Why are hockey players' actions compartmentalized with respect to their character?

[Beneven Stanciano]

It's up to the players on the ice, you don't get to judge someones moral character because of the way they play the game. It's intense, they want to battle, emotions, all of it. It's why they say 'leave it all out on the ice' or after a tough game, tournament, series, etc. You can't really judge people you don't actually know. That's the biggest problem with where technology is at now. People think, "oh i have seen this guy play hockey a lot, he is a total scumbag", yet all NHL players are usually like "oh he's a great guy" case in point, Marchand.

You just feel like you know these guys and are apart of it, that you have some moral superiority to them and can judge them.

Judging the character of someone you've never met says a lot about a person.

Go outside and make a friend.

 

[John Mandalorian]

It’s like Joseph Trouba doing cancer screening ads while completely disregarding concussions/cte.

 

[NyQuil]

It's up to the players on the ice, you don't get to judge someones moral character because of the way they play the game. It's intense, they want to battle, emotions, all of it. It's why they say 'leave it all out on the ice' or after a tough game, tournament, series, etc. You can't really judge people you don't actually know. That's the biggest problem with where technology is at now. People think, "oh i have seen this guy play hockey a lot, he is a total scumbag", yet all NHL players are usually like "oh he's a great guy" case in point, Marchand.

You just feel like you know these guys and are apart of it, that you have some moral superiority to them and can judge them.

Judging the character of someone you've never met says a lot about a person.

Go outside and make a friend.

Also you:

Who gives a toss about ppg?! Dude is a coward and a weiner. I wouldn't want him on my roller hockey team, this dude is house league all the way. Is everyone able to recognize the rich bitch-type kids at the rink all the time who thinks they are great because they have "hands"?

 

[Booker T]

I really feel like the new generation of fans do not understand the hockey player, especially the history of the hockey player.

 

[Booker T]

Where is the line drawn whereby on ice behavior is attached to a player's overall character and a P.O.S. on the ice is considered a P.O.S. off the ice?

The game is the game and then there’s life, that’s the line.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Sports culture is a reflection of other aspects of the world we live in.

Hockey players aren’t the only ones whose “on the job” violence is compartmentalized from their civilian behavior. We have federal holidays for such things.

 

[majormajor]

In the playoffs you would like your teammate to be a violent POS towards the other team, if they can avoid too many penalties.

And you would like them to not be a POS to your own team and community.

That's why there is a distinction between the two. Not that hard.

 

[PistolPete]

The game is the game and then there’s life, that’s the line.

Why is there a line there- that's the question; can't answer a question with itself.

 

[koivalev]

I actually agree with you. If you're willing to go out and intentionally injure someone (multiple times no less), you're a piece of shit regardless of what you do off the ice.

 

[shello]

But at what point does the worse of the two personas overtake the overall picture of you as a person?

Retirement probably

 

[PistolPete]

I actually agree with you. If you're willing to go out and intentionally injure someone (multiple times no less), you're a piece of shit regardless of what you do off the ice.

Ken Linseman kicked at an opponent's head with his skate in junior. How anyone can compartmentalize that to the game, I don't know.

 

[Booker T]

Why is there a line there- that's the question; can't answer a question with itself.

Because we separate professions from the person all the time, or in more cases, the art from the artist.

 

[Ceremony]

The man is paid to be mean to hockey players, he's not paid to be nice to dogs.

 

[Golden_Jet]

If the guy is a POS on the ice and off sure, if they guy is a great person off the ice, and straddles the line of what you can get away with on the ice, then no.

 

[PistolPete]

Because we separate professions from the person all the time, or in more cases, the art from the artist.

Meh....not feeling the analogy.

Art is a means of drawing attention to something, offering a different perspective.

Being an asshole lawyer would still make you an asshioe, no? You may just not be an asshole all the time or most of the time but still got that asshole streak in ya.

 

[Booker T]

Meh....not feeling the analogy.

Art is a means of drawing attention to something, offering a different perspective.

Being an asshole lawyer would still make you an asshioe, no? You may just not be an asshole all the time or most of the time but still got that asshole streak in ya.

The difference is that this is entertainment, theres a nuance.

For example, I’m not going to hire a funny lawyer.

 

[PistolPete]

The man is paid to be mean to hockey players, he's not paid to be nice to dogs.

So players are paid to injure others and ergo their actions are to be excepted?

 

[koivalev]

Because we separate professions from the person all the time, or in more cases, the art from the artist.

That doesn't really apply here. Unless the art is intentionally injuring an unwitting participant in performance art.

You can appreciate their play on the ice as art, but that doesn't mean you need to discount that from who they are as a person. If you're intentionally injuring someone then you're a piece of shit (with the exception of legalized pre-agreed to combat if it's within the rules - like an oblique stomp is fine in MMA, but intentionally gouging someone's eyes is not. Giving someone every chance to tap before breaking their arm is fine - doing it after they've tapped like Palhares means you're a piece of shit).

 

[jitterbug]

so does that confirm that the Panthers players are indeed POS' off the ice, as they took the game outside the game?

 

[koivalev]

hockey is a sport where violence is often encouraged, so Sam is just doing his job

There are some sports, such as boxing or MMA which are literally ONLY violence

Violence within a pre-agreed upon set of rules, yes. Stepping outside those rules to intentionally injure someone means you're a piece of shit.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Being an asshole lawyer would still make you an asshioe, no?

No not at all, the lawyer could be the nicest guy you meet off the ice, being a POS at your job, doesn’t mean your a POS outside the job.

 

[PistolPete]

The difference is that this is entertainment, theres a nuance.

For example, I’m not going to hire a funny lawyer.

Meh...not feeling that analogy either

It is entertainment but is this Gladiators where the entire premise of the entertainment is to injure others?

Another lens on this:

Slurs. If a player uses them during the course of a game, is it forgiven because it's in the course of entertainment?

 

[Siludin]

The on ice persona is projected with a level of kayfabe at the professional level - it's built around posturing and a lot of scrums are almost ceremonial rather than truly aggressive.

 

[PistolPete]

No not at all, the lawyer could be the nicest guy you meet off the ice,

But when does on ice behavior become a consideration for off ice/general impression of a player?

Slurs against an opponent?
Kicking an opponent in the head?

 

[PistolPete]

The on ice persona is projected with a level of kayfabe at the professional level - it's built around posturing and a lot of scrums are almost ceremonial rather than truly aggressive.

Scrums aren't even a factor in the discussion; not even fighting.

I'm talking about intentionally injuring, using slurs, etc

Stuff that in no way can be considered built into the game.