What is a "Dirty" Hit These Days?

"What's the Buzz All About?"

Head contact...

Concussions...

Targeting the head...

Hitting from Behind...

Charging?....

All buzz words these days in hockey circles. I can't turn on Versus, the VS "Overtime" Show, NHL "On the Fly", nor NHL Radio on XM/Sirius without hearing them talk on and on and on about the aforementioned buzz words.

Before we even get on and on and on about the buzz, I have a video and a link for you and a recent NHL playoff article for you:


Zebra TV - Episode 3 from J.B. Olson on Vimeo.
Link referenced in the above video: http://youtu.be/m55RtBUyKcA

RECENT BOURNE ARTICLE LINK: http://www.hockeyprimetime.com/news/columns/when-clean-hits-look-dirty
(psst...I love the writing of Justin Bourne, former NCAA - Alaska-Anchorage - and Minor Pro Player)

RECENT NHL PLAYOFF STUFF:






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A few things I would like to say, as an ex-player first, and then, as a hockey referee second:

1. I played to hurt guys. Not injure them, but hurt them. What's the difference? The difference is (a) making a guy think twice about tangling in the corner with me again, and (b) I want that guy to feel the "sting" NOT (I repeat *NOT*) to put him in the hospital.

Hockey is a great sport because it can be beautiful, artistic, and at the same time BARBARIC. Me...I liked the BARBARIC side of the sport as much as any.

2. I think a lot of the increase in injuries is because we don't call CHARGING enough.

There are a number of reasons we don't call charging enough...like, does the guy go 100 mph and then set his feet prior to the hit, thus, negating the "taking two or more strides thing?

How about the fact that most times a ref calls charging everybody in the building screams "INJUSTICE!"?(well...half of the people involved).

How about the fact that players are stronger, bigger, and a whole lot faster than before, and no one seems to like the notion of cutting down on speed? Let's face it, there are some big dudes out there moving full tilt.

How about the fact that some of these things happen because everyone is moving full tilt and it is really hard to make an adjustment when we are taking "miliseconds". All guys have on their mind is "finish the hit". All guys are coached to do is to "finish the hit". When you have that demand running through your brain, and the guy you are checking suddenly turns or ducks...well...it's damn hard to stop your momentum.

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What's the answer? I don't have one. I just know that some of the things I have mentioned here are facts that are tough to disprove. Real tough.


(note: hitting from behind is not tough...it is gutless, but look at the Johan Franzen video in the "Bourne Article" and tell me whether Shane Doan was being gutless or not. I say "not" because...well...he was moving FAST!)