Breaking news : Hockey is a violent sport!

Ok, here's the thing.  I know that you've all heard about the Bertuzzi hockey incident (where a cheap shot broke the rookie's neck).

Sports Illustrated story

Tigger and I were just discussing this, and I think he's truly appalled.  For my part -- which I think irritates Tigger -- I know it's a terrible thing and I'm very sorry to hear about Steve Moore (the rookie in question).  I hope he is able to recover, and I hope he and his family survive, but there's something I just don't get...  Hockey is a violent sport.  It ALWAYS has been.  Fighting is part of the game, and it's probably the only sport left where fights are actually common place and part of the reason most people show up?

The guy threw a cheap shot.  So what?  Now he's being drummed out of the NHL for AT LEAST the rest of the season.  I don't "get it".  Has the world become so politically correct that a hockey fight (admittedly gone terribly bad) evokes such stupid "PC" drama?

What's next?  Nascar drivers suing others for denting their bumpers?  Boxers suing the other boxer for hitting him too hard?  Baseball players at bat suing the pitcher for dusting them back with a stray fastball?  Baseball catchers being thrown out for betting on Baseball?... erm, no... wait :lol:

Sigh...  

[KennyR]

I wouldn't really call intentionally breaking someone's neck a "stupid PC drama". And the punishment of being suspended for a year does seem rather tame, considering if I went out and did that to someone I'd be looking a several months in jail, a hefty fine, and a possible lawsuit.

Hockey is a violent sport, but it's not a blood sport. If you don't want the game to degenerate into state-sanctioned brawling, then people who break the rules should be punished severely.

I wouldn't really call intentionally breaking someone's neck a "stupid PC drama".

Maybe that's what I missed.  Please point out to me where he intentionally went after Moore with intent to break his neck?  I've not heard that stated as fact on any news article.

Wayne

@Fluffy,

I *SINCERELY* Apologize.  I went to reply to your post and hit the wrong key and didn't realize I was actually editing your post instead, then no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it back.  Please feel free to slap me.

I do agree with you though in principle that this is yet another attempt by the bleeding hearts (my words) to make the world a politically correct one.

Wayne

[KennyR]

Wayne wrote:
Please point out to me where he intentionally went after Moore with intent to break his neck?

Supposing this guy wasn't a sportsman, but an average joe, and tells the judge that "he didn't set out to break someone's neck", although it is proven that he did bring a blunt instrument down with all his strength on the victim, even during the heat of a brawl.

What would the judge say?

What would the judge say?  

Apples and oranges.  They were hockey players, where -- as fluffy pointed out before I accidentally and stupidly screwed up his post -- they KNEW what they were getting into, and that fights are a standard part of it all.  Even to the point of being the main reason that audiences show up in the first place.

Wayne

[Tigger]

Wayne wrote:
Maybe that's what I missed.  Please point out to me where he intentionally went after Moore with intent to break his neck?  I've not heard that stated as fact on any news article.

He intentionally went after Moore, because of Moores altercation with the Canucks captain Nasland on Feb 16th.  After the game, Brad May put a bounty on Moores head, which he later recinded after a call from the commissioner.  The Canucks coaches comment that Moore needed to be taught a lesson was similarly rebuked by the front office.   The NHL front office called both teams before the game and told both the front offices and the coaches (who admit they told it to their players) that the NHL would not be standing for any premeditated attacks in the game.  With the Canucks trailing 8-2 in mid 3rd quarter, there was no reason for Todd Bertuzzi to be following Moore (who didn't have the puck) around, much less sucker punching him in the back of the neck and then jumping on him to drive him face first into the ice.  I'm sorry Wayne for all the delight you apparently get from fights in Hockey, you actually win games by scoring goals not by having your team pick a player to take out out of the game forever because its hockey and surely they wont kick you out for more then a game for fighting.  The suspension and fine are frankly not enough, but as the most severe given out by the NHL, they are liable to help curb this type of behavior, and Bertuzzi besides missing lots of games and over 1/2 million in salary has likely cost his team their best shot at Lord Stanley's cup in 10 years plus the 250K the team was fined.   But hey I'm just a fan of the sport, lets see what SI says:
 
SI response to NHL Ruling

Also I would like to point that Moore isnt a Rookie, in fact during his rookie season he helped the Avalance win the Stanley Cup.
     -Tig

[FluffyMcDeath]

Wayne wrote:
@Fluffy,

I *SINCERELY* Apologize.  I went to reply to your post and hit the wrong key and didn't realize I was actually editing your post instead, then no matter what I tried, I couldn't get it back.  Please feel free to slap me.
Wayne

See. See. That kinda proves the point.
You meant to do one thing, something dire and irrevesable happened that wasn't your intent....

Anyway, the basic tack of the point was...

Fightings always been a part of the game.
People wouldn't be so upset if there was no serious injury.
People wouldn't have been so upset if it had been a "fair" fight.
And the players are extremely well compensateed and the job is still a lot safer, even with the fighting, than a lot of other peoples jobs.

I suppose the whole game could be made safe if you took away the skates, made the puck and sticks soft, and put all the players on valium so they weren't so intent on winning, but then what would be the point?

[sumner7]

Hockey isn't that violent, is it?  :-?

[Tigger]

sumner7 wrote:
Hockey isn't that violent, is it?  :-?

Not usually, and the NHL has taken a good step into stopping this issue with the fines and suspension they have handed down.
     -Tig

[Ilwrath]

Maybe that's what I missed. Please point out to me where he intentionally went after Moore with intent to break his neck? I've not heard that stated as fact on any news article.

I'm sure Bertuzzi didn't mean to actually break the guy's neck... But what the heck did he THINK would happen, by sucker punching a guy in the side of his head, and then driving his head into the ice with his forearm on the back of the guy's neck?  

Hockey IS a contact sport, and should stay that way.  I was against the rules to try to remove FIGHTING from the game.  This wasn't fighting, though.  This was reckless behavior that nearly left a man paralyzed.  (Two broken vertabrae is nothing to laugh at!)

If Bert wanted retaliation for the Naslund hit, he should have grabbed Moore on the shoulder, spun him around, and dropped the gloves.  If he'd have faced his opponent like a man, he would have gotten 2 minutes for Instigating, 5 for fighting, and a game misconduct.  Nothing more.  But instead, he was a coward, put a man in the hospital, and hurt his team's chances in the playoffs.  The cheap shots have to be eliminated from the league.  There can be no tolerance for deliberate injuries.  I support the NHL's decision.