Bob Clarke: Hockey Without Fighting Is Like Vodka Without Alcohol

[doniceage]

By: Travis Hughes

Flyer legend Bob Clarke was in attendance at DC's Verizon Center on Sunday as the Flyers took on the Capitals, and Sovetsky Sport correspondents Natalia Bragilevskaya and Pavel Lysenkov were able to sit down with him and get his take on Ovechkin and fighting in the NHL.

The fellas over at Japers' Rink commonly translate Capitals-related interviews from that publication, and they were nice enough to pass along this mostly Flyers-centric interview with the former general manager, former captain, and forever Hall of Famer.


http://www.broadstreethockey.com/201...thout-fighting

[Orfew]

I remember a great quote from Clarke back in the broad street bullies days. A reporter asked him about his philosophy of hockey and he replied ``get to the puck as fast as you can and arrive in ill humor``

[cnshockey]

Hockey without fighting would be terrible. Fighting can change the game and is an important part of hockey.

[lumm0x]

Clarke may be a jerk but he was a hell of a hockey player and one tough dude.

[doniceage]

Clarke may be a jerk but he was a hell of a hockey player and one tough dude.

I agree with that statement.

don

[Dergula]

Agreed. I'd stop watching and collecting if fighting were taken out.

[Orfew]

I agree with that statement.

don

co-sign

[Crater_Satori]

Great quote from Clarke! Can't stand the guy but he is worth the price of admission on most nights.

Personally, I think fighting need to go. It serves no purpose IMO, and don't give me the "it can change the course of a game" line....a big hit, or hey even better, a timely goal can do the exact same thing!

It is the one thing that holds Hockey back from growing back into a "Big 4" sport.

[doniceage]

Great quote from Clarke! Can't stand the guy but he is worth the price of admission on most nights.

Personally, I think fighting need to go. It serves no purpose IMO, and don't give me the "it can change the course of a game" line....a big hit, or hey even better, a timely goal can do the exact same thing!

It is the one thing that holds Hockey back from growing back into a "Big 4" sport.

I have to disagree with that assessment. Hasn't hockey been a mainstay in Canada since the early 1900's? Don't a lot of Canadains bleed hockey? So how can fighting keep it from growing when it already in my mind the number one sport there. Perhaps I don't do enough reading to see how passionate the fan base is up there.

If you said it might help grow the sport in the U.S. (fighting takne out), I might buy that argument somewhat. Of course to refute that I would look at hockey back in the 90's. It was popular and the number 4 sport handdowns. Wasn't there plenty of goons in those days? I don't think fighting truly has much to do with it. I think it more grassroots and building it into a sport one appreciates but that is just me.

Don