--- In mnsports@yahoogroups.com, "stewthornley" <stew@...> wrote:
>
> I'm hoping to get more activity on this list, and I'm desperate
> enough to hope that a topic on hockey will do it.
>
> In today's Star Tribune (Sunday, March 25, 2007), Michael Russo had
> a column suggesting that the NHL might have to really come down on
> fighting because the goons are getting so big that players are
> starting to really get hurt in the fights.
>
> Now, I'm grateful that for insight into this column, Russo did not
> go to a new book written by a local alleged writer (one who has put
> out books that could be the worst of the 21st century--not to
> mention the 20th century and maybe even the 19th century). Instead,
> Russo sought the opinions of Derek Boogaard of the Minnesota Wild,
> to wit:
>
> Boogaard, Minnesota's 6-7, 250-pound fighter, says the fans'
> reaction -- the crowd was cheering and standing -- when he fought
> St. Louis' D.J. King on Thursday "shows it's meant to be in the
> game. If you take fighting out of hockey, it might be exciting for
> 10, 30 games, and then the rinks will start emptying," Boogaard said.
>
> To his credit, Russo did get comments from others, including those
> who don't have a vested interest in preserving fighting. In
> Boogard's case, it seems clear he wouldn't be in the NHL, and maybe
> not anywhere in professional hockey, if goons weren't needed.
>
> As for Boogaard's attempt at logic in saying that that hockey won't
> be able to survive without fighting, what about the popularity of
> international hockey, college hockey, high school hockey? The sport
> at these levels may still have some, as they say, "chippiness," but
> the penalties for fighting are severe enough that it pretty much has
> eliminated it. That hasn't emptied Mariucci Arena.
>
> Another comment by Boogaard is too stupid to respond to: "Guys get
> knocked out when they get hit. Why don't they take body checking out
> of hockey?"
>
> Meanwhile, last night Boogaard was named the number three star of
> the game. His contribution was a fight with the Kings' top goon in
> the closing minutes. We've long been able to see how meaningless
> these three stars selections are, but the inclusion of Boogaard on
> the star list brought it to a new low.
>
> Stew
>
It's clear that Boogaard's occupation is something other than hockey
player. He is employed in the NHL to play the role of goon. Further,
the Russo story ended with this Boogaard quote about Todd Fedoruk:
"Hopefully he gets it together over this summer and gets back at it
next year." Question: What is "it"?

Geo