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Date: | Fri, 29 Jan 1993 16:06:13 EST |
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> All this breast-beating over plans to throw tennis balls on the
> ice with calls to consider forfeit of the game or clearing the
> stands is a bit much. There is no intent to injure and no hockey
> player ever worried about tripping over a tennis ball. Yes
> it does delay the game
> it is boorish
> perpetrators should be removed
> a delay-of-game penalty may be called for
>
> but a sense of proportion is also needed. Save the major penalties
> for situations where people are endangered such as a fan riot.
I don't think that this is the point. It is not that tennis balls are
inherently dangerous, it is simply a matter of degrees. If you give fans an
inch in things like this, they eventually try to take a mile. Because throwing
things has a tendency to lead to some people throwing more dangerous items
eventually (eg. the full beer can I mentioned a couple of days ago that knocked
Cornell goalie Darren Elliot unconscious a few years ago), it is best to take
an extreme stance that will firmly discourage the actions. That way, whether
it is a bunch of tennis balls or things more dangerous, fans are aware that the
penalty will be more than just a slap on the wrist or a 2-minute minor (I don't
believe that a fan who would boorish enough to throw things on the ice really
cares about a 2-minute minor since it doesn't affect him/her personally).
--
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* Dave [log in to unmask] *
* Cornell '91 OSU Med '95 *
* I may be in debt for the rest of my life, but I get to wear *
* this cool, white lab coat all the time. *
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