04/19/24
August 11, 2004
Hockey Gladiators cancelled: Due to an impasse between the Gladiators Association and the owners in CBA talks.
posted by DrJohnEvans to other at 10:38 AM - 13 comments
Heh, yeah, Windsor would be thrilled to host this thing. Lack of a venue might be seen as a problem, but the ol' Windsor Arena suits the event perfectly. Keep in mind that New Jersey can barely get any fans out to its REAL hockey games, too.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:16 AM on August 11, 2004
its tough to get sanctioned by a governing body when this is the first event of its kind.
posted by garfield at 11:23 AM on August 11, 2004
wait, there's a "Gladiators Association?"
posted by msacheson at 11:30 AM on August 11, 2004
What a tragic loss for the world of sport.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:37 AM on August 11, 2004
Yeah, but the point is, this isn't real hockey. It's fighting on skates. There is an arena in AC (right on the boardwalk - I was there for the last Gotti fight last month), and certainly they have no problem whatsoever drawing fight fans. I just think it'd be a way easier sell. That said, the more I think about this, the less I want to know if it does well. I mean, UFC and K-1 seem more legit than this'll ever be.
posted by chicobangs at 01:01 PM on August 11, 2004
Yeah, but the point is, this isn't real hockey. It's fighting on skates. Oh, I know. It's like slamball. The thing that always depresses me about slamball, though, is the guys who are doing it and who seem desperate to have it regarded as a real sport. But I digress. (and no, I couldn't do it)
posted by lil_brown_bat at 07:20 PM on August 11, 2004
It's a side show. Circus freaks, like. Whoopee.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 10:04 PM on August 11, 2004
Fair enough, but I really wanted to see that. A lot. And slamball is hilarious and awesome. Hilariously awesome.
posted by Samsonov14 at 01:36 PM on August 12, 2004
Honestly though, this isn't that much different from the mentality of fighting in hockey today. The whole "you put your tough guy on the ice and I put my tough guy on the ice" attitude sucks. It's absurd to have a guy dress for a minute and a half of ice time, and get on the ice for a fight. That's what the entire role of an enforcer has been since the instigator rule's birth. Mind you, I like the instigator rule. Players shouldn't need bodyguards on the ice. I think that enforcers are just obsolete. Now, how 'bout Iginla vs Lecavalier in the Final? That was a hockey fight.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 03:00 PM on August 12, 2004
Sammy - I just don't see it being any good. Oh I'm all for fighting in hockey, but the best ones have a certain spontaneity. Although, fair is fair - there is a 2% chance of this being 'wicked awesome'.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 03:47 PM on August 12, 2004
heck, their judging system based on "number of punches thrown and landed, quality of punches, showmanship, crowd response and control of the fight" would at least double that chance to 4%.
posted by gspm at 06:58 PM on August 12, 2004
I don't watch much Slamball anymore, but I do play a little pickup on weekends.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 08:23 AM on August 13, 2004
Well, that changes my plans. Look. If laws against prize fighting are the sticking point, why don't they move the event to Atlantic City? They have ice there, fighting for money is legal (hell, it's encouraged), and you'll get all your pay-per-view money, same as anywhere else. And if they really want to have it in Canada, what's wrong with more receptive cities that have sanctioned PPV bouts in the past? Windsor and Saskatoon come to mind as places I've seen Showtime or ESPN carry fight cards from, but I'm sure there are others. I have no opinion on the event itself, but the organizers seem like they haven't completely though it through yet. Or am I missing something in that logic somewhere?