McGrattan to Coyotes

[Bmwolf21]

Yeah it's absurd, that's why i said "somehow I doubt it." So if we agree that fighting is NEVER going away, then there has to be a limit to your "guys hit too hard" theory. Either someone is going to be fearless enough to do the job the way it is supposed to be done or, as you say, they will keep fighting but the style will keep moving toward "self-preservation" ... just put on a big show ... but the show keeps getting smaller and smaller; it's not a big show if they are afraid to get hit.

I'm not disagreeing with you, I am sure a lot of these guys are just trying to put on a show and not get hurt ... my point is if these guys whose job description is "NHL tough guy" are just going to "try to be useful and contributing all while trying to limit your chances of getting hurt," then they are the wrong guys for THAT job. At least on my team if I had a say.

I actually never said there was a "guys hit too hard" theory. Going back to my OP, my point was that Peters, while not as good a fighter as Ray, regularly faces guys that are much bigger than most of Ray's opponents were. With these enforcers being much bigger now, they can hit much, much harder than guys 10 years ago, so it is understandable that Peters and some fighters alter their fighting styles to avoid getting hit and especially to avoid the big heavyweight bombs that do so much damage.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I actually never said there was a "guys hit too hard" theory. Going back to my OP, my point was that Peters, while not as good a fighter as Ray, regularly faces guys that are much bigger than most of Ray's opponents were. With these enforcers being much bigger now, they can hit much, much harder than guys 10 years ago, so it is understandable that Peters and some fighters alter their fighting styles to avoid getting hit and especially to avoid the big heavyweight bombs that do so much damage.

OK ... and my point is that it is not understandable that his/their whole fighting style IS avoiding the bombs. that's not adjusting, that's flat out shying away and not really fighting. And they are more interested in avoiding than hitting, at least in part, because they are not really mad or fighting for any good reason.

[Bmwolf21]

OK ... and my point is that it is not understandable that his/their whole fighting style IS avoiding the bombs. that's not adjusting, that's flat out shying away and not really fighting. And they are more interested in avoiding than hitting, at least in part, because they are not really mad or fighting for any good reason.

The only part I agree with is that the enforcer fights are a sideshow, but you're taking that agreed-upon fact and extrapolating it out to an incorrect conclusion -- that because it's a sideshow, they are trying to completely avoid being hit and are shying away/not really fighting. You don't regularly drop the gloves with a guy like McGrattan, Colton Orr, Brashear, etc., and shy away. The rest of the enforcers wouldn't stand for that.

 

But to follow your logic -- despite the high risk of severe injuries, these guys should just stand there and flail away, injuries be damned? They shouldn't try to avoid getting hit in the face by a 6-4, 6-5, 6-7 monster while looking for the knockout shot themselves? :blink:

 

I guess we're just going around in circles here. You think it's not understandable that someone would want to avoid getting their face smashed in if possible and tries to use his reach to his advantage. You're entitled to your opinion, but I just can't understand that stance.

[BetweenThePipes00]

I guess we're just going around in circles here. You think it's not understandable that someone would want to avoid getting their face smashed in if possible and tries to use his reach to his advantage. You're entitled to your opinion, but I just can't understand that stance.

You act like he is one of us sitting at a computer all day ... of course the human instinct is to avoid getting your face smashed in if possible, it's a goal of mine every day (although I think if you saw me you'd probably take a swing right now ;) ) ... but it is part of his job, that's the whole FEAR thing that Ray and Jones talked about. It has ALWAYS been there, and thousands of hockey tough guys have dealt with it ... 30 years ago they did not want to get hit in the face either. I'm not disagreeing with you that it is scarier today because they hit harder, it probably is. But if a guy wants to do THAT particular job, he has to deal with it or they should find some other whackjob who will deal with it and not turn away like I surely would if I was in that position.

 

And, as much as I hate this whole thread now ;), please explain how Peters uses his reach to his ADVANTAGE .... that would imply he actually uses it to get in better position to succeed .... all he uses it for is to back away farther. I'm 6'6" and I could do that ... believe me, I would have NO advantage, be it against Tyler Myers or Nathan Gerbe, I'd get my ass kicked. It's like playing not to lose but rarely winning, because I don't see him landing many of those crazy haymakers he throws with his eyes closed.

[Bmwolf21]

You act like he is one of us sitting at a computer all day ... of course the human instinct is to avoid getting your face smashed in if possible, it's a goal of mine every day (although I think if you saw me you'd probably take a swing right now ;) ) ... but it is part of his job, that's the whole FEAR thing that Ray and Jones talked about. It has ALWAYS been there, and thousands of hockey tough guys have dealt with it ... 30 years ago they did not want to get hit in the face either. I'm not disagreeing with you that it is scarier today because they hit harder, it probably is. But if a guy wants to do THAT particular job, he has to deal with it or they should find some other whackjob who will deal with it and not turn away like I surely would if I was in that position.

 

And, as much as I hate this whole thread now ;), please explain how Peters uses his reach to his ADVANTAGE .... that would imply he actually uses it to get in better position to succeed .... all he uses it for is to back away farther. I'm 6'6" and I could do that ... believe me, I would have NO advantage, be it against Tyler Myers or Nathan Gerbe, I'd get my ass kicked. It's like playing not to lose but rarely winning, because I don't see him landing many of those crazy haymakers he throws with his eyes closed.

Nah, like I said I think we're just going in circles here. We just need to agree to disagree and move on, because neither is budging one bit.

[Corp000085]

Jane, you ignorant slut.

[Bmwolf21]

Jane, you ignorant slut.

:lol: