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McMahon vs Vanilla


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Who wins?  

76 members have voted

  1. 1. Who wins?

    • McMahon
      73
    • Vanilla
      3


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Fighting is not part of the college hockey game. That's not only my opinion, but also the opinion of Andy Murray, father of Brady Murray and coach of the NHL Los Angeles Kings. The NCAA has all but eliminated fighting from college hockey. The NHL could, too, if it so desired.

Matt Greene admitted that McMahon's fight was an attempt to spark the team. It had nothing to do with lack of officiating, cheap play or using sticks and skates as weapons. In the end, the fight wasn't worth it. It did nothing to change the outcome against Minnesota and McMahon's absence cost the Sioux against Boston College.

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Fighting is not part of the college hockey game. That's not only my opinion, but also the opinion of Andy Murray, father of Brady Murray and coach of the NHL Los Angeles Kings. The NCAA has all but eliminated fighting from college hockey. The NHL could, too, if it so desired.

Matt Greene admitted that McMahon's fight was an attempt to spark the team. It had nothing to do with lack of officiating, cheap play or using sticks and skates as weapons. In the end, the fight wasn't worth it. It did nothing to change the outcome against Minnesota and McMahon's absence cost the Sioux against Boston College.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank goodness you brought Andy Murray's opinion into this, because now this argument can be settled, NOT !!!

Some people won't be happy until checking is out of the game and everyone is skating around in skirts.

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No offense, everyone... BUT:

I can't figure out why a good humored poll or thread such as this always has to turn into a whine and cheese about fighting. Most of us know where most of us stand on the topic already... but why do some have to keep reminding us? :angry:

Let the fun-natured, semi-serious threads serve the purpose they're there for, and spare us the opinionated lectures. Flame on. :silly:

BTW, I voted McMahon. A broken schnozz will get you the fighting "W" every time.

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No offense, everyone... BUT:

I can't figure out why a good humored poll or thread such as this always has to turn into a whine and cheese about fighting.  Most of us know where most of us stand on the topic already... but why do some have to keep reminding us?  :angry:

Let the fun-natured, semi-serious threads serve the purpose they're there for, and spare us the opinionated lectures.  Flame on. :silly:

BTW, I voted McMahon.  A broken schnozz will get you the fighting "W" every time.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I couldn't agree more. Anytime there is a thread about a certain fight or fighting, we have to hear the same lectures from the same people about how fighting is wrong and doesn't belong in the sport. It was just a fun poll and thread, nothing else.

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So what I am hearing is that the Sioux should recruit goons to satisfy everyone's appetite for the fight game. If you can't beat at least beat the @*?! out of them!!!

I, for one, appreciate the style of hockey with players like Blake, Panzer, Parise etc...but that is just me.

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So what I am hearing is that the Sioux should recruit goons to satisfy everyone's appetite for the fight game.  If you can't beat at least beat the @*?! out of them!!!

I, for one, appreciate the style of hockey with players like Blake, Panzer, Parise etc...but that is just me.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Where do you read that? Where do you hear that? Do you need your hearing and eyes checked?

I think the overwhelming sides in this beaten-to-death argument is:

For fighting:

It eliminated the cheap play because no one wants to pay the price for their goon-ness.

Against Fighting:

It goons up play and furthers the stereotype that know-nothings use to describe hockey as simply boxing on ice.

The point is, this thread is dumb and regardless of stance, I wouldn't cry if it simply went away, was locked, or everyone stopped posting to it.

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I tried very hard to stay out of this thread, but I find it truly ridiculous when college hockey fans reflexively scream "It's part of the game!" whenever anyone suggests that the game might be better off without fighting.

Do they seriously expect me to believe that they'd stop watching college hockey if they didn't get to see one or two fights a year? Do they seriously expect me to believe that the one or two fights a season in which the Sioux usually engage make any difference whatsoever in how the opposition plays or how the game is officiated?

As Andy Murray told me when I interviewed him last month, fighting is part of the NHL game because the NHL chooses to make it so. The NCAA has taken steps to make fighting so costly that a team or player who engages in it too often pays a steep price.

If fighting proponents would be honest and say, "I enjoy watching a good hockey fight now and then," I'd have a lot more respect for their position. There is entertainment value in fighting. But the notion that fighting is a vital and necessary part of college hockey flies in the face of reality, and I don't have to be Andy Murray to see that.

Edited by PCM
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I'd be lying if I said that I didn't get fired up when a fight breaks out. But if I never saw another fight at a hockey game again, it wouldn't bother me a bit, nor would it lessen my enjoyment of the game.

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I have never said that fighting is a "necessary" part of the game. However, it is part of the game at almost every level. Would I stop watching hockey if there was no fighting, he!! no. But, "I enjoy watching a fight now and then."

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Story on McMahon in today's Herald.

The evolution of Rory McMahon

Posted on Thu, Nov. 11, 2004

MEN'S HOCKEY: The evolution of Rory McMahon

UND assistant captain goes from checker to fighter to scorer

By Virg Foss

Herald Staff Writer

For three seasons, Rory McMahon has carved himself a place in the UND lineup as a defensive forward and a specialist at winning face-offs.

His tough, gritty style of play also resulted in 22 goals in three seasons, 115 penalty minutes and the respect of his teammates, who voted him as an assistant captain this season.

But when Fighting Sioux leading scorers Brandon Bochenski and Zach Parise left UND early to sign professional contracts, the role changed for McMahon.

Mainly a center his first three seasons, he's now playing wing on a line with a pair of freshmen, center Travis Zajac and wing Rastislav Spirko, on what is arguably UND's top offensive line.

They played together for the first time last weekend against Colorado College, and McMahon responded with his first two-goal game in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Tigers.

"From talking with the coaches, they want me to focus a little more on offense this year," McMahon said. "My defensive game has been pretty good, so I need to start contributing more on offense."

Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol said that McMahon has a solid track record as a scorer before he came to UND, both in leagues in Saskatchewan and British Columbia Junior Hockey League.

With the Sioux offense averaging 2.0 goals per game in Western Collegiate Hockey Association play, McMahon for one is being looked to elevate UND's offense.

"They gave me some players (Zajac and Spirko) who are really offensive minded," McMahon said. "Travis can score goals (six goals, tops on team), and Spirko is probably the best playmaker on the team."

McMahon showed last Friday that he can score in a variety of ways. His first goal came in typical McMahon fashion, when he fought through traffic in front of the net to backhand in a rebound.

His second was far more sensational and eye opening. He broke down left wing, cut sharply to the net and beat goalie Curtis McElhinney high on the short side off his forehand, a tough shot from a difficult angle.

McMahon's toughness showed earlier this season when he fought with Minnesota's Mike Vannelli, in which both players landed several haymakers and both were ejected. His teammates still rib him about that.

"Who's the toughest guy on the Fighting Sioux?" one player shouted in the Sioux dressing room Tuesday. "Rory McMahon," came the reply.

"They're just giving me a hard time," McMahon said. "Those things (fights) happen. It's no big deal. It's part of the game. "

Hakstol doesn't see any reason why McMahon can't be a big offensive force. They may need that, with another key cog, Brady Murray, sidelined for up to another month with a knee injury.

"When Rory played at the Triple A level in Saskatchewan, he was one of the points leaders in one of the top Triple A circuits in Western Canada," Hakstol said. "In the British Columbia Junior Hockey League, he had real good offensive numbers, so he had some natural offensive ability."

McMahon's flashes of offensive spark have elevated him to UND's top offensive line. "He's worked extremely hard to get this opportunity," Hakstol said, "and more importantly, he's making the most of it."

So now the former defensive specialist is being looked to for offense. "That's the quality character of Rory coming out," Hakstol said. "Whatever role you ask him to play, he's willing to do it. He has never once complained about being in a two-way defensive role."

There is no complaining from McMahon about his new role. "It's been great to solidify the defensive side of my game here," McMahon said. "But now that I have the opportunity to go offensive, I'm excited about that."

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