#aplang15branch

[isiah-ells-blog]

Should fighting be entertainment?

Fighting is in all sports and is actually a sign of pure adrenaline and anger. (Except boxing and UFC) Many sports ban fighting in a game and some players can be severely punished for it. While other sports such as hockey allow it to happen and use it as a strategy against some teams. It may be sad and cruel but many fans get off their seats and cheer when players start fighting no matter what sport it is. I know one of you have seen, and cheered on a fight in a sports game of any kind and let it spark a fire in you. I think fighting should be a form of entertainment in today's age in sports, even if it may be wrong.

[kaitlyngornick]

Boogaard article...values?

After reading this article, we get a glimpse of things valued by hockey players, but more importantly, Derek Boogaard. As we see mostly in part 1 of the article, Derek's upbringing plays a major role in his choice to play hockey, and be an enforcer. As a child growing up in Canada, hockey is a huge part of their culture. Derek grew up believing that hockey was his only plan; he had no plan B. He valued hockey and once he made it into the NHL (probably from his fighting abilities), he valued playing in the NHL because it showed he made it to his goal. Even though it meant becoming a drug addict and having many concussions and multiple body injuries that couldn't be fixed.

[simoneg-007]

Violence in sports...good or bad?

What is violence? Violence is the behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. I don't think violence is entertaining in sports. When I seeing fighting in sports I actually get upset. Sports are suppose to be competitive but in a good fun sort of way. Violence isn't needed nor accepted.

[mohiuddin-baig]

Violence in sports

It's not new for people to treat violence as entertainment. Examples of it occur throughout history, and are often comically depicted today. This doesn't mean that violence should be treated as entertainment in this day and age. However, it is continuously present in TV shows, movies, books, games, and images. So then what about sports? I thought sports were competitive, at times dangerous, but overall family friendly entertainment. It turns out I'm wrong. Sports have had violence as an essential element before. I have learned that hockey fights are extremely common. Some see it as tradition, while others would like it to be eliminated from the sport. Unruly players in other sports also bring an element of violence, but not as much as in hockey. Violence should not be a part of common entertainment, and it should not be a part of sports. Sports should be about civilized competition and family entertainment, not about animalistic shows of superiority.   

[saimrehman]

Does violence have a role in sports?

Since the beginning of man, competitiveness has been displayed and embedded within our minds. Being the best is human nature, and many will take extreme measures to show their superiority in the world.

Sports is essentially the perfect place for the growth of competition and competitiveness. When millions of dollars, eternal glory, and a lasting legacy are on the line, almost nothing can stand in an athlete's way. Even if it be a fist-fight. Many believe that fighting and violence are unavoidable hurdles that occur in sports, especially in an activity like hockey, where a good old fist fight has been so deeply embedded within the culture of the game, that a match without one almost seeps incomplete. Mr. Branch is asserting that with the case of enforcers in hockey, fighting has no longer become a side effect to the end goal, but has become the goal itself. 

People like to see fights, whether it be a high school bout that lasts two seconds, or something as large as a brawl in a championship game. The sad reality is that violence in hockey is expected, and people are lured in by the sole fact that a fight will take place. So violence in sports is extremely valuable in the eyes of the consumer, and the producer, and without it many will leave the market, as the only thing they did value and find entertaining was the blood.

[eduu-22]

If it bleeds, it leads...

Violence is defined as physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something. Violence normally leads to blood. Like the quote "if it bleeds, it leads," violence draws people's attention. It is exactly the same in journalism, people want to read the tragic, horrific stories that are on the front page of a newspaper rather than the other stories that are full of words. Same goes with violence in hockey - people mostly watch for the fights that frequently occur during a match. People anticipate fights to happen. The players anticipate a fight to happen. It is as if fights are the reason people continue to watch this sport. Branch uses Derek Boogaard as a window into the topic of violence. As Boogaard's job of the enforcer, he is almost always involved with the fight. He is a part of the violence, which people find intriguing. People value this violence because it allows for a cheap excitement in their lives. 

[ritadixs16-blog]

When asked by a teacher what he would do after school he said " Play for the N.H.L", when he was asked what his plan B would be he answered he didn't know. Nobody knew. That was kind of it for him. He was to play for the N.H.L at all costs really. So I guess the question we really come to is, was it worth it? I don't really have a sport or a hobby that I strive to do better in or am the best at so that idea kinda of escapes me. I do however know whatever I do must involve people and humor. It's like something I know I want to do for the rest of my life. If there was a certain career that meant that I would probably be faced with the question of what would I do to be that. I think that's where Derek comes from, he comes from hockey and that's what he feels he is going. He would do anything up get there. No matter the costs.

[benlocklang15]

What we value in many sports is the violence aspect. The risk that is involved in the violence is what excites spectators. In sports like Hockey it's not necessarily encouraged by the league but it certainly not discouraged. But in other sports like football we are seeing more and more long term issues because of player injuries. And the NFL has responded by making more penalties to protect players from putting them self in dangerous positions