Sports Illustrated Kids - USA (2022-05 & 2022-06)

(Maropa) #1
LEJEROMN REE MDKOLEIRONS//UNHLSA TOI/GETTY DAY SIMPORTAGESS (PAR (FIGHT); JAMSONS); SIIE MSCONH BRUTY (WABEROSWAUERBRU ( P A U L ) ; NN); SIKIDS.COM/ 11
MICHAEL REGAN/GETTY IMAGES (SALAH)

WARMUP


Kip Answers


Your Questions


Reader
Engagement

Eli writes: Hey, Kip, why do f ights
commonly break out in hockey
but not any other sports?
and Maclen writes: I attended a
Philadelphia Flyers game and got
to see a fight. My parents said I had
witnessed something that doesn’t
happen often. Do you think that
fights should be a part of hockey?
Hey Eli and Maclen,
I hope you don’t mind my
answering your questions at the
same time. It would seem you two
disagree about how commonplace
fights are. But before we have
to send you off for five minutes
each: I think you’re both right.
Hockey fights are frequent relative
to other sports, but they don’t
happen as often as they used to.
So what’s the deal?
To answer Eli’s question first:
Fighting in hockey has existed
longer than the NHL. The sport

has nonstop battles. So it makes
sense that all that hitting,
bumping, and shoving occasionally
spills over into frustrated fisticuffs.
Of course, just because
something has always existed
doesn’t mean we should tolerate it
forever (like Buzz Beamer as this
magazine’s mascot). Fighting has
changed over time. In 1974–75,

one tough Flyer named Dave
Schultz would serve 472 penalty
minutes. These days, even the
toughest tough guys struggle to
hit 150.
What happened? Fighting
became an arms race. Teams
grabbed goons to protect their
star players. Other teams got
bigger guys to fight those guys.
Pretty soon, the only people brave
enough to fight these enforcers
were other enforcers.
Eventually, teams realized that
these tough customers weren’t
always the best possible options
for their roster. Now, players
generally don’t make teams as
dedicated enforcers.
I’ll admit to enjoying the
occasional fight. But to paraphrase
that most legendary of coaches,
Yoda: Fights not make one great.
Hockey is an excellent game,
maybe even without punching. It
doesn’t need gimmicks. They don’t
tolerate fighting in international
hockey. They probably shouldn’t
in the NHL, either.

5


Belarusian tennis
pro Aryna Sabalenka
turns 2 4.


37 years old.

13


birthday.

26 linebacker


29


Nashville
Predators

25 years old.

May


6


birthday.

12
Jrue Holiday is
32 years old.

15 3 –0 for
Mo Salah.

28 Wizard
Bradley Beal
turns 29.

30


June


Birthdays

Free download pdf