I dearly hope many of you are watching the NHL playoffs on NBC. Thus far, there have been two double overtime games and more than a handful of overtime endings. The competition level remains high (unless you’re the Penguins) and overall the teams have done well combining skill with the necessary grit for these playoffs.
My love for hockey extends to every facet of the game, including fighting. While that debate continues to rage amidst new concerns over concussions, the truth remains that as long as checking comes in the natural flow of the game, fighting will as well, simply because players must police the game to ensure malicious hits do not perpetuate. Any big hit on a star player will receive payment in kind, with retribution ratcheting up depending on the nature of the offending hit or conduct. If teams want the Bruins Brad Marchand to quit going low on opponents, they will need to rough him up, especially if referees do not call those penalties. In addition to individuals, the league also has a responsibility to mete out suspensions or fines to discourage any kind of violent behavior.
But the league will not discourage those acts enough as long as their current system remains in place. The acts of Nashville Predators defenseman Shea Weber at the end of Game 1 against the Red Wings threw the injustice of this system into stark contrast. Weber pounded Zetterberg’s head multiple times into the boards as time expired, leaving the Detroit star sprawled but thankfully uninjured on the ice for a few minutes. Watch the video then ask yourself what the proper punishment might be…if you came up with a fine of $2500, the league agrees with you.
$2500 represents a lot of money to almost everyone, but for a guy like Weber making close to $7.5 million a year, the fine seems like small potatoes. Amazingly, however, the newest collective bargaining agreement with the players’ association stipulates a max fine for any conduct to be $2500. That might seem wholly logical until we see a play like Weber’s: a malicious act of violence that falls well outside the expectations for most players who skate onto the ice. I’m not quibbling about a little scrum here, but rather the slamming of another player’s head into a pane of reinforced glass….twice.
The league must determine what kind of behavior merits a suspension. I find it ridiculous Weber received such a paltry fine when Matt Carkner will likely face some missed gametime for going after Brian Boyle in Saturday’s Game 2. Are we to believe Weber deserves less punishment for keeping his gloves on, even though the actions are basically the same? One saving grace of the system now brands Weber as a repeat offender, so any further mistakes will draw higher fines and suspensions, but even that system fails often. Not to be a homer, but Alex Ovechkin missed three games for leaving his feet on a hit to Penguins player Zbynek Michalek earlier this season, after being a repeat offender. It takes a strong intellectual leap to equate the two plays, much less to give a smaller punishment to Weber. The repeat system works fine for smaller offenses like kneeing or charging, but to act as if Weber’s conduct lives on the same field as an initial checking offense defies the imagination. That kind of a play, so dangerous and violent, deserves a suspension, no questions asked. In a perfect world, Weber would be suspended and be labeled a repeat offender, much like what happened to Penguins winger Matt Cooke.
But Cooke isn’t a star like Weber, drawing out another inconsistency with the system. Byron Bitz of the Canucks, a role player, checked a Kings player from behind in Game 1, drawing a two game suspension. Weber represents a big name for hockey and, as good as Zetterberg might be, I doubt the NHL relies on him for ratings. What would happen if Weber did this to Crosby or Malkin? The Penguins would whine like they always do and I guarantee suspension time in that scenario. On the other hand, if a role player does this to Zetterberg, he gets suspended as well, just like Clifford. The double standard exists in that whether offender or victim, superstars play by a different set of rules in the NHL.
We must also ask how the NHL plans to eliminate this kind of stuff from the game if offenders receive smaller fines than NFL players who wear improper socks ($5000 in case you want to find ludicrous sports punishments). A swift punch to the face, especially in a playoff series, would make an opposing team much happier than a $2500 fine. That might be a blanket statement, but if the league allows a guy to play after slamming your star’s head into the boards, the way to discontinue that kind of conduct can only come from fisticuffs. Concussions, with further research, will continue to worry NHL officials going forward, but if the league is serious, Weber should have lost multiple games.
Don’t lose track of this debate, because I guarantee with the recent NFL bounty scandal the NHL will find itself under increased scrutiny to establish a uniform punishment rubric for acts like Weber’s. Everyone loves the nastiness of playoff hockey and refs should continue to largely keep the whistle in their pocket come April, but a violent act like Weber’s deserves swift discipline if hockey wishes to keep fighting while working towards a better solution to player safety and concussions in particular.
Bit #1: Redskins front office follows through
Being a longtime Skins fan, I expected the front office to make the egregious mistake of not signing London Fletcher. Almost a month ago I used this blog to chastise Redskins officials for not providing the defensive captain enough money. Thankfully, he announced a two year deal on Friday afternoon, ensuring the defense will bring back excellent tackling and veteran leadership, all packaged in one guy. Fletcher, since debuting with the Rams in 1998, has not missed a single game and has led the league in tackles multiple times, defying his age of 37. Skins fans should take heart at this offseason, but this move in particular reinforces the notion that Washington will not suffer from poor front office leadership like it has in the past. I applaud GM Bruce Allen for not making Vinny Cerrato mistakes and re-signing players who not only want to be here but also provide intangible as well as tangible benefits.
Bit #2: Opposite futures for NBA franchises
New Orleans Hornets fans (if they even exist) must have greeted the news of the team’s sale to Saints owner Tom Benson with great relish since the team will now stay in the Big Easy for a while. Benson, who has guided the Saints to the top of the NFL heap, will have his work cut out for him but the team will benefit without David Stern as de facto GM. Unfortunately the sale came too late to save Chris Paul, but Benson has success on his record.
In Sacramento, however, the owners of the Kings and city officials are bending over backwards to profess their distaste for one another. On Sunday, one municipal authority characterized dealings with the Madoofs as “like negotiating with North Korea.” Let’s hope for the sake of Sacramento both sides dispense with the brinksmanship inherent in that statement, but regardless of conclusion I expect the deal to get done for a new arena. The Kings are a long way from the heady days of Divac, Christie, and Bibby, but the fan base remains strong, especially as younger talent starts filtering in. The best viable option outside of Sacramento would be Anaheim, which would improbably give Anaheim three of the four major sports, a fact I’m sure very few predicted 25 years ago might ever happen. Thank you, Disney.
Bit #3: Isiah Thomas must think he’s a good coach
Recently, Florida International fired Isiah Thomas as head coach of its basketball team after a 26-65 record. If you won a little more than a quarter of your games, you’d expect to be fired right? Well Thomas couldn’t believe it, saying it was the first time he had been fired for basketball reasons in his front office career. Don’t get me wrong, Thomas was a great player but he needs to leave basketball behind. His sense of denial about his abilities astounds many because Thomas has not proved himself since retiring as a player.
This episode is very tame compared to Thomas’ previous incidents. His only coaching success came as coach of the Pacers in 2000-03, but his team lost in the first round every year he coached there. Sports paparazzi will remember the show he put on in New York, somehow obtaining the keys to the entire Knicks organization only to host illegal pre-draft workouts and frustrate New York for three years. One of the saddest theme is sports is the guy who can’t accept he’s not good at a certain function. For Thomas, he should learn to contribute to the game some other way.
Bit #4: April 15, 1947 – Debut of Jackie Robinson
Tough to believe this was 64 years ago, but today marks a huge anniversary for the black and baseball communities. Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball, being the first African-American to play in the majors, joining the Brooklyn Dodgers. More significantly, Robinson did much to quicken the tide of integration by presenting a talented black presence in the American pastime. Often lost are Robinson’s baseball achievements, winning the 1949 NL MVP, attending six All-Star games, and winning the 1955 World Series. Today baseball marked the date with Jackie Robinson Day and continues to pay tribute to Robinson’s legacy by retiring his number 42 for all franchises. His impact transcended baseball and represents a great example of how sports figures can change not just the game but society in general.
Bit #5: Pittsburgh disgraces the game of hockey
I hate both teams in this series, but it gives me pleasure to watch the Penguins play this way because now no one can defend them as squeaky clean. I understand emotions in sports run high and that's understandable, but knocking some dude's glove away as he tries to pick it up and then grabbing another player looks an awful lot like Crosby's best Rob Ray tribute. Needless to say, Crosby lacks the toughness and necessary stature to be Rob Ray, but his newfound instigator act should land him into trouble. If his team continues to hit high on formerly concussed stars like Giroux, other teams will find it much easier to do so against Crosby, which would be a real shame in the event of a crazy injury.
The rest of his team is no better. Arron Asham drew a match penalty (given for trying to injure another player) when he cross-checked Brayden Schenn to the throat after what looked to me like a clean hit. Asham has always been a rabble-rouser, making his living in sucker punches, but to cross-check high seems a little extreme even for him. Don't get me started on James Neal, a 40-goal scorer who left his feet on high hits against Logan Couturier and Claude Giroux, but likely won't face much action since he's a star and plays for the Penguins.
The worst aspect is that Pittsburgh should be able to win this series. The Flyers scored in bunches but the Penguin penalty kill and power play were both top 10 in the league this year, not to mention goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's best season as a goalie. The Pens scored 12 goals in the first three games, a great average until you realize the Flyers scored 20. I picked the Pens to get to the Finals, mainly because all their pieces were back and firing on all cylinders just at the right time. This style of play didn't vault them to consecutive Finals appearances in 2008 and 2009. This series will end tomorrow night and don't be surprised to see tough guy Jody Shelley skating for Philly.
Bit #5: Pittsburgh disgraces the game of hockey
I hate both teams in this series, but it gives me pleasure to watch the Penguins play this way because now no one can defend them as squeaky clean. I understand emotions in sports run high and that's understandable, but knocking some dude's glove away as he tries to pick it up and then grabbing another player looks an awful lot like Crosby's best Rob Ray tribute. Needless to say, Crosby lacks the toughness and necessary stature to be Rob Ray, but his newfound instigator act should land him into trouble. If his team continues to hit high on formerly concussed stars like Giroux, other teams will find it much easier to do so against Crosby, which would be a real shame in the event of a crazy injury.
The rest of his team is no better. Arron Asham drew a match penalty (given for trying to injure another player) when he cross-checked Brayden Schenn to the throat after what looked to me like a clean hit. Asham has always been a rabble-rouser, making his living in sucker punches, but to cross-check high seems a little extreme even for him. Don't get me started on James Neal, a 40-goal scorer who left his feet on high hits against Logan Couturier and Claude Giroux, but likely won't face much action since he's a star and plays for the Penguins.
The worst aspect is that Pittsburgh should be able to win this series. The Flyers scored in bunches but the Penguin penalty kill and power play were both top 10 in the league this year, not to mention goalie Marc-Andre Fleury's best season as a goalie. The Pens scored 12 goals in the first three games, a great average until you realize the Flyers scored 20. I picked the Pens to get to the Finals, mainly because all their pieces were back and firing on all cylinders just at the right time. This style of play didn't vault them to consecutive Finals appearances in 2008 and 2009. This series will end tomorrow night and don't be surprised to see tough guy Jody Shelley skating for Philly.
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