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If Players Don’t Like The Hard Hits, Maybe They Should Look For Another Job
by Paul on 03/13/10 at 05:45 PM ET
Comments (17)
from Rob Rossi of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review,
So, I suspect readers may be surprised that I have no problem with the controversial hit by Penguins winger Matt Cooke on Boston center Marc Savard last Sunday at Mellon Arena - even though Savard was left with a Grade 2 concussion.
Cooke’s hit was legal by current NHL rules, a league with a thematic rule of accepted violence. These literal and thematic rules are understood when players sign an NHL contract, as is the cold reality that every player’s next shift could be his last.
I do more than feel for Savard. I fear for him because I suspect his life has been forever changed by this serious concussion. I also am thrilled that league general managers have taken a big step toward eliminating blind-side hits by drafting a proposed rule change for next season.
Those hits should be prevented as much as possible, but they cannot be taken out of this game as long as it is played in a confined space at a fast pace by elite athletes trained to be aggressive.
If players aren’t comfortable with the possibility of serious head injuries, if they don’t like it that violence has been and will be a part of the NHL, they should consider switching professions.
note 8:58pm, note sure what happened, but clicking the link now ask for a password so I went to the site, and the story is no longer there. Maybe later?
note: link now working again.
Filed in: NHL Teams, Boston Bruins | KK Hockey | Permalink
Tags: Marc+Savard,
Comments
What a total clown.
Posted by Unicorn Force from DC (but like everyone here, I'm not a local) on 03/13/10 at 07:53 PM ET
Should we be surprised this idiotic article comes out of a Pittsburgh newspaper? Fail.
Posted by Dan from Montreal on 03/13/10 at 07:57 PM ET
I don’t wish an injury on Crosby but I’d be very interested to see the tone of this guy’s article if a Cooke-like player knocks out Crosby.
Posted by Callmejerry from Prague on 03/13/10 at 07:59 PM ET
Something tells me Mr. Rossi never played a contact sport.
Posted by TJ on 03/13/10 at 08:34 PM ET
is the link asking for a username and password for anyone else?
Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 03/13/10 at 08:49 PM ET
If i could copy and quote all those comments on here, i would. As a hockey fan first, and penguins fan second, i disagree with the whole arguement. i have played enough hockey to know the difference between a hard hit, and a dirty one, he obviously hasn’t learned the same from watching.
Posted by Greg on 03/13/10 at 08:50 PM ET
oh, beautiful. four officials miss the puck hitting the netting, clearly.
wow.
great job NHL. ugh.
Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 03/13/10 at 08:50 PM ET
is the link asking for a username and password for anyone else?
Posted by PaulinMiamiBeach on 03/13/10 at 08:49 PM ET
Yeah it is actually…i guess it figures we read enough as it is.
Posted by Greg on 03/13/10 at 08:51 PM ET
It is now Paul, never saw that before from that paper.
Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 03/13/10 at 08:51 PM ET
what a tool. Buddy is obviously just writing this weak article to stir up controversy. Heres a tip for him, if you can’t write, then time to find another job, maybe at tmz.
Posted by Luongo-is-my-hero on 03/13/10 at 09:26 PM ET
the Trib sucks. end of discussion. it sucks.
Rossi is a columnist and much like your standard sports radio host, his opinions have to pushed a bit further to get people to tune in or read or whatever. i get that. but its a stupid position. it also has nothing to do with pittsburgh.
conversely, the PG in pittsburgh has a trio of columnists who continue to rip the pens at any chance they get. and not one of the three has ever watched a hockey game.
Posted by Boo Kershaw from k on 03/13/10 at 09:48 PM ET
I agree with this writer. i blame the Canadian media for acting like little school girls over this issue. The league doesn’t need to let the media run the league for them. they already got rules in place to resolve this issue. Just give the player a match penalty and let Colly do his job and let him suspend a player if needed.
Posted by FlyersFan on 03/13/10 at 09:58 PM ET
Rossi should choose another profession.
Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 03/13/10 at 10:37 PM ET
This guy must be the mitch albom of Pittsburgh, no clue about the sport. of hockey.
whether there is a specific rule describing the cheap blindside hit or not, what cooke did is a penalty and he should have got minimum 10 games .
Posted by Down River Dan on 03/13/10 at 11:54 PM ET
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I stopped reading at that point. Obvious homer is obvious.
Posted by WK from Chicago on 03/13/10 at 07:18 PM ET