Twist vs Laraque - What's all this then?

[Blues 34]

I can remember one game when Twist and McSorley played against each other when they barked at each other a bit and it looked like they might go, It just didnt happen. I think its safe to say that neither guy was afraid.

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Originally Posted by 5forfighting

If Laraque is allowed to take the same things Twist was taking, Laraque wins.

What makes you think Laraque doesnt?? How old is he?? is it normal to still get facial acne in your late 20's?? Laraque has acne.....

Pointing out Twist for "roids" while everyone else gets a pass is bullshiat, I bet 60% of pro hockey enforcers use steroids during the course of a season and I would also feel safe saying its probably close to that number with the general population of the NHL, Tony Twist just happened to get much bigger than anyone else while using them, thats the difference......

Bring out PROPER testing?? and alot of guys will be BUSTED!

Being a Pro hockey player is DRAINING and the schedule makes it hard to keep weight on during the season, its done to keep players at their ideal weight 80% of the time.

I take Twist over Laraque, roids or no roids.

And I'm not pointing the finger, if I was in the same situation?? I would probably use Steroids too.

[peacemaker]

Originally Posted by Stan Jonathan#1

Can you say overanalyzing?

No.

[rondo]

Read most of the posts and just some of my observations, opinions.

Twist and Laraque are probably both a bit overrated. Yeah they are considered by many the biggest and strongest HW the game has seen. Both topping the scales over 260lbs.

Twist beat most guys before the gloves came off in his prime. You have to repect that. He was so strong he threw most guys off balance including an aging Probert but not over the hill. Then he would overwhelm them with wild looping rights. Most fighters just bailed but really came out no worse for wear. Prime Twist was as feared as any fighter out there but imo a little overrated. It is to bad he did not have more years so we could have seen a few more battles with other top HW. He fought Kocur 1 time in his rookie season. Why not more? McSorely imo would have gave Twist a real test. No Marty was not the hardest hitter out there but he won his fights late in the fight and was Twists stamina great. I don't think so. Where were the names of the dangerous lefties of Twists era. At 6'4 240 and a razor sharp left Chris Simon would have given Twist all that he could handle. Add Domi to the list also. Tie had great balance, rock solid chin and a very good left. Not saying these guys were going to handle Twist. We'll never know but you must ask why did they not fight? It is usually harder to fight a lefty than it is fot the Right hander, just the awkardness. Face it most righties fight 90% righties. Lefties fight 90% righties so they are used to it.

Laraque is also strong as an Ox. But sometimes you feel cheated after his fights. He is so strong most guys cant hang with him on strenght alone. Add to the fact he is a lefty and its a tough match up. I like the fact that he ducks nobody and is a clean fighter but I am left wondering how much he likes his job. He fights all comers but his style is boring. In recent years I have noticed that when he fights a guy with power or is a threat that if the fight is not going his way he will bail. Not going down himself but by throwing or wrestling other guys down and the fight is over.

Anyway Twist Vs. Laraque is a close match up and to me the series would be somewhat uneventful. If both were in prime I would honestly say the series would be close. 50/50....

I do think Twist may be the most intimidating fighter of all time when he was with the blues and in his prime (along with Probert)but in saying that he was beat even then. Mccarthy, Leroux.......

[T800m101]

Twist would've killed Domi if they fought. I believe that Twist is one of the few that could shatter Domi's face.

[BaddaBing Badda Boom]

Originally Posted by rondo

Read most of the posts and just some of my observations, opinions.

Twist and Laraque are probably both a bit overrated. Yeah they are considered by many the biggest and strongest HW the game has seen. Both topping the scales over 260lbs.

Twist beat most guys before the gloves came off in his prime. You have to repect that. He was so strong he threw most guys off balance including an aging Probert but not over the hill. Then he would overwhelm them with wild looping rights. Most fighters just bailed but really came out no worse for wear. Prime Twist was as feared as any fighter out there but imo a little overrated. It is to bad he did not have more years so we could have seen a few more battles with other top HW. He fought Kocur 1 time in his rookie season. Why not more? McSorely imo would have gave Twist a real test. No Marty was not the hardest hitter out there but he won his fights late in the fight and was Twists stamina great. I don't think so. Where were the names of the dangerous lefties of Twists era. At 6'4 240 and a razor sharp left Chris Simon would have given Twist all that he could handle. Add Domi to the list also. Tie had great balance, rock solid chin and a very good left. Not saying these guys were going to handle Twist. We'll never know but you must ask why did they not fight? It is usually harder to fight a lefty than it is fot the Right hander, just the awkardness. Face it most righties fight 90% righties. Lefties fight 90% righties so they are used to it.

Laraque is also strong as an Ox. But sometimes you feel cheated after his fights. He is so strong most guys cant hang with him on strenght alone. Add to the fact he is a lefty and its a tough match up. I like the fact that he ducks nobody and is a clean fighter but I am left wondering how much he likes his job. He fights all comers but his style is boring. In recent years I have noticed that when he fights a guy with power or is a threat that if the fight is not going his way he will bail. Not going down himself but by throwing or wrestling other guys down and the fight is over.

Anyway Twist Vs. Laraque is a close match up and to me the series would be somewhat uneventful. If both were in prime I would honestly say the series would be close. 50/50....

I do think Twist may be the most intimidating fighter of all time when he was with the blues and in his prime (along with Probert)but in saying that he was beat even then. Mccarthy, Leroux.......

Rondo, you hit on a point that I was going to start a thread about, namely, conspicous by its absence is a meeting between Simon and Twist. Roids or no roids would have been interesting to see if Twist would have been put off by Simon's pinpoint ball pein hammer to his chin and jaw.

[rondo]

Originally Posted by BaddaBing Badda Boom

Rondo, you hit on a point that I was going to start a thread about, namely, conspicous by its absence is a meeting between Simon and Twist. Roids or no roids would have been interesting to see if Twist would have been put off by Simon's pinpoint ball pein hammer to his chin and jaw.

It sucks they never met. The two were teammates in Quebec but that doesn't usually stop them from having a little get together down the road. I personally think its a tough match up for Twist. Simon was bigger and I dont think Twist would have been able to just ragdoll Simon around, nobody else could. Simon handled all the guys Twist did. Pummeled Probert as easily as Twist. As you said Simon had a pin point left it could have been a classic... Does it make sense to say that Twist was the better enforcer and Simon was the better fighter and player.

[brad houghton]

Originally Posted by rondo

It sucks they never met. The two were teammates in Quebec but that doesn't usually stop them from having a little get together down the road. I personally think its a tough match up for Twist. Simon was bigger and I dont think Twist would have been able to just ragdoll Simon around, nobody else could. Simon handled all the guys Twist did. Pummeled Probert as easily as Twist. As you said Simon had a pin point left it could have been a classic... Does it make sense to say that Twist was the better enforcer and Simon was the better fighter and player.

the downside of this match up is that both guys had balance issues....the potential for a nice fight was there if Simon fought to win like MacKenzie did.....a prime Simon might have landed early and that might have swung the fight his way....if he fell into the trap of trying to avoid TT's power then he would have probably been overwhelmed by the strenght of Tony like everyone else seemed to be

this would never be a long fight but if Simon was out to win it could be a very nice short eventful scrap

[T800m101]

Simon was bigger and I dont think Twist would have been able to just ragdoll Simon around, nobody else could.

Simon was 2 or 3 inches taller than Twist, but from about 1995 and on, Twist had about 20-25 lbs on Simon. In a 10 fight series, I see Twist beating Simon 6 or 7 times.

[rondo]

Originally Posted by brad houghton

the downside of this match up is that both guys had balance issues....the potential for a nice fight was there if Simon fought to win like MacKenzie did.....a prime Simon might have landed early and that might have swung the fight his way....if he fell into the trap of trying to avoid TT's power then he would have probably been overwhelmed by the strenght of Tony like everyone else seemed to be

this would never be a long fight but if Simon was out to win it could be a very nice short eventful scrap

I agree 100% on which Simon shows up. If it is the one who fought like he did against Brown and hungry that would have been classic and I think Simon wins. But if is the other Simon its gonna be a Twist victory.

[rondo]

Originally Posted by T800m101

Simon was 2 or 3 inches taller than Twist, but from about 1995 and on, Twist had about 20-25 lbs on Simon. In a 10 fight series, I see Twist beating Simon 6 or 7 times.

Your right Twist have 20lbs on Simon but Simon has huge legs and it was really hard to just throw him around. Nobody did, nobody... Its tough to do when straight left handed bombs are wrecking havoic on your face. I will say Twist was a better enforcer in his prime but still not convinced he would have beat Simon 7 ou of ten times.

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Simon (circa 1995 prime) vs Laraque???? Thats a tough one....

I liked Simon's style so much better than GL, I think he would have given Twist more problems than GL too.

Twist showed me in his rematches with Leroux, that he could throttle the biggest man like a joke,Leroux was a good 245lbs, he had NO CHANCE but try to survive against an enraged Twist, that Twist is#1 alltime but he didnt fight with that anger enough to warrant it, the only guy who ever made Probert look like a total amateur more than once.

[brad houghton]

i can get on TT a bit because i have always felt he had issues with Balance, and accuracy....like a few of us have pointed out most of his punches didn't connect....... they looked impressive from a distance but more bluster than anything......BUT i would like to point out a couple of things i do like about Twister

1st off he had one of the greatest primes ever.....go to DYG and marvel at his prime stetch

but i would like to comment on something more subtle.....the more old video footage of interviews i watch over the years the more i am am impressed with how he embraced his job and had pride in what he did. so often enforcers are great at what they do but wish they could be a regular hockey player....they are often reluctant to talk about their role....some times the guys are a tad bitter......very rarely do they seem legitimatley proud of what they do....often content and thankful but rarely proud.....i really believe Tony was proud of what he did and as a hockey fight fan i really appreciate that because i am proud of them

i think he was great at keeping his team safe and being very serious about it while maintaining a sense of humor about his limited skills....Tony was comfortable in his skin and for my money provides a great roll model for young enforcers (maybe minus his suplements)

i think he was good on and off the ice at marketing the roll of the policeman....when guys called him a goon in an interview or used the term he would simply shrug and say "guys who say goon really don't understand my job"

Tony felt his job played a very important roll in self regulating justice and i think he is bang on....screw with my team mates at your peril!!

Tony as a fighter wasn't my cup of tea from a style perspective but that is a personal preferance.....that has never stopped me from appreciating his attitude and how he has worn the mantle of his craft with pride.....good on you twister you were and are a class act

[Juha82]

Twist was clean player on the ice.
Also he didnt take too much stupid penalties i know.

[ewen21]

Originally Posted by Juha82

Twist was clean player on the ice.
Also he didnt take too much stupid penalties i know.

I'll take a rusty chainsaw to your back