“The Fans in the Plastic Bubble”


Last season the NHL and its’ fans were shocked and saddened when a little girl was killed after being hit by a puck. In a freakish event, the puck deflected off another fan and hit her in the side of the head. She seemed to have just been hurt first and actually left her seat on her own legs. Later that night she died in the hospital.

The tragedy cast a dark cloud over the remaining days of the Blue Jackets’ season. The tragedy also resulted in the NHL mandated nets on the ends of the rink. Everyone at the time was all about it of course they needed nets .000000000000000000000000001 % of all people that have attended a hockey game have been killed by a flying puck.

Now I do not mean to come off mean spirited here. I realize that a human life was cut short sadly days before the young girl’s birthday. However, what occurred was simply a freak accident. People are more likely to die in car crash traveling to the game, than meeting the reaper via a flying frozen piece of rubber.

It would not be a big deal if it did not affect the game at all. However, after viewing the Flyers first televised preseason game I wonder how well the NHL thought this idea through. I had read that the net (black in color because supposedly it reflects less light) would not show up on television; of course having a communications background and being a cynic, I had my doubts.

Every time the action swung behind a net and CSN switched to the end camera the net was blatantly visible. The net also appeared many times on replays. However, the net would vanish on some shots without switching camera angles. Perhaps the camera operators must focus immediately when the shot is thrown to them. When a camera has an object in front of the camera will focus on that image. I have yet to experience the game in person. Plus I don’t sit behind the nets anyway.

Okay, the annoying interference with the viewers at home might seem superficial, but at the very least the FU center has a problem on their hands. Either the net has to be adjusted or the referees will have more problems than calling clutching and grabbing. Twice tonight, the puck hit the net and fell back into play. Both times the referee did not notice for several seconds. Just imagine how more wild regular season games can be, and how many times the puck will be sent back to the ice.

Perhaps the net simply needs to be tightened, but it just goes a long with a trend where we play everything too safe. Little kids that simply want to go for a bike ride have to dress up like Storm troopers or your a bad parent. I thought part of being a kid was getting bumps and bruises. Kids can’t play dodge ball anymore at school, because it could hurt feelings.

What will happen if a baseball kills a baseball fan? It is a terrible thing that the girl was killed, but a net won’t bring her back. Anytime you leave the house you run the risk of dying in a freak accident. Maybe we should just all walk around in big plastic bubbles, perhaps I am just going to hell for writing this post. I will say hi to Hitler for everyone.

p.s. I am in love with a girl that works at the local Rite Aid, but that has nothing to do with this post.