Night in Canada’s Hot Stove segment with Ron McLean and Al Strachen, when he defends fighting as part of the game.
Fighting in hockey has no endearing quality. At a time when we see and enjoy positive advances in science, the arts, music, architecture and many other aspects of our lives, professional sport, particularly hockey, has done little if anything to keep up with society’s changing values. Rather than enriching our lives, fighting tends to impoverish the value system of the very fans who fund the industry. As well, franchises continue to recruit from within thereby stagnating any opportunity for new ideas (e.g. Brett Hull, Manager???) and when one looks for a “wise” man within the sport of hockey, our closest version of a philosopher-king goes by the name Donald S. Cherry whose motto is “take no prisoners”.
How much do you bet that the NHL’s response to the unfortunate death of Don Sanderson as a result of a hockey fight, in an Ontario senior league when his helmet fell off and he hit his head on the ice, will be to improve the chin straps on helmets rather than banning fighting altogether. Such a move would certainly be a travesty to the memory of this young hockey player. Congratulations to the OHL for taking a leadership role in implementing tougher rules when a player takes off his helmet for a fight or when it is dislodged in an altercation. I do not think they have gone far enough, but it is a step in the right direction.
David J. Kolbuc
david@fanactionnetwork.com
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Fan Action Network
December 08 Newsletter
Bettman on New Hockey Arena for Edmonton
How often do we allow someone to reach into our pockets and pull out not only our loose change but our credit card as well so we can spend tomorrow’s dollars to help fund a small number of multi millionaires who try to convince us that it is necessary if we want to maintain our privileged position of having major league sports franchises in our city. That is basically what Gary Bettman said recently at an Edmonton Chamber of Commerce breakfast when he empathically stated that it is essential that Edmonton build a new arena in downtown Edmonton.
Does Bettman not read the newspapers or watch the news? Almost every company who purchases advertising space on the hockey boards of every arena in the NHL is hurting financially or soon will be. Oil has dropped below $40 a barrel and markets worldwide are tumbling. Where does he think Edmonton will get the money to build this new cathedral ?. If I can use the most over-used word in hockey today, Bettman clearly stated public money would “obviously” need to be used. Does he think Edmontonians specifically and Albertans generally are stupid people? Bettman, Katz, Laforge and company should be embarrassed to even suggest the construction of new arena for Edmonton at this time. Do they really think businesses and tax payers would contribute even greater amounts than they are now for a facility that would cost users even more money to access?
What do these people see when they look in the mirror each morning?. Do they really think they are serving the best interest of communities such as Edmonton by proposing a new arena at this time?. Do they think a community foundation will ease their conscious and cleanse their soul? Look what happened to Edmonton’s Caritas Hospital Foundation Lottery, a perennial favorite and great success, until the Oilers saturated the lottery market with one of their own. Why compete with an already excellent Foundation? Where does the Oiler Foundation get its money to help the poor and underprivileged of our community?. It certainly is not from the profit made by owning and running a professional sport franchise or from our already overpaid professional hockey players. It comes from the common people like you and me who need to closely watch how we spent our after-tax discretional dollars. This is a classic case where greed surpasses need by leaps and bounds. Come on Bettman and the Oilers. Show some community leadership that goes beyond your own self interest. Remember Santa’s making a list and checking it twice.
David J. Kolbuc
david@fanactionnetwork.com
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