Suspend Bertuzzi For A Year - Let The Law Do What It May
Once again, the NHL is getting publicity for all of the wrong reasons.
After Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi's vicious suckerpunch on Colorado Avalanche rookie Steve Moore -- an attack that happened outside of even the most loose interpretation of the framework of sports -- is grabbing headlines for the sport in a way not seen since Marty McSorely's tomahawk chop on Canucks forward Donald Brashear, which oddly enough, happened in Vancouver's GM Palace, as well. Now Moore lies in a hospital with a broken neck, a concussion and his future in question.
Before looking at what led to an atmosphere where something like this could happen during a GAME, let's review the actual event, which transpired in less than 5 seconds...
Bertuzzi skates behind Moore in the neutral zone, uses his left hand to tug Moore's jersey while using his right to serve up a vicious, gloved haymaker to the side of his head, then proceeds to slam him face-first to the ice, getting another shot in to the head before Moore's teammates could pry him away.
In addition to this and the aforementioned McSorely incident, in recent years we've also had events like the LA Kings' Matt Johnson's suckerpunch to the back of Rangers defenseman Jeff Beukueboom's head, resulting in a career-ending concussion. Then there was Gary Suter's cross-check to the chin of then-Ducks forward Paul Kariya -- seconds after Kariya had scored a goal -- which left the rising young star with post-concussion syndrome for the better part of a year. [for many recent examples, check hotlink on the McSorely incident above]
I could go on.
I don't even think the circumstances leading to the Bertuzzi incident even need to be discussed. Moore's hit on Bertuzzi's teammate Markus Naslund when the teams played earlier this season and the resulting "bounty" the Canucks had on him -- all of these things are irrelevant now, now that there is a player in the hospital with a broken neck. None of it changes what Bertuzzi did. While how severely can be questioned until the cows come home, nobody can argue that he did not have intent to injure.
And as for whether or not the police should investigate, they absolutely should if they feel it's appropriate. Why should Bertuzzi be allowed to use the game to protect him from an action that he decided to commit outside of the very framework of that game? Perhaps it's dramatic, but if Bertuzzi had done that to someone in the parking lot, he'd be in jail right now.
I'm tired of hearing that it's "too harsh" and "too severe" -- this incident has had very real harsh and severe consequences for Moore, why in the hell shouldn't it have just as severe consequences for the man who assaulted him?
In order to save any sort of face, the league has no choice but the following...
1. Suspend Bertuzzi for a full calendar year without pay and fine him the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.
2. Cooperate in the Vancouver police investigation of the incident but lobby hard on his behalf in favor of a hefty community service sentence for Bertuzzi rather than prison. Bertuzzi obviously understands the gravity of the situation and in many ways has already been punished in that he'll always be associated with this incident. This also publicly shows support for Bertuzzi and will be a step toward the league's acknowledgement that they've helped create an atmosphere where things like this are happening. This leads to...
3. Getting rid of the god-forsaken instigator rule.
========================================================================================
Got something to say? E-mail me at worldaccordingtomontyblog@go.com. I'll do my best to answer all respectful mail and will periodically answer the best messages on the site.
After Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi's vicious suckerpunch on Colorado Avalanche rookie Steve Moore -- an attack that happened outside of even the most loose interpretation of the framework of sports -- is grabbing headlines for the sport in a way not seen since Marty McSorely's tomahawk chop on Canucks forward Donald Brashear, which oddly enough, happened in Vancouver's GM Palace, as well. Now Moore lies in a hospital with a broken neck, a concussion and his future in question.
Before looking at what led to an atmosphere where something like this could happen during a GAME, let's review the actual event, which transpired in less than 5 seconds...
Bertuzzi skates behind Moore in the neutral zone, uses his left hand to tug Moore's jersey while using his right to serve up a vicious, gloved haymaker to the side of his head, then proceeds to slam him face-first to the ice, getting another shot in to the head before Moore's teammates could pry him away.
In addition to this and the aforementioned McSorely incident, in recent years we've also had events like the LA Kings' Matt Johnson's suckerpunch to the back of Rangers defenseman Jeff Beukueboom's head, resulting in a career-ending concussion. Then there was Gary Suter's cross-check to the chin of then-Ducks forward Paul Kariya -- seconds after Kariya had scored a goal -- which left the rising young star with post-concussion syndrome for the better part of a year. [for many recent examples, check hotlink on the McSorely incident above]
I could go on.
I don't even think the circumstances leading to the Bertuzzi incident even need to be discussed. Moore's hit on Bertuzzi's teammate Markus Naslund when the teams played earlier this season and the resulting "bounty" the Canucks had on him -- all of these things are irrelevant now, now that there is a player in the hospital with a broken neck. None of it changes what Bertuzzi did. While how severely can be questioned until the cows come home, nobody can argue that he did not have intent to injure.
And as for whether or not the police should investigate, they absolutely should if they feel it's appropriate. Why should Bertuzzi be allowed to use the game to protect him from an action that he decided to commit outside of the very framework of that game? Perhaps it's dramatic, but if Bertuzzi had done that to someone in the parking lot, he'd be in jail right now.
I'm tired of hearing that it's "too harsh" and "too severe" -- this incident has had very real harsh and severe consequences for Moore, why in the hell shouldn't it have just as severe consequences for the man who assaulted him?
In order to save any sort of face, the league has no choice but the following...
1. Suspend Bertuzzi for a full calendar year without pay and fine him the maximum allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.
2. Cooperate in the Vancouver police investigation of the incident but lobby hard on his behalf in favor of a hefty community service sentence for Bertuzzi rather than prison. Bertuzzi obviously understands the gravity of the situation and in many ways has already been punished in that he'll always be associated with this incident. This also publicly shows support for Bertuzzi and will be a step toward the league's acknowledgement that they've helped create an atmosphere where things like this are happening. This leads to...
3. Getting rid of the god-forsaken instigator rule.
========================================================================================
Got something to say? E-mail me at worldaccordingtomontyblog@go.com. I'll do my best to answer all respectful mail and will periodically answer the best messages on the site.
