Why I love Canada #47

[Strike For The South]

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/281310

God blesses a country that runs on beer and hockey

[lars573]

We have a saying.

"I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out."

[Slug For A Butt]

I've always wondered if ice hockey players would be as brave without 3 tonnes of protective clothing and a helmet that would protect them in a plane crash.
Just wondering.

[DemonArchangel]

That gear is mainly to prevent death.

[Warmaster Horus]

No, that gear is to permit them to play ice hockey safely.

With due consideration, that amounts to the same thing.

[Boyar Son]

I've always wondered if ice hockey players would be as brave without 3 tonnes of protective clothing and a helmet that would protect them in a plane crash.
Just wondering.

Oh ya

NOW I know Europeans LOVE there games w/out prtoective gear!
At 1st I thought it was Just Football

[lars573]

I've always wondered if ice hockey players would be as brave without 3 tonnes of protective clothing and a helmet that would protect them in a plane crash.
Just wondering.

Well the adding of gear has been gradual over the last century. Helmets (for none goalies) only became common place in the 70's, regulation in the 80's. 60 years ago a hockey player wouldn't have worm much more than knee protectors heavy gloves and a wool uniform.

[Banquo's Ghost]

Well the adding of gear has been gradual over the last century. Helmets (for none goalies) only became common place in the 70's, regulation in the 80's. 60 years ago a hockey player wouldn't have worm much more than knee protectors heavy gloves and a wool uniform.

That makes sense. I recall pictures of 1940's American football players garbed in what amounted to a scrum cap and a thick woollen jersey for protection. Both hockey and gridiron are much more "direct" in their conflict than say, rugby union.

It should be noted that even rugger players nowadays (as the game gets even more physical) have increasingly padded jerseys - and have had protections such as mouth guards, scrum caps and Brian Moore for many a year.

Crikey, even the "ladies" of soccer have shin pads.

[Prodigal]

About the matter of protective clothing, personally I consider lacrosse & hurley to be two of the freakiestly dangerous games due to the fact that you have large pieces of wood being used to hit/catch/throw a hard ball, & as far as I'm aware the players wear next to nothin in terms of body armour.

I suspect that the introduction of more protection is simply a way of making the game more violent for spectators, as players would be more inclined to caution if they felt less physically safe.

[Slug For A Butt]

Crikey, even the "ladies" of soccer have shin pads.

That's just because shin pads are aerodynamic. It allows them to travel further and more efficiently through the air when diving for a free kick/penalty.
Apparently Christiano Ronaldo's have little wings too.

[Husar]

Crikey, even the "ladies" of soccer have shin pads.

Soccer needs more games like Netherlands vs. Portugal to become really interesting.

[Banquo's Ghost]

About the matter of protective clothing, personally I consider lacrosse & hurley to be two of the freakiestly dangerous games due to the fact that you have large pieces of wood being used to hit/catch/throw a hard ball, & as far as I'm aware the players wear next to nothin in terms of body armour.

Hurling is certainly freakishly dangerous to one's smile. Though players are quite often seen wearing helmets now. The moral fibre of the nation is feebler as a consequence - dental surgeons are poorer too.

[lars573]

I suspect that the introduction of more protection is simply a way of making the game more violent for spectators, as players would be more inclined to caution if they felt less physically safe.

Or it could be that we are more squimish than our forbears. Or that the players want better quality of life in their old age. I mean ice hockey is more dangerous than field hockey. Simply because your on ice and can move much more ballistically than on turf. And that certain traditions in the game make you more prone to physical harm. Like the enforcer. A player who's sole purpose is to be a hard bastard who can put the hurt on people, if needs be. But it should be noted that if an on ice argument decends into fisticuffs it also tradition to drop your gloves and helemts and go at it bare knuckle.

[drone]

On the subject of protective padding in ice hockey: the introduction of the slapshot has driven it more than anything. A 6oz frozen rubber puck sent at 100mph can be lethal. Players routinely slide in front of these shots to block them. Personally, without the "armor", I'd be skating aside while telling the goalie "good luck with that".

[Papewaio]

Apparently Christiano Ronaldo's have little wings too.

So do most sanitary pads nowadays...

[Roman_Man#3]

On the subject of protective padding in ice hockey: the introduction of the slapshot has driven it more than anything. A 6oz frozen rubber puck sent at 100mph can be lethal. Players routinely slide in front of these shots to block them. Personally, without the "armor", I'd be skating aside while telling the goalie "good luck with that".

You have to wonder how someone like Anton Volchenkov can do it.

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

On the subject of protective padding in ice hockey: the introduction of the slapshot has driven it more than anything. A 6oz frozen rubber puck sent at 100mph can be lethal. Players routinely slide in front of these shots to block them. Personally, without the "armor", I'd be skating aside while telling the goalie "good luck with that".

Personally, I despise it when players try to block shots from the point, because not only do they sometimes miss the block/deflect the shot, but I can usually stop it if I can see it from the blue line.