ESPN anchor Molly Qerim pointed out the “hypocrisy” in the sport of hockey, where fighting is permitted to a certain extent, while it is heavily discouraged and penalized in other sports. During a discussion on “First Take” about the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off final between the U.S. and Canada, radio personality Chris “Mad Dog” Russo criticized the fighting that occurred in their previous matchup, which featured three brawls in just nine seconds.
Qerim remarked, “It’s just interesting to me that in some sports, fighting is allowed, while in others, it would be unthinkable. It’s all about optics! … Just a little hypocrisy.”
Her comments highlight the contrasting approaches to fighting across different sports. In men’s hockey, fights are common and typically result in five-minute major penalties, but further disciplinary action is rare. In contrast, the Professional Women’s Hockey League explicitly states that fighting is “not part” of the game, with referees having the discretion to discipline players who engage in fights, potentially leading to ejections.
Fighting has also been a part of basketball history, notably escalating during the infamous “Malice at the Palace” incident in 2004. In the NFL, fights are met with penalties and possible ejections, while baseball sees brawls primarily triggered by aggressive pitches, often resulting in suspensions.
As the U.S. and Canada prepare to face off, it remains uncertain if another fight will occur when the puck drops at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday night.