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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
 Posted - 02/16/2012 : 19:20:02
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This will likely start quite a debate.....
In the Montreal / Boston game last night, many Habs fans cheered when Zdeno Chara was struck by a puck on a clearing attempt by T. Plekanec. After the Chara / Pacioretty incident last year, Chara has been public enemy #1 in Hab-land and it comes as no surprise really. IMO, i'm not shocked, nor am i horrified or gonna call it classless, etc. It was pretty obvious it wasn't super serious so i would have a tough time thinking anyone was wishing anything really bad on Chara, though i'm sure there were a few.
For the record, Plekanec immediately skated over to the felled giant and tapped him with his stick so as to say "sorry". He likely even said "sorry" and while it was obviously unintentional, it was very classy on his part. Then again, maybe he feared the revenge that may come. Lol.
Anyway, here's a great article from Yahoo's Puck Daddy on his thoughts. Makes a lot of sense too!
http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nhl-puck-daddy/zdeno-chara-bleeds-canadiens-fans-cheer-everyone-lectures-150734879.html;_ylt=AtBQqeIThcCTDc6QTpDP1NQJfwM6
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ryan93
PickupHockey Pro
Canada
996 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2012 : 20:09:45
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I went to Toronto to see the Leafs take on the Rangers a couple years ago. The Rangers took an early 2-0 lead, but the Leafs battled back & ended up winning the game in OT on a Tomas Kaberle goal.
The loudest ovation of the night though just might have been when Sean Avery was injured! Understandable giving his history with then new-Leaf Dion Phaneuf |
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nuxfan
PickupHockey All-Star
3670 Posts |
Posted - 02/16/2012 : 21:57:07
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Chara is not just any other player in BOS, he's probably public enemy #1 after the Pacioretty incident last year. The most hated player in Montreal gets hit in the face with a puck, what do you expect?
I'd like to say that this sort of thing would never happen in VAN, but if BOS were in town and Marchand got hit in the face with a puck I'm sure the fans would cheer... it is what it is, fans sometimes react badly in the heat of the moment.
The best part of the interview is Marchand complaining that other people are classless. Love it. |
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deleted
4809 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 07:12:53
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When taken into full context, yeah - I would still call it a bit classless, but I wouldn't get my shorts in a knot over it.
The fans could see it wasn't a very serious injury; it was a small group lightly jeering/cheering the fact that one of Boston's best players were now out of the game; Chara is Public Enemy #1 in Montreal after the Pacioretty incident.
Not that cool, and I wouldn't do it, no . . . but I wouldn't do it while thinking to myself "Awesome, hope that little bit of karma hurts, you bastarde!" while commenting to my buddy that it was lucky for our team that he's out now, hopefully we can take advantage of it.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
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Guest5744
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Posted - 02/17/2012 : 07:21:35
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| a buddy of mine commented that had the winter classic been in washington fans would have most definitely cheered when crosby got hit .... its a game and we all forget that sometimes, who cares. |
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leigh
Moderator
Canada
1755 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 10:04:46
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I have a confession. Last night when Jamie Benn had his leg cut by Giordano's skate in the Flames/Stars game I was quietly hoping he would not return. What can I say? I assumed it wasn't serious enough to put his life in danger (nor serious enough to be career ending, or even long term enough to put him on the IR - although the Flames and Stars play 4 more times this season...hmmmm????) so as a fan of a team who would have climbed into a playoff spot with a win, I was happy to see their top guy go down for the rest of the game - Sadly it didn't matter as the Flames lost in OT on a REDICULOUS goal by Ribeiro!
But I'm no different than most fans, certainly the Stars fans got a huge kick out of Iginla getting knocked into next week on a borderline illegal hit by his nemesis Ott.
Fans are emotional, let us be that way. Logically speaking if it is serious then people will likely not cheer once they know better. We watch sports for the same reasons we might watch a movie - excitement, great story lines, and all the ups and downs; we love to watch our heros and foes rise and fall in the waves of unpredictability - always hoping and praying for good to prevail. Otherwise what is the point? |
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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 12:45:26
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I agree that there are times when fans might lose there cool and react in a way they would not normally react. However, I think it is disgusting that anyone would openly 'cheer' for a player who is clearly injured. It's not as like this was a big body check that the fans were cheering without realizing a player was hurt. The guy took a puck to the face. How often does a player come out from a puck to the face without an injury??
To cheer for that is sad. It is far different to hope a star on the other team does not come back from an injury than it is to openly cheer for a player who is hurt. IMHO, I don’t like it at all.
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leigh
Moderator
Canada
1755 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 13:56:56
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quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
I agree that there are times when fans might lose there cool and react in a way they would not normally react. However, I think it is disgusting that anyone would openly 'cheer' for a player who is clearly injured. It's not as like this was a big body check that the fans were cheering without realizing a player was hurt. The guy took a puck to the face. How often does a player come out from a puck to the face without an injury??........
I don't know Beany, in this particular case you have one of the longest standing and bitter rivalries of all time, and the individual who essentially embodies pure evil in the hearts and minds of the Canadiens faithful. Seemingly forever (first with Ottawa and now with Boston) Habs fans have watched as Chara has single-handedly destroyed far from average men and he owns one of the most infamous hits in this last generation...against their team! For these fans to watch him take a puck to the head must be a satisfying feeling, Imagine the elation you would feel when you realize that the devil is a mere mortal after all. You have to remember that these people boo him every single time he touches the puck, that is a special kind of fan hate. What would one expect?
Now of course that is the emotional side of mankind talking. As I said before, logically speaking fans will stop their cheers and jeers the moment they realize the severity of an incident (mind you this may not be a collective realization, some may take longer than others to clue in)
As my daddy always said "Son, are you hurt or are you injured?" Obviously he meant that if I was only hurt, he wanted me to get off my duff and stop complaining. If I was injured, then he was a very compassionate man. Fans are the same. |
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Beans15
Moderator
Canada
8286 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 14:03:04
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As I said Leigh, fans will occasional react without fully understanding the gravity of the situaiton. But let me pose this question:
What would your response be if the Montreal fans had cheered for this and Chara has been hit in the eye, lost his vision, and never played hockey again??
I guess my response is always to give the player the benefit of the doubt. I have seen far too many injuries on TV and with my own eyes to understand that even the most harmless play could turn out devistating.
To each their own. I total respect the 'are you hurt or are you injured' logic and I agree. I guess what I am saying is that the player should be given the respect deserved an injury until such time as it is learned he is only hurt.
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leigh
Moderator
Canada
1755 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 15:13:08
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quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
As I said Leigh, fans will occasional react without fully understanding the gravity of the situaiton. But let me pose this question:
What would your response be if the Montreal fans had cheered for this and Chara has been hit in the eye, lost his vision, and never played hockey again??
I guess my response is always to give the player the benefit of the doubt. I have seen far too many injuries on TV and with my own eyes to understand that even the most harmless play could turn out devistating.
To each their own. I total respect the 'are you hurt or are you injured' logic and I agree. I guess what I am saying is that the player should be given the respect deserved an injury until such time as it is learned he is only hurt.
To be clear, by drawing out a specific series of events in your hypothetical situation we obviously know the outcome - so you are helping to make my point above. But to answer your question, I would not blame the fans for their initial reaction of cheers and fully understand why they did so (based on the reasons I've stated above) However, if fans continued to cheer and jeer once they realised it was a serious injury then I would probably think they were a bunch of numpties (that is a technical term for idiots, you can look it up) Having said that, I think that once they realised what was happening, 99% would no longer cheer and I'm sure that 95% would actually care to some degree what happens to the individual. Proper thing.
Oh and don't forget that a certain percentage of the stadium population have been drinking. We all know how alcohal can skew your judgement (like that one time with the chihuahua juggling bearded lady in Mexico......Oh crap! Was that out loud?....Not me...it was my friend....he said she had magical hands) |
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Alex116
PickupHockey Legend
6113 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 15:37:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Beans15
As I said Leigh, fans will occasional react without fully understanding the gravity of the situaiton. But let me pose this question:
What would your response be if the Montreal fans had cheered for this and Chara has been hit in the eye, lost his vision, and never played hockey again??
I guess my response is always to give the player the benefit of the doubt. I have seen far too many injuries on TV and with my own eyes to understand that even the most harmless play could turn out devistating.
To each their own. I total respect the 'are you hurt or are you injured' logic and I agree. I guess what I am saying is that the player should be given the respect deserved an injury until such time as it is learned he is only hurt.
I just finished typing a huge reply/response which i'm now editting because i realize the point Beans was trying to make was actually that it was a puck hitting him and not a body check!
I do agree, something accidental like this is prob a little harsh to be cheering. I do understand the compassion of Habs fans and the hatred towards Chara, but yes, it's prob not in the best taste!
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Edited by - Alex116 on 02/17/2012 15:42:47 |
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2ForInstigating
Top Prospect
13 Posts |
Posted - 02/17/2012 : 20:28:38
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| I'm a fan of comparing modern sports stars to gladiators of the roman colosseum. Cheer the kills. Ooos and Aaahs as the battle rages... |
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n/a
deleted
4809 Posts |
Posted - 02/19/2012 : 04:10:20
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Awesome responses, Leigh. I fully agree, and well said.
"Take off, eh?" - Bob and Doug |
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Cheering an injury? 
