The Code: The Unwritten Rules Of Fighting And Retaliation In The Nhl

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Editorial reviews

Product Description
Ice hockey has always been a sport steeped in a culture of violence, and players universally calibrate the level of physical contact by adhering to unwritten rules known simply as "the code". "The Code" picks up where the rule book leaves off and fills in the gaps, all in an effort to govern the game and its players - allowing them to complete in a manner deemed fair and respectable. To fully understand the significance and history behind "the code", Bernstein interviewed more than 50 past and present players and coaches. Their insights and stories explain why fighting is allowed, and how players police themselves on and off the ice.

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2008-03-10 rating:
Poorly researched, poorly executed...
Not to harp on after what so many have already noted, but the plethora of basic errors is an unwelcome distraction. To compound the problem, many of the the errors are glaring, i.e. not really understanding the game-misconduct penalty, or when focusing on the NHL players who are Captain of their team, he admirably highlights Cam Neely, who never wore the "C" in Boston or Vancouver (note to author: Ray Bourque is not best pleased). Hiring a good researcher would have improved this book by 40%.

By missing so many of the basics of hockey itself, it is too much to expect that this book will be able to penetrate the complex idiosyncrasies that make up The Code. In this respect, the book doesn't fail, which is a shame because this might have been an opportunity missed. To have a book that was able to deconstruct fighting in hockey in a way that Bill Bruford did about Soccer Hooligans in his legendary book "Among the Thugs" would have been an achievement.

Unfortunately the constant repetition of quotes from a limited section of NHL enforcers fails to bring forth any consensus on what the role of fighting in the NHL should be. In 2008, with a bullying team in Anaheim as Stanley Cup holders and other teams beefing up, the NHL continues to look nervously at the UFC and wonder (is worry too strong a word?) over the same question. This book never tries to seriously address these issues and you are left to wonder why.

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review by: Astro-German-Latvian-Genealogy Guru date: 2008-02-22 rating:
A whole lot of quotes
This book is pretty good, but it could certainly have been better. It has a very large amount of quotations and stories of various "tough guys", "enforcers" and general managers. The people who are quoted are disproportionately from Minnesota, but that is because -I believe- the author is from that area. I didn't mind it given I am from MN, but I think some others might notice it as well and wonder why that was the case. It is quite easy to read and I do recommend it for anyone who is looking for something like that and enjoys hearing stories about the "Code". In my view, however, Bertstein did not develop the book as much as he might have been able. He relies TOO much on quote after quote...and they are multiple paragraphs in length. When you to find a copy and page through it you will probably remember my comment and chuckle bit at the volume and length of quotes you noticed. There is significant repetition which is a bit annoying. It felt as if he was trying to turn a long article into book. As a teacher, I recognize when a student starts to babble a bit in their paper with the obvious goal of adding some length to their submitted assignment. The repetition, along with the author's reliance on lengthy quote after lengthy quote is why I did the teacher thing and marked Bertstein down from five stars to four stars. It was a good book, but could have been better and a bit more original.

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review by: hockey fans date: 2008-01-19 rating:
A must read for the new hockey fan
being new hockey fans it has often been confusing as to why some penalties are called and some things aren't. Hearing long time fans complaining about calls that seem obvious. why is fighting allowed in hockey but not other team sports. This book does an excellent job of explaining how hockey has evolved and the reasons behind a lot of the actions on the ice. Definately opens up another line of thinking and allows you to have a better perspective of the game from the players point of view.

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review by: date: 2008-01-14 rating:
Not for the serious hockey fan!
I am a huge NHL fan and have read many hockey books, and this one left me unimpressed.

If you are a serious hockey fan, you will enjoy a new fighting anecdote or two in this book, but you will not learn much. Some players protect, other players are protected, but no one disrespects the game; nothing new there.

If you are a "newbie" to the NHL and its seemingly purposeless violence, then this book is a good read to better understand the culture of the game and some of its colorful characters.


review by: hockey101 date: 2007-11-04 rating:
Unbelieveable factual errors
I read nearly every hockey book that comes out, and never write reviews, until now. I was so frustrated, I had to put it down after about 16 pages. Did anybody bother to fact-check this book? First, the Richard riot did not occur during the season after Richard's suspension, but very shortly afterwards. Second, and most aggravating, nobody ever serves a game misconduct in the penalty box. You're kicked out of the game; that's why they call it a game misconduct. So how can someone come out of the penalty box after serving a game misconduct? In addition to the fact this guy doesn't understand hockey and the failure to check facts, it's almost as if he simply turned on his tape recorder, got the same quote from lots of different guys, and sent it in. The only thing that keeps me from calling it the worst hockey book I ever read isthe fact that I couldn't finish it, it was too aggravating. If you want a GOOD book on fighting in hockey, I recommend Ultimate Bad Boys by Stan Fischler.

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