we were watching it together. mostly watching basketball since the game seemed to be in the bag, then during a commercial happened to flip back just in time to witness the brutal hit. What In The World?!?!
I was gonna post something saying what a lewd bunch of players you have up there in Vancouver, but...that was just insane. They're talking about a suspension lasting the rest of the regular season and possibly 2 postseason games? Seems short to me, especially w/ the talk of a bounty on Moore's head.
Since the Avs-Wings rivalry has settled down a tad, at least I have a new team to hate. ;)
How are you man?
I'm doing well. Started PT. Doing a lot of bending/hurting myself trying to get my knee to be a knee again. Surgery went well, range of motion is pretty good, and now I just need to get my muscles built back up.
My thoughts are that he should be out of hockey at least as long as the guy he hit is. If this ended the guys career, sorry, Bertuzzi's should be over too. No excuse...
Anyway, I'm bitter.. Went to the Tank and watched my Sharks drop another game. They look pretty sad these days with just short moments of decent play.. Ah well...
I hear you, on the other hand Bertuzzi is generally not a dirty player. He's big and tough, but sucker punches aren't his style...I'd give him a 20 game suspension and maybe take the opportunity to revamp the rules to help protect players in the future. Part of the problem lies with the game itself, and the crap they let players get away with.
If Moore had gotten up and not been knocked out, Bertuzzi would've had a game misconduct and that's about it...that isn't right either?
No, too late (for a punishment). Much too late as the NHL dropped the ball with settling this matter three weeks ago when Moore viciously took out the league's top scorer. Never would have happened in the days of Gretzky and Semenko, where frontier justice and the code of keeping unskilled players in line by teaching them not to muck around with the stars. They didn't call the '80's the hey-day of the NHL for nothing. Then in the 90's, Mario Lemieux noticed the influx of journeymen players and "fringe" players whose sole purpose was to finish checks, run picks, and harrass star players.
Heck, even Peter Worrell admits that the overage rookie Steve Moore's job is to shadow the opposition's top players and take them out. He sure succeeded in removing the number one sniper for the past three seasons and now possibly the number one power forward in the NHL for a good amount of time while his team goes on the path of winning the Northwest division.
This incident is not an anomaly, as the league has let the festering of hate between teams go on from game to game, with rules (instigator) that punish teams from protecting their stars. The dangerous precedent was set on the Moore-Naslund hit a few weeks back. What are upper to elite players going to think? Some punk is allowed to run at heads if it is open-ice and deemed clean? Even after sending in video review and then having the league come down hard on any chance of retribution as Brad May originally stated with a "Slapshot" like reference to a bounty? Sorry, not good enough in today's NHL society of players.
I don't actually agree with this, but it does show the opposing viewpoint, stil sticking to giving him a 15 day suspension and big fine (if fines are even levied??) $1,000,000 or so might hit him where it hurts?
He sure succeeded in removing the number one sniper for the past three seasons and now possibly the number one power forward in the NHL for a good amount of time while his team goes on the path of winning the Northwest division.
I'm sure that's exactly what Moore thought as his face hit the ice. Or, when he was carted off on a stretcher.
His previous points on the mid-level players were accurate but he (she?) lost all credibility with the statement that Moore "succeeded" in taking out Bertuzzi. Moron.
Tantrum
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Suspension without pay for the remainder of the season and his status will be re-evaluated at training camp next year. While not explicit in the suspension, it appears the league will make a decision on his eligibility for next year based on Moore's condition.
Bertuzzi crossed the line with the hit, but the line in the NHL is so fuzzy. The eye-for-an-eye mentality prevails in the NHL, but this code only includes one-on-one fist fights, not sucker punches from behind. As pointed out before, if Moore gets back up, does he get the suspension? I don't think so. Bertuzzi was unlucky that his sucker punch knocked Moore out. Otherwise Moore may have been able to avoid hitting his face on the ice. However, that's no excuse as Bertuzzi's sucker punch was cowardly.
Tantrum
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Well, considering the lockout is looking likely for next Season, they've played it pretty safe...
the team got a $250,000 fine as well, which is a total joke?? I'm ok with the suspension, but I think much bigger fines might help avoid this behaviour?
a team has actually gotten fined for inappropriate behavior by its player? Might be a step in the right direction as Vancouver is going to be losing a lot more than $250K. It's likely they won't get quite so many home games in the playoffs this year resulting in multi-million dollar loss (would that be multi-billion in Canadian money? ;))
tough call, Bertuzzi SUCKED in last year's post-season after an amazing regular season.
Our team is pretty decent this go round, and Rucinsky (sp??) isn't a bad addition....
You can't pin the playoff hopes on one guy anyhow, the team has to rise to the occasion which we certainly didn't do last year, and neither did your Avs...Minnesota!!! ha!!!!
I spit in their general direction....
I've read many articles and commentaries from the Vancouver media and quite a few of the Vancouverites polled said they would not go to any more games, buy Canuck merchadise, and a few even threatened to cancel their season tickets. Whether this will have an effect on revenue will be seen.
Do you think Bertuzzi was as upset as his tears lead us to believe? His best bud Naslund seems to think so. But there were a few others who think that his cheap shot was right in character.
Tantrum
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
the sad part is the impact on the sport though, I really believe that he was sincere in apologizing to the kids who love hockey....
My 3 yr old daughter's been to one game, and Bertuzzi is the only player she knows by name...she said to me this morning, "so Bertuzzi is in big trouble because he had a fight?"
It's like she relates to him at a 3 yr old level, which is pretty much the level he sunk to the other night??
She still loves the killer whale mascot though...
my final word on the Bert incident is a quote from Marty McSorley:
"I'm 100 per cent sure Todd had zero intention of doing what has actually happened. He wanted to fight the guy, have him turn and face him so he could beat him up like every other hockey fight. When I was going through this, I was amazed how much people refused to listen to hockey people."
After getting over my shock that McSorley can actually speak a whole sentence at once, I have to say I agree with the first part.
Honestly, yah, I don't believe he meant to knock him out and break his neck. But, the fact is he did. He lost control. And he should be punished for loosing control.
Yes there are many sidebars on violence in hockey, and how the game has changed over the last 10 years in that regard. People not understanding their rolls, the respect and unwritten rules regarding contact, etc... These all contribute to a more reckless game...
The point is this guy is a professional. He of all people should know better. I can see this in amateur sports when people don't have a feel for how much physical force can do what. But this guy does this for a living. And he snapped... That's all. He lost control....
And how does one turn to face you and fight when you've ridden his head into the ground? Hockey fights are stopped as soon as you both hit the ice anyway... Doesn't sound like a fight to me, sounds like a hit...
Anyone, that's just opinion... Not worth much, but hey....
After getting over my shock that McSorley can actually speak a whole sentence at once, I have to say I agree with the first part.
outie
If I'm not mistaken, Mcsorely was the King's representitive to the Player's Association at one point. Very articulate, smart, well spoken individual. Diametrically opposed to his on-ice demeanor.
But I'm still holding a grudge against him for an illegal-stick penalty he committed in Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Habs. Kings lost on the ensuing power-play, and didn't fire again the rest of the series, Canadians won the rest of the series, 4-1.
There are 10 kinds of people in this world, those who understand binary, and those who don't.
"I'm 100 per cent sure Todd had zero intention of doing what has actually happened. He wanted to fight the guy, have him turn and face him so he could beat him up like every other hockey fight."
I think it is obvious all he wanted was to get his attention for the fist fight. Bertuzzi was just unlucky that his initial hit knocked Moore out. But NK has a good point that he has to accept the consequences of the initial hit, even if the results were not what he intended.
Tantrum
"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.