Facilitation 8/6: Should fighting be allowed in NHL?

When you watch hockey, it is almost expected to see the players break out into some sort of fight with the opposing team. It brings excitement and fans go crazy. It seems like fighting has been a part of hockey as long as ketchup's been w/ fries. But does that make it right?



So thus the question for this debate is: Should fighting be allowed in NHL games?



Pros:

• Fighting adds entertainment value to the game aka sells.
• Gives the fans something to talk about.
• It's usually fair (equal sized opponents) and consensual.

Cons:

• Fighting takes attention away from the actual game.
• Poor players could injure good players and therefore completely cripple the game unfairly.
• Bad example for younger leagues, making it seem like fighting is just "part of the game."

Whatever happened to baseball cards?

I remember back in the 90's when baseball cards were cool. It seemed like the entire neighborhood had a whole market of trading seemingly useless pieces of cardboard that had some secret value. Certain cards were golden while others were worthless. The whole trick was convincing the other person that X player would soon be worth so much money and you could eventually cash out on these cards and make big money.

But then something happened, and now who even collects them anymore? I can honestly say that I do not know a single soul that spends their precious time and money collecting these cards of value.

Or is there?

I have some theories as to why these cards have lost their popularity and glamour. Of course, it could have all been just another fad, but looking at the rate of production...it seemed like in the mid 90's Upper Deck and their friends started desperately printing cards of every sort, from glossy to holagraphic. They were in such abundance, anyone could buy any card at any time for so cheap, that they just lost their value. There was no point in trading anymore if everyone already had every card.

I think its such a shame that the baseball card died. It provided such a great activity for kids in the neighborhood. I remember people were so excited to trade their cards, they would meet with the local kids maybe even with some older people who were into it, and argue away trying to convince that X trade was worth Y. It brough unity. Made kids think in terms of economics, business. And they would take super care of their cards, getting those plastic protectors and storing them all neat in a binder. It was precious.

Now, the only card trading I see is with those Pokemon/Magic cards. So perhaps the era of the card still lives on. But do you guys think the baseball card will ever return to be as big of a thing as it was?

What famous people should do with their money...

When people become famous and earn millions of billions of dollars, there are certain responsibilities they should take upon themselves..like save the rest of the world (and give me tuition money). .. It is always depressing to see rich people spend their money in the most non-profitable and criminal ways such as illegal drugs, dog-fighting, and whatever other stupid things they find to do. Especially in the sport world, where at least in my mind, athlete and sport is associated with persistency, excellent health, and a good work ethic....

And when you are making that kind of money, the least you can do is give back to a cause that is in dire need of attention and support. That is why I admire Lance Armstrong and Magic Johnson. These people (there are others of course) took a personal struggle and not only passed it but gave back by using their platform to raise awareness. I think all athletes should follow suit.

So maybe some athletes never went through cancer or aids..there are plenty of other avenues. Raising awareness for Boys and Girls clubs, other diseases, schools, etc. I think the key to saving the world from all its chaos is to unite w/ the people who have all the money to give an example to the rest of us. Not only do they have good financial power to make a change, they also have that zeal and influence over the proles who watch and adore them. By raising awareness, the future can look brighter. People will know and care.

Being famous does not have to be a complete act of selfishness. A lot of good can come w/ the money and attention if directed in the right direction. Stars can make anything look cool. It is their responsibility to use that power wisely. . .

Can This Be Legal?

"You don't kick a girl when she's down, right? Not if you can pound her face instead. At the Fatal Femmes Fighting Championships, an all-female mixed-martial arts (MMA) event, almost anything goes in the cage. Sofie Bagherdai, otherwise a sweet, petite teenager from Souther California, has her opponent, Stephanie Palmer, pinned to the floor. Now she's ready to work -- whack, a shot to the noggin. Bam! Pow! Boom! Half a dozen more. Palmer cowers in the fetal position and the ref stops the fight. The medics cart Palmer out on a stretcher" (Time Magazine, July 2007).

And this is a legal sport in America. In a world where dog-fighting is immediately condemned as barbaric, I find it a little ironic that this real time fighting that usually results in much pain and broken bones is a sport.

This sport is quickly gaining popularity and has more viewers than the baseball playoffs.

My question is, how can this even exist as a sport legally? I can understand the WWE where the fighting is highly glamorized and choreographed, boxing where they wear helmets, but this is a sport where they come in with just a pair of gloves and start pounding away.

This sends such mixed messages to the world. I mean, obviously anyone caught fighting on the school playground is immediately sent to detention, maybe suspension. Street fights usually result in some sort of police interaction. But this is a sport, where people can make money, gain fame, sponsorships, etc. for basically beating another person up.

I understand that there is some sort of natural interest in watching 2 people fight. Whenever there is any sort of fight happening, there is usually a crowd that gathers around. But that doesn't make it right, does it?

Of course, these people are 2 consenting adults who agree to fight. But then again, so are usually the thugs in the gangfight. And I don't think a sane person could do this for a living.. Just read some of the quotes from these crazy women:

"We're not hitting tennis balls. We're hitting people. Isn't that more exciting?" -Ginal Carano

"To be able to potentially break somebody's arm is pretty cool for me." - Jessica Pene

"I like to punch, but I like to get punched too. I want to take it." -Sumie Sakai

From a psychological standpoint, I would have to say these women are borderline psycho. Such fascination with violence and hurting another person is not normal, nor is it safe. . . It should not be held on a pedestal as an accepted activity.

Shaq Saves The Kids

Trying to survive this massive heat, I turn on the tv and see none other than Shaq and a bunch of obese kids doing jumping jacks in a classroom. At first, I thought it was a commercial...promoting the NBA and all the good it does for the community, but then I realized it was a reality show.

So then I laughed. How clever it is to have Shaq, a big athlete motivating big kids to live healthier lives. What's even more efficient about this show is that it not only sends a positive image of the NBA and its philanthropy, but puts the attention on the schools and how they are failing to teach probably the most important lesson of all: health.

Of all the useless things schools find the funds to teach students, its tragic to see many fitness and health education programs get cut. If kids don't learn how to take care of themselves, what good will knowing the square root of 42543525 to the power of 3242 be?

So despite the corny-ness of this show (it really has awkward parts...couldn't even watch it all the way through), I think it is a fantastic idea, and I hope it will make excersizing more popular amongst the youth of this fast food nation.

It is just super frustrating seeing how schools put such a low priority on fitness education. Living a healthy life should be a core principle people learn from a young age. You can't really do anything else if you are under constant chronic ailments. Plus, one is able to think more clearly and have more energy if they eat healthy.

So if all else fails, this show will raise awareness. And that rocks. :D

Pokeroni

Why is it that everytime I turn on ESPN, I see poker championships? Since when did poker become a sport?

This made me wonder...what constitutes a sport in the first place? So i decided to consult the beloved dictionary.com to find the official definition of the word "sport":

1. an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, etc.

Judging by that definition...I wouldn't say that sitting in a circle at a table, holding cards, (shuffling, if you are the dealer) and putting in chips an "athletic activity" requiring any real physical prowess... Perhaps the poker face requires some physical prowess? I mean, you gotta know how to control those facial expressions and little fidgets and movements we all do when we are excited...

And of course it is very competetive...heck, back in the wild, wild west a whole gunfight could have started due to someone's poor sportsmanship in the game. But what separates this from other games people love? With such vague logic, almost anything can be considered a sport: shopping, video games, chess, etc. etc.

It just drives me crazy how this popular card game, (its a card game for Gods sake!), has made its way into the sports world and is receiving such massive coverage. Sure, watching people play poker is interesting to some, but not on a sports channel! You don't see Shop Til You Drop on ESPN...