Fight On

TigerBlog takes 1,000 milligrams of vitamin C each morning and night and is never found without hand sanitizer in his pocket or Clorox wipes in his car.

Okay, maybe he overdoes it just a tad.

Even from that perspective, TB doesn't understand why so many people are adamant about not getting flu shots.

Yesterday was the start of FluFest at Princeton. Each year, faculty, staff and students can get free flu shots, as well as take advantage of some other wellness efforts.

TB, as he is every year, was near the front of the line for the shot. He prefers the shot to the mist, because it's his contention that he's going to get the mist, sneeze and then be sick all winter.

What amazes TB is how many people say they're not going to get flu shots each year. The reasons are always the same - "oh, I never get sick" or "the shot makes me sick" or "it doesn't stop all kinds of the flu."

Anyway, TB got his shot yesterday, and in doing so, he has taken a major step forward in not getting the flu this winter. Sure, it's not 100%. But it's such a simple thing, and TB sees no downside to getting one.

When TB gets a shot, he always does the same thing. He looks away, and then a split second after he feels the needle, he asks the person who is giving him the shot to let him know when it's about to happen. Of course it's already happened and they all say that, but TB thinks it makes them feel good to know that he's at least pretending he didn't feel it.

For the most part, TB is okay getting a vaccination. Every now and then, one won't exactly go smoothly. Tetanus, for instance. That one always feels like there's a rock in there.

And then there was the one cortisone shot he got. The doctor said that it might burn a little, and as it was searing through muscle and whatever else got in its way, TB said "it sure does, doesn't it."

The flu shots always come this time of year and serve as a reminder that summer is over and the cold weather is on the way. It's been hot here of late, and TB just looked at the weather and saw that the temperature is supposed to drop about 15 degrees within 10 days.

Hockey and basketball teams are already practicing, and opening day isn't that far away. For that matter, there is an exhibition women's hockey game this Sunday.

Opening day for Princeton men's hockey is Oct. 25 and 26 - three weeks from now; how is that possible? - at the Liberty Hockey Invitational at the Prudential Center in Newark, the home of the New Jersey Devils.

The NHL season started the other day, and the most newsworthy thing that happened in the first few games involved Princeton alum George Parros.

There's no doubt that you have seen it already, how Parros - now with the Montreal Canadiens - got into a fight on opening night against Colton Orr of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Actually, they fought twice, and it was during the second one that Parros got tangled up, tripped and fell face-first to the ice.

Parros struggled to get up, but it was clear from the start he wasn't doing well. Orr motioned immediately to the bench for help. Eventually, Parros was removed on a stretcher with a concussion.

Parros has had quite a career in the NHL.

At Princeton, he was the best player on some teams that weren't the strongest Princeton has ever had. He was a solid scorer his first three years, before an injury-plagued senior year, and that plus his size got him a shot at the NHL.

He quickly became an enforcer, this time with a gimmick - Princeton grad turns NHL goon. He even fought another Princeton alum, Kevin Westgarth, something that became great fodder for highlight shows.

Hey, Parros even won a Stanley Cup with Anaheim and brought the Cup to Baker Rink on his day with it in the summer.

What happened to him the other night wasn't funny at all. It could have been fatal.

In a world where sports are taking seriously the effects of head injuries - especially football - professional hockey really needs to figure out if this is what it wants to be in 2013.

Hey, even baseball is talking about making pitchers wear helmets, something base coaches have had to do for years.

But in the NHL, fighting - street brawling - is just part of the MO. Ever since TB was a kid, he's hated the hockey fighting. It takes away from the game. It cheapens the sport.

But it sells tickets. Look in the stands during a fight, and you can see the glee on the faces of the spectators.

It's a time that has come and gone. It's not a sign of toughness that hockey players can fight.

Actually, maybe it is.

These days, there are more important things in sports than proving toughness.

George Parros tweeted that he was doing okay after the game and that he was thankful so many people had reached out.

He's lucky. It could have been much, much worse.