Here is the second edition of my "Grumpy Grandpa" series:
In my mind, there are two types legitimate athletic competition: those featuring the athletic prowess of their players, and those centered around fighting between its participants. Examples of the former include basketball, baseball, cricket, and football (soccer). Examples of the latter include boxing, Greco-Roman wrestling, martial arts and Pokemon battles. American football is a hybrid of the two.
Ice hockey is bullshit. Did you know that in ice hockey, players are permitted to throw punches, and the referees don't interfere! According to Wikipedia, "Although a definite source of criticism, it is a considerable draw for the sport, and some fans attend games primarily to see fights. Fighting is usually performed by one or more enforcers, or 'goons' — players who are typically better at fighting than hockey — on a given team and is governed by a complex system of unwritten rules that players, coaches, officials, and the media refer to as 'the code.' Some fights are spontaneous, while others are premeditated by the participants. While officials tolerate fighting during hockey games, they impose a variety of penalties on players who engage in fights."
And before you criticize me for citing Wikipedia, realize that you also use Wikipedia to verify/check everyday things. I'm just ready to admit it. I would qualify ice hockey as a sport/non-sport: it's almost justified as a sport, but the fighting thing detracts from it. Other sport/non-sports include NASCAR, golf, poker and WWE. You know what happens when there's a fight in a basketball game? Players get suspended. You know what happens when there's a hockey fight? Nothing.
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