Hockey Handshakes: A Great Lesson For Other Sports
What does a handshake mean?
It can mean: hello, good bye, thank you, well done, nice to meet you, etc.
In one of the world's toughest sports which involves hitting, checking, and fighting, a simple handshake is the utmost sign of respect.
Hockey may be a violent game played by men with broken noses, black eyes, and missing teeth, but the respect shown at the end of a seven game series by a simple handshake is unmatched by any other sport.
In an era of sports which loves to dance after a touchdown, pimp a home run, and show up an opponent after a big dunk, hockey separates itself from baseball, basketball, and football.
There are handshakes in baseball, but it's only between teammates.
In the NFL, the two head coaches will shake hands, but often times, it's a quick and forced handshake.
NBA players give a quick handshake, dab, or hug, but it seems to only be between those who are friends with each other.
The San Jose Sharks ended a playoff series with the St. Louis Blues on Wednesday after six hard fought games.
While the Sharks were elated to earn a spot in the team's first Stanley Cup Finals in franchise history, the Blues couldn't say the same with the disappointment of a season ending without a championship.
Regardless, the two met at center ice to shake each other's hands.
Just because there have been hard hits, fights, and what would would seem to be hatred through out the six games, the respect for each other is still there.
The simple handshake between teams is something that's missing in today's sports. It's something kids do in sports while growing up, but around the high school level, the handshakes change from between opponents, to just between teammates.
Most people can recall a time when they were younger, after a game in Little League baseball, or pee wee football when both teams give the, "two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate?"
Of course, that would be pretty ridiculous to hear Bryce Harper in baseball, or Bill Belichick in football, singing that little tune, but the idea behind it is there.
Could you imagine a day where Jose Bautista pimps the crap out of a home run, but after the game, he shakes the hand of the pitcher he hit it off?
It's fully understandable to have tension and even hatred in the spirit of competition, just watch a playoff series in the NHL, but once it's over, show some respect for the hard work both teams put in.
Shaking the opponents hand isn't something that's done after each hockey game, but just after a full series of hard competition.
From trading fists, to shaking hands, hockey is the ultimate game of respect.