FanHouse

For the most part, when it comes to fighting and ice hockey, most of the mainstream media doesn't seem to want or need to understand exactly what's going on at ice level. But thanks to Patrick Hruby at ESPN.com, it looks like that's all about to change.

In a massive feature story entitled, "Men Who Love Goons," Hruby, a former reporter for the Washington Times, finally gives the hockey fight game, and the fans who help sustain it, a proper examination. That Hruby, who admits that he's not really a hockey fan, never mind a hockey fight fan, was able to pull it off with humor, insight and honesty is an absolute revelation.

In an effort to uncover the truth about fighting in hockey and the fans who can't get enough of it, Hruby has quite literally left no stone unturned, diving into the depths of the message boards at the Fried Chicken Hockey Site, talking with enforcers like Derek Boogard and even watching games side by side with fight fans.

Perhaps most entertaining is Hruby's encounter with Jon Mirasty (that's Mirasty in the above video tangling with ex-NHLer Trevor Gillies of the Albany River Rats), an enforcer for the AHL's Syracuse Crunch. Besides getting to know the career minor leaguer, Hruby actually took the time to get on the ice with him for a personal fight tutorial. The result -- especially the photos that accompany the piece -- is as hysterical as it is illuminating.

So don't tarry. As they say elsewhere in the blogosphere, read it right now. After all, it isn't often that we see somebody treat hockey, never mind a significant piece of hockey subculture, with the respect it deserves. Bravo to Hruby for pulling it off.

HT: Two Minutes for Blogging.