When sports go to far

“heard about this on NPR this am, it'll be interesting to see what the league ultimately does - first impression is to kick him outta the league.

Set an example with this.”

“My guess is a lengthy suspension.”

“I was watching a fight the other night and right in the middle of it all a hockey game broke out.

There has always been too much fighting in pro hockey and its condoned by the fans and the leagues. They should take a stand to clean up the game. This guy needs to be banned from the sport for life. No less.”

“thats what i said about Mike Tyson.
but they did not ban him.
but they banned that chick that got her hubby to hit the other chick in the leg with a baton. the ice skating thing. cant remeber her name”

“Tonya Harding?”

“Interestingly enough, Tonya's into boxing and hockey lately...”

“Ahhh, Tonya, who is trying so hard to reinvent herself but the fickle fans will have none of it. I do love the footage where she was trying to sing in a band and the people booed her off the stage.

Not that I'm a Nancy Kerrigan fan either.”

“Sports have been going too far for quite some time now and it isn't just at professional level. Fights between parents at Little League games and some other sports make some parents look like total jerks and gives the wrong message to kids. Greed, drug use and gambling in pro sports is pretty sickening too.”

“I totally agree richb!”

“Not chess!

I'm feeling much better, now. Thank you.”

“I agree...
All of sports, pro, college, high school, all seem to be out of control,
(Exception: The Yankees...LOL j/k)

I rarely watch Football, Basketball, Hockey, even Nascar, anymore.
There is way too much emphasis on the all mighty $$$, too much controversy, Scandals, too much of the corporate garbage, politics, too many athletes worrying about themselves rather then the team.
They all have been saying for years "it is a business" well they're right, it is no longer a sporting event...
Except for Baseball, which I know is probably just as bad as anyother sport, I just neglect to admit it,

As far as the hit that hockey dewd did, I saw it on TV.....He should be arrested.... total assult! Marty McSorely was convicted for assualt, so should this guy....”

“He should be banned for life and face criminal charges. He'll probably just get suspended.







I'm not a cynic.”

“I'd rather make my own sports and go hiking, bike riding and fishing, than waste my time on a weekend watching a bunch of overpaid cry babies on TV.”

“Hey Skully

snafu29, I think basketball and baseball are the worst. Those 2 sports (almost) allow players off the bench to get involved in a fight with little league penalty. That makes me sick.”

“I agree with ya....

Tango
I only will watch Baseball, because I'm brainwashed...LOL
But as I said they all are going right down the #&%!$ter.....$$$, Excessive violence, drugs, politics, bla bla bla....

Maybe it is time for a 21st century "Ball Four"...haha”

“IT'S HOCKEY!
"Not chess!
I'm feeling much better, now. Thank you."
bearmagnet

Dewd, I have to politly disagree my fellow UpState"r"...
I have been going to Amerks games since the 70's w/ Don Cherry, John Winsink, Battleship Bob Kelly...etc..
Hockey is skating, Stick handling, Body checks and scoring. Ocassionally a fight face to face with the gloves coming off....

This was an assault !

Tell ya what,
We will go Hiking and when we are walking on a path next to a cliff, I will shove you off from behind and while your falling, I will yell "HEY!!! Thats Hiking!!" haha j/k”

“Has no one been thrilled by the smell of blood while participating in a sport?

I remember when I first started playing indoor soccer in Buffalo after years of outdoor.It was a hockey rink with astroturf, boards and all. We could "use" the boards as long as we were going for the ball. ull contact soccer? It was quite violent and the best soccer I have ever been involved in. At the end of the game we were quite cordial with the other team (we had to share the locker room). Nothing was personal.”

“Hey Tango, how's it going?



I like a good "For the last time get outta my face!" brawl with my hockey just as much as the next gal. But that's not what this was though, was it?”

“It's a full contact sport. Criminal charges should not be a part of it.”

“Hey Snafu, ya remember Red Armstrong?”

“There is a certain amount of violence that is inherent in the game of hockey, but you are right, this was an assault. It was a cheap shot. Especially since the only justification they could come up with was revenge for a previous non-call in a game a month ago. But, this can't go unchecked (no pun intended). What to do? Eliminate violence from hockey? Not practical. Make an example of him? Probably the best route, but enforcement must go hand in hand with it from the management down to the players level. Possible? Not sure, but it would be a start...”

“I was really bad what Bertuzzi did....but I blame it on the NHL. Right from the beginning of the season, they should have laid down the law. Any stick fighting, questionable hits and other attempts to injure should've gotten the player/players suspended for the year, or for life. Just need to get the message into those millionare goons.”

“Here is a link to a good article.

Bertuzzi Article

Bertuzzi is not known for dirty play like Marty McSorley. After watching the film. I don't think Todd knew he was unconscious after he was hit. Unfortunate, I don't think criminal. JMHO”

“Honestly, I barely do, I was a youngin in those days...
I do remember, Winsink and Battleship really good along with a scrappy little guy name Ron Garwichuk(sp?) and even the goalie kicked a$$...Jim "SeaWeed" Pettit(sp?)...
The Rochester Americans "AHL Broad Street Bullies" like your Philly Phlyers ( & Yes the Amerks areana is on Broad St LOL),
have a great AHL history....
They have had some of the best parent teams all time, First the Montreal Canadians (Hence, the name Rochester Americans)
When the Canadiens where in the glory years, Then during the 70's they had the Boston Bruins during their glory years.....I used to see Bobby Orr hanging out all the time at the Rochester War memorial.
I still see Russ Conway "Writer" and Hockey All of famer 2-3 times a year at our Supermodified Races... He is a big fan of our driver and our division of racing and he recently did an article when Paul Newman drove our race car...
He also wrote the Book "Game misconduct "All hockey fans owe Russ Conway a debt of gratitude for helping rid hockey of the parasite Alan Eagleson. He documents Eaglesons criminal and disgusting behaviour in great detail, helping fans to better understand what hockey players faced in the past, the necessary background information for many of the issues facing pro hockey today. I havent read such a gripping book since "Net Worth". Eagleson will be back in the courts again before long, no doubt willing to lie about the charges being brought forward by a number of retired hockey players. Read this book and youll see that the players have justice on their team"
Sorry went on a tangent... anyway he is best of friends with Bobby Orr......

I used to love the Flyers....
Dude Bobby Clarke was one of my Favorites... I still pull for the Flyers come play-offs....

what is it that you remember about Red Armstrong?”

“good chance he'll get criminal charges. Apparantly from what I read, the Vancouver cops have done it before in a similar incident with less injury.”

“Hockey is such a beautiful sport when played well (S.C. playoffs, Europe [sorry, McLean and your monkey Don Cherry], et c.).

The problem up here is that all our kids watch and worship it and learn to play at a young age and there is no longer any redeeming value in the horrible spectacle.

Foortball (American and Canadian) and rugby are contact sports, too, and this type of behaviour is unimaginable there.

I haven't seen the act and won't see it because I'll just turn the telly off. I don't need to be disgusted and have my dinner ruined when there's a 'power' buttom on the remote.

And that's it for being serious. BTW the whatever has just been suspended indefinitely (just in on the radio) - but then, the other guy is in the hospital indefinitely.”

“Ya know what they say about us Canadians....they're such nice gentle folks, but give them a hockey stick and they'll turn into a vicious animal.”

“I see this as a combination of factors.

1) Petty schoolyard revenge
2) NHL's unwillingness to set a firm policy
3) The love that so many fans have for "a good fight".

Its a shame.

A few years back I went too see the Michigan High School Athletic Associations state championship. The Teams were as different as possible, a team of kids from a very small Upper Mi town and kids from a private academy that recruits. I am not a huge sports fan, but this was AMAZING hockey. No fights no heavy checking but skillful skating and puck handling. It was about finesse not brawn.

I dont think that massive amounts of checking are inherent to hockey. Again I dont watch hardly at all. But I see a difference between Olympic hockey teams and the thugs that are put on ice here.

Modern sports are a sham. In many cases its not about who is a better athelete but who's chemicals (steroids,EPO etc...) are better.

End of rant.”

“I'm actually kinda amazed to see so many people here saying there is too much violence in sports. Major sports have always been a bit violent. That's why they are fun to watch. Hell even Race car drivers are known to punch each other out and wreck each other.
Take the violence out of sports and it'd gonna get boring Quick.
I'm not a vionent person myself but if people are going to be on TV and make the kind of money these guys do, I wanna see some blood! Sports with out fighting is like a backpacker without a pack.”

“OK, I can't type good when I first wake up.


Also I wanna add;
If it's too voilent for ya, Don't play it or watch it.”

“Bertuzzi apologizes to Moore, NHL to issue suspension
TORONTO (AP) - The night before learning how long he'll be suspended by the NHL, an emotional Todd Bertuzzi apologized to Colorado's Steve Moore - the man he sent to the hospital with one damaging punch.

"These comments are for Steve. I had no intention of hurting you," Bertuzzi said Wednesday night, reading a statement before the Canucks played the Minnesota Wild at Vancouver.

"I feel awful for what transpired," he said.

Bertuzzi, an All-Star forward, will find out the length of his suspension Thursday morning after an hour-long hearing at the NHL office in Toronto on Wednesday.

Bertuzzi slugged Moore in the side of the head late in Monday night's 9-2 victory by the Avalanche. He hit Moore from behind and drove his head into the ice. Moore landed face-first - with the 245-pound Bertuzzi on top of him - and lay in a pool of blood for several minutes before he was removed on a stretcher.

Moore is out for the season with a broken neck. He also sustained a concussion and deep cuts on his face, and remained hospitalized in Vancouver.

Bertuzzi spoke with his wife, Julie, agent Pat Morris and members of the Canucks management staff alongside. He choked up three times during his three-minute address.

Bertuzzi and general manager Brian Burke returned to Vancouver after attending a disciplinary hearing in Toronto. Bertuzzi met briefly with teammates before addressing reporters.

"To the game of hockey and the fans of Vancouver, for the kids that watch this game, I am truly story," Bertuzzi said. "I don't play the game that way. I'm not a mean-spirited person and I'm sorry for what happened."

Colin Campbell, the league's vice president and disciplinarian, will issue his penalty ruling Thursday morning.

"The decision has not been reached. Mr. Campbell is going to take some time before he reaches his decision," NHL spokesman Gary Meagher said.

Meagher said representatives of the league, Bertuzzi and the players' association watched videotape of the punch and discussed what happened.

B.C. Solicitor General Rich Coleman and Vancouver police are investigating the punch, the second time in four years police have looked into an on-ice hit at an NHL game in the city.

"To Steve's family, I'm sorry you had to go through this and I'm sorry again for what happened out there," Bertuzzi said. "I'm relieved to hear that Steve is going to have a full recovery, it means a lot to me to know that's going to happen."

Bertuzzi's punch appeared to be retaliation for an open-ice hit Moore delivered to Canucks captain Markus Naslund last month, knocking him out for three games. Vancouver players vowed to get even with Moore for that hit, which wasn't penalized.

Naslund said he didn't believe Bertuzzi planned to hurt Moore.

In February 2000, former Boston Bruin Marty McSorley was charged for hitting then-Vancouver Canuck Donald Brashear with his stick. McSorley was convicted of assault with a weapon, but he received an 18-month conditional discharge, meaning no jail time and no criminal record after probation.

The league suspended him for a year, ending his 17-year NHL career.

When Moore's condition improves, he'll be transferred to Craig Hospital in Denver and evaluated by neurosurgeons, the Avalanche said.

"Steve knows he has the support of the entire Avalanche family and hockey fans throughout the world," said Pierre Lacroix, Avalanche president and general manager.

Bertuzzi was an All-Star last season when he was fifth in the league in scoring. This year, he was an All-Star again and has 60 points.

"It's very difficult to see a friend going through what he's going through," Naslund said of Bertuzzi after the Canucks tied the Wild 1-1. "The best service we can do for him is to play good hockey and battle for him.

"That's what we are going to do."”

“Bertuzzi is suspended for the reat of the season and his fate yet to be determined for the start of next season...”

“"Bertuzzi's punch and its aftermath sent shock waves through the league, with players condemning his actions and calling for tough penalties"

one word: hypocrites

a fair length for suspension would be to add x amount of weeks after moore is cleard by doctors to play

if moore is out six months, make betruzzi sit out seven. if moores career is finished, so should betruzzis.

"I think basketball and baseball are the worst."

i think youre a little biased in your opinion there, being the hockey fanatic.”