to say this years playoffs have been exciting is an understatement. all one has to do is watch the series thus far between the penguins and the flyers and you notice its more like a ufc match than a hockey game. and i am all for that. fighting is and always was the attraction to me. that being said, much like football, there has to be rules in order to keep players safe. safe - as in head trauma. not dumbing down the sport. not making it like other pussy sports out there.
there have been calls during the playoffs that arent getting the same attention as other similar calls. there is no ryhme or reason as to how the nhl's "disciplinarian" brendan shanahan is doling out his punishments.
case 1: det vs nash
shea weber punching henrik zetterberg in the head and proceding to ram him into the glass click
that resulted in weber being fined $2500 - whoopty fuckin shit
case 2: chi vs pheonix
andrew shaw of chicago was coming around behind the net to play a puck that goalie mike smith was going for. shaw skates by and grazes smith. shanahan says it was not incidental and was a forcefull blow to the head and that he showed no signs of trying to avoid the collision. smith in reaction (much like a kicker in the nfl does) throws himself to the ice to make it more dramatic click and go to 3:00 and watch as their heads do collide but smith puts on his best acting skills. shaw in turn gets ejected from the game and the yotes go on a 5min major power play for game misconduct - shaw in turn was suspended by shanahan for 3 games due to that hit. mike smith came right back in and played, finished the game and started the game last night. to say he embelleshed the hit is an understatement.
case 3: chi vs pheonix
marian hossa was making a pass at center ice when raffi torres of the coyotes left his feet and drove his shoulder into hossas' helmet. no ref saw the brutal and illegal hit and therefore there was no penalty on torres. click torres finished the game. hossa was taken to the hospital and released. as of right now shanahan has suspended torres indefinitly as a hearing is being held in NYC on friday which was originally scheduled for today but torres is a fucking pussy and asked for an extention.
case 4 (2011): chi vs vancouver
yet again raffi torres playing like the dirty motherfucker he is takes another whack at a guy who doesnt see him. brent seabrook of chi was looking to accept a pass behind the net when torres takes him out click this was torres first game back from a 4 game suspension for pulling the same shit. torres gets a 2 minute minor for "interference" - torres was not suspended for this hit.
so whats my point? just that in a modern era with the technology we have with replays and such there seems to me to be way too much gray area and only one guy doling out the punishments in a hap hazardly fashion. where is the black and white? where is the, you throw an elbow, you get this as a punishment? you leave your feet, 5 game suspension. it should be in writing and it should be reviewed, slowed down, picked apart and dealt with appropriately. where as right now i feel like they are making all of the calls, the refs and the so called "disciplinarian" by the seat of their pants. its not that i want rid of the fighting, i said it and i'll say it again that to me is just a part of the sport. its the dirty shit like the hits from weber and torres that players should be protected from.
fuck em up flyers
fuck them up their stupid asses
3 comments:
yeah, Shanahan was hired to fix the sort of thing you are complaining about. before Shanahan, Colin Campbell handed out the punishments. to me, there's been no difference, it's still confusing as ever and totally arbitrary. if judge Shanahan is handing out suspensions based on whether or not an injury may have resulted, then he's an idiot.
anyway, the Pens believed in their own hype, I think. they figured they had been playing so well without Crosby, they could just coast when he came back for the playoffs. then they got caught up into the whole rivalry with Philly and got hooked by the fisticuffs, they forgot to play.
that's the best thing about the NHL playoffs, many times having the most talent is still not enough. you still need an unbreakable will.
ET
so let it be written so let it be done...from the book of tang.
hell i'll even call my own team out in this scenario...keiths hit on daniel fuckstick sedin:
www.youtube dot com /watch?v=M25I5rtFjiA
keiths elbow to sedins head - duncan gets a 2 min minor and no suspension - no consistency
course we all know sedin had it comin on account of being such a douchebag but really, thats just stating the obvious
my wife pointed out to me keith did in fact get a 2 game suspension for his hit on the ginger sister.
and we found out over the weekend tores got a 25 game suspension for his hit on hosa. nick and i both agreed he shoulda been fined the fuck out of - teach that dirty sonofa bitch a lesson.
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