Hockey Gladiators

[Big Chris]

Check this out, it could be my next rant!

http://www.hockeygladiators.com

And I thought those Butterbean toughman competitions were bad...

[Shootmaster_44]

I know I seem to support practically every bad idea that pops up lately. But I like the Hockey Gladiators idea. Granted, these fights will likely turn into wrestling matches before they become legit boxing matches matches, but it will be fun to watch. Its just too bad we won't see any Stu Grimson-Bob Probert or Probert-Tie Domi bouts in the tourney though. Out of curiosity what were some classic "feuds" that you remember from yester-year, before the NHL cracked down on fighting?

The best brawl I remember is in I think 1991 on a Sunday afternoon on Hockey Night In Canada from the Great Western Forum. There was probably 2 minutes left in the first period between the Kings and the Calgary Flames when all-hell broke loose. I don't remember the specifics but it was exactly a bench-clearing brawl, as the only thing seperating the benches at the GW Forum was a sheet of plexi-glass. This sheet of glass was conveniently removed and thrown to the ice where it was smashed into pieces and the players and coaches went at it in the benches. Seems to me the LAPD had to eventually seperate the teams as the NHL reffing staff couldn't do the job themselves. I believe that off-season a reconfiguration of the benches were done to seperate them better to prevent a similar situation from happening.

But I am sure there are worse minor league brawls out there but that is the worst/best brawl I ever remember seeing on TV or in person.

[Big Chris]

Black Friday, April 18th, 1984. Adams Division Finals, Quebec vs. Montreal:

Not one but TWO bench clearing brawls culminating in Yuri Sleiger suckerpunching Gilles Hamel and waving to the Canadiens' bench when the teams returned for the 3rd period. All hell broke loose yet again after that and it was made worse because the referees weren't on the ice yet because they were talking with Bryan O' Neil about suspensions to Sleiger and a couple of other players. Finally the brawl ended and the Canadiens won the single most emotional game I have ever seen on all possible levels.