by David Eisenbeisz

Created on: May 27, 2008

Anyone who has played any organized sport after age 11 knows the answer to this question. Although fans can affect an athlete's performance or inspire them to strive for more than they thought possible, it is very unlikely that fan behavior has any appreciable influence upon a professional hockey player's decision to throw down his gloves and begin hand-to-hand combat with an opposing player.

When looking at the situation, it is important to recognize how the influence of the fans fits into an athlete's overall perception of his environment at the time of the sporting event. The fans at a hockey game represent only one of countless stimuli that can affect the athletes as they compete on the ice. There are many other stimuli that have more immediate consideration than anything the fans are yelling or doing. Where is the puck? What is my job in this situation? Where is our goal keeper? Who is open? Who is covered? Do I need to protect my net? Should I skate for the opposing goal? Am I offside? Isn't that icing? Is this my face-off? What is that ref looking at? Where is that goon on the other team? Isn't this power play over yet? Here comes my shot...

All of these things and myriad others have immediate importance and the fans are mere irrelevant afterthoughts to a player when he his engaged in a contest. The mere act of participating in a hockey game at any level requires extreme concentration, situational awareness, and athleticism. The mental faculties required to include the fans' reactions with anything that happens on the ice represents tremendous wasted effort. Oftentimes, the difference between victory and defeat in any professional sporting event can be measured by the amount of wasted effort on the part of the losing team. In football, it is driving to the opponent's 5-yard line and having to settle for a field goal. In baseball, it is hitting into a inning-ending double-play with the bases loaded. A professional athlete understands that wasted effort is the best sure path to defeat.

Fighting in hockey, as well as other professional sports, usually has to do with an athlete's frustration over what is going on in the event, not outside of it. If a hitter charges the mound, it is usually because he perceives that the pitcher is trying to hit him or others on his team with inside pitches. If a hockey player throws punches, it is usually in retaliation for similar offenses by the other team, or it is sometimes a strategic preemptive strike to get the other

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