Yes, I’m upset that Ruutu wasn’t suspended for this abomination . He’s a dirty player and I hate him with the fury of a thousand suns. The thing is, the league has historically done such a poor job at policing these situations that my reaction to them has become a little desensitized. My opinion regarding hits to the head of defenseless players is well documented .
The good news is that the NHL has noticed and recently began serious talks of change. It’s encouraging to read a report like this . Here’s a few things I’d like to see happen: » Read the rest of this entry «
When I was a teenager, I every now and then I would grow out my hair. I went to a school where most boys used hair-gel everyday and very few grew there hair beyond two or three inches. All of my friends and I were what most would consider clean cut and well dressed. We cared about our appearance no more or no less than anyone else our age. I would always tell people that I got tired of the same hair style and that’s why I grew it out. I also knew that most people thought I would look better if I cut it. Even I kind of did. » Read the rest of this entry «
I’ll be honest, I was upset after Chris Neil tried to take Chris Drury’s head off three years ago. I’m obviously biased but it seemed like Neil deliberately targeted Drury and used his elbow as a weapon. Chaos ensued and the league did nothing. I don’t know if it’s coincidental but not even a year after the Neil/Drury hit, Patrick Kaleta joined the team. Maybe Neil wouldn’t have been looking for trouble had Pat Kaleta been on the Sabres at that time. I find myself fascinated with Kaleta. More than anything else, his presence on the team represents a physical threat to break someone’s forehead, legally, at any time. So everyone better behave, or else. What once was a job handled by fighters has been taken over by punishing, and at times dangerous, body checkers. Should that really be necessary?
It doesn’t have to be a player of prominence like Drury, but it could be and that’s all that matters. If it’s clean, if it’s dirty, it doesn’t make a difference because injuries happen on both. Granted, their more likely to happen and are generally more severe on dirty hits. A broken bone is one thing but some hits, especially those to he head, are threatening the life and well-being of the player that is being hit. After it happens, the circumstances are irrelevant; the hit was delivered, and the injury sustained. » Read the rest of this entry «