http://www.zippyvideos.com/773007452349 ... sheffield/
the only shame is that there's not a better picture.
I think literally the only people who don't fight are the coaches and the referees...
best. brawl. ever.
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best. brawl. ever.
by the wicked child on Wed Feb 22, 2006 1:05 am
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by BritishPenguin on Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:54 pm
The Elite League is alright. The fans are good, but there's not as much interest in Ice Hockey over here. It has to compete with soccer, cricket, rugby union, rugby league, golf, tennis, snooker etc. Coverage is sparse, and it's a shame because if it gained the exposure it would be extremely popular.
Theo Fleury's playing for Belfast at the minute and he's a big name, he's been completely different class.
Theo Fleury's playing for Belfast at the minute and he's a big name, he's been completely different class.
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by Rob UK Pen on Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:01 pm
That game always brings a smile to my face. I was actually there, in fact not that far from where the video was taken.
The rivalry between the two teams involved (Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers) is reknowned in the UK. It has diminished over the past couple of years, but this bench clearance came at it's height in 2001.
I've got the game on video and every now and again I replay it for a laugh. It was one wild night, dominated by the season-long feud between Sheffield's Dennis Vial (former Ottawa, Detroit and NYR defenceman) and Nottingham's Barry Nieckar (who made 8 appearances in total for Anaheim, Calgary and Hartford). The two had danced a few times before this night, but Nieckar really got the upper hand. In fact Vial was never the same player.
As BritishPenguin said hockey is a minority sport in the UK, but it does have a very loyal fanbase. Historically it's fortunes are cyclical, right now its probably on the way down again. The 90's saw the rise of the ill-fated ISL which aimed to create a league of arena based teams to rival the DEL. Massive sums of money were spent on very talented players, but in the end the financial model just couldn't work. At its best Sheffield was attracting crowds around the 10,000 mark. Now we're lucky if we can get 5,000.
Do the fans sing? Yes, quite often. But right now my team (Sheffield) are in a real slump with moral at an all-time low. Consequently the atmosphere at home games is now akin to a chess match. In fact its so bad you daren't even cough!
The rivalry between the two teams involved (Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers) is reknowned in the UK. It has diminished over the past couple of years, but this bench clearance came at it's height in 2001.
I've got the game on video and every now and again I replay it for a laugh. It was one wild night, dominated by the season-long feud between Sheffield's Dennis Vial (former Ottawa, Detroit and NYR defenceman) and Nottingham's Barry Nieckar (who made 8 appearances in total for Anaheim, Calgary and Hartford). The two had danced a few times before this night, but Nieckar really got the upper hand. In fact Vial was never the same player.
As BritishPenguin said hockey is a minority sport in the UK, but it does have a very loyal fanbase. Historically it's fortunes are cyclical, right now its probably on the way down again. The 90's saw the rise of the ill-fated ISL which aimed to create a league of arena based teams to rival the DEL. Massive sums of money were spent on very talented players, but in the end the financial model just couldn't work. At its best Sheffield was attracting crowds around the 10,000 mark. Now we're lucky if we can get 5,000.
Do the fans sing? Yes, quite often. But right now my team (Sheffield) are in a real slump with moral at an all-time low. Consequently the atmosphere at home games is now akin to a chess match. In fact its so bad you daren't even cough!
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Re: best. brawl. ever.
by Rob UK Pen on Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:06 pm
the wicked child wrote:...I think literally the only people who don't fight are the coaches and the referees...
The coach of Sheffield that night, Mike Blaisdell (former Pittsburgh, Detroit, Toronto and NYR forward) who is now ironically the coach of Nottingham, the other team involved in the video, has albeit briefly fought a player from an opposing team this season!
Also, I've just remembered another funny incident from the bench clearance. Some time after the event, the Sheffield goalie Mike O'Neill claimed that the Nottingham goalie Eoin McInerny tried to bite him during their scrap!
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by FallenHero96 on Wed Feb 22, 2006 3:12 pm
wow what a mess.... looked like someone blew up a play it again sports....
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by FlyerNation on Thu Feb 23, 2006 2:48 pm
This might give it a run for it's money. It's more violent from Romania.
http://www.ericmcerlain.com/offwingopinion/archives/005778.php#005778
http://www.ericmcerlain.com/offwingopinion/archives/005778.php#005778
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by Rob UK Pen on Thu Feb 23, 2006 5:08 pm
Sam's Drunk Dog wrote:That Romanian one was pretty funny.
Got to admit that was hilarious. But who, or what, was the guy in the white coat?!
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by the wicked child on Thu Feb 23, 2006 11:47 pm
That was amusing... more violent... but a lot shorter.
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