Loose Pucks - Crosby Ignores "The Code"
by Bob Wage on Jan 4, 2009 6:55 PM EST
26 comments
As we take a quick look around the hockey world, there were a couple of interesting hockey "fights" this weekend. First of all, Sid Crosby picked up an instigator penalty as well as an unsportsmanlike conduct and a 10 minute major misconduct for mixing it up with Brett McLean during the Pens loss to the Panthers on Saturday. As the two players lined up for a faceoff, Crosby showed all the class of his potential mentor, Sean Avery as he jumped McLean, who never had a chance.
Crosby claimed that he asked McLean to go before the rumble, but it sure didn't look like the Florida center was expecting to be jumped. Obviously, the linesmen and refs didn't hear the alleged exchange as they practically threw the book at the NHL's "golden boy". Puck Daddy and James Mirtle have their takes along with plenty of feedback from fans.
My question- what if McLean had done the exact same thing to Crosby? I have a feeling Pens fans and the league wouldn't be too happy about it.
If anything good comes from this, it would seem that Sean Avery would be a welcome sight and could always find a home in Pittsburgh. He could wear the "A" and skate alongside his protege, Crosby.
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In another scrap on Saturday, Alexander Semin tangles with Marc Staal. It all seems harmless enough until Staal falls down and Semin goes a bit "slap happy" on him. The announcer appropriately makes a remark that it looked like the Russian was playing the bongos on Staal's head.
Even his Washington teammates were giggling and laughing about the "fight", but unlike Crosby, at least Semin had the guts to face his combatant face to face. Hopefully, Eric's little brother didn't get scratched in the bout.
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In other news, Slovakia eliminated team USA in the World Juniors. It was a tough loss for the Americans who gave team Canada all they could handle in their previous game. Drayson Bowman did well for himself in the tournament, earning star of the game honors once and gaining some more international respect along the way.
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Earlier today, the Hurricanes returned Patrick Dwyer to Albany. Looks like Patrick Eaves might be ready to go again against New Jersey on Tuesday night. Wade Brookbank is always an option, but Carolina needs an extra penalty killer and while Dwyer and Eaves provide that expertise, Brookbank does not.
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I had not heard any of the news about the Crosby fight… and I went to youtube.com before I came to ‘Canes Country and the fight was one of the most viewed on that web site. My thoughts were “what in hell is wrong w/ that guy??” And then I chalked it up to the fact that it is probably the only way Sidney Crybaby would EVER “win” a fight of any kind… If he had to square up face to face (and remove that damned shield from his face) he would have gotten killed…. I’ll bet even Ray Whitney could whip Sid Crybaby…
Oh well… he better watch his back the next time they play Florida is all I can say…
And yes… if it would have been the other way around the outcry around the league would have been so bad that we would all have to turn our TV sets to PBS for the next week just to keep from hearing it all… McLean would have been suspended and the league probably would have passed a new “sidney crybaby rule” basically making it legal for Sid Crosby to do whatever the hell he wants…. Oh wait… that’s like now…
Happy Sunday!
-Mateo.
by Mateo on Jan 4, 2009 8:13 PM EST reply actions
I think you are being too hard on Crosby. If he doesn’t fight, people call him a pussy. When he does fight, people say he is ‘doing it wrong’. It’s a hockey fight, not a shuttle launch – nothing goes perfectly. He’s nothing like Avery, come on. What’s up with the hyperbole? This isn’t Puck Daddy.
by repenttokyo on Jan 4, 2009 8:15 PM EST reply actions
Additionally – the fact that you say that things would have been different had it been McLean and not Crosby who got the worst of things indicates what a huge problem we have in the NHL, where there are absolutely no disciplinary standards.
The fact that a player like Avery is suspended by the league and his team for uttering a sentence yet players like Steve Ott, one of the dirtiest, hit to injure players in the league is protected and celebrated by the same team says a lot about what is wrong with the league. How come players like Chris Simon who have viciously attacked other players get second chance after second chance and yet Avery is thrown under a bus? That is what is truly classless.
by repenttokyo on Jan 4, 2009 8:17 PM EST reply actions
Ever since Sid Crybabys rookie season I’ve always said he got too much credit. He is a wuss… and last night he proved it. He basically blindsided a guy who was not expecting it… pulled the jersey over the head… threw a few punches… and kept his own visor on to protect his face…. He is a crybaby and his excuse for being gutless and attacking an unsuspecting player ( “…asked him if he wanted to fight” RIGHT!!!) proves it…. Sid Crybaby has been a crybaby from day one… no class!!!
Sean Avery was on his thousandth “second chance.” Give me a break!
I think the real question that needs to be asked is: Why has Chris Simon served suspensions for attacking players and Sidney Crybaby did the same thing and was praised for “trying to jump-start his team?”
Even Alex Ovenchicken would have at least faced the guy who he wanted to fight….
Speaking of… What in hell was Alexander SeeeeMen doing???
by Mateo on Jan 4, 2009 9:08 PM EST reply actions
Is Semin gay? Not that there is anything wrong with that. Certainly not.
by Ken on Jan 4, 2009 9:11 PM EST reply actions
Jesus, if Semin ever does that again, I am going to have my sister punch take a round out of him too.
by Ken on Jan 4, 2009 9:13 PM EST reply actions
great responses guys, lots of thought put into them.
by repenttokyo on Jan 4, 2009 9:21 PM EST reply actions
Tokyo-
I was teasing about the Avery comments, but I think we can agree about the double standard the league uses while doling out punishment.
I still think that if McLean had slammed Crosby to the ice face first in a similar fashion, there would be outcry around the league. While Crosby should be commended for trying to wake up his team, the manner in which he did it is questionable.
What do you think about him starting a fight while wearing a visor? That’s another issue altogether.
by Bubba on Jan 4, 2009 10:57 PM EST reply actions
The trouble with the visor issue is that it’s attached to the helmet. Should players have to remove their helmets to fight? What happens if we make that rule and then someone falls and dies – such as what happened recently in minor league action. A rule that leads to a death is no good, but visors that cut people are no good either. I see helmets and visors as the same thing in a fight – something that is going to hurt or cut someone’s hand.
by repenttokyo on Jan 4, 2009 11:15 PM EST reply actions
Well, I have to laugh at semin playing the bongos!
But seriously, we don’t know what words were or were not exchanged before Sid jumped mclean (maybe since sid has the rep of being a wuss, mclean just didn’t take him seriously?). Who knows? I agree with repent – it seemed pretty classless, but it wasn’t criminal, and it certainly wasn’t typical Sid fashion. I don’t know anything about mclean – is he normally a scrappy player? What would the reaction have been if Sid had shoved some other non-scrappy fan-fave player’s face into the ice? Would people be upset by it, or just laugh at it? I agree that it’s a double standard, but really, how often does Sid do anything like that?
Avery has shown time and time again that he has no class, but I don’t think it’s any of the leagues business what he says (but it is locker-room business – and the stars have every right to deal with him as they see fit). It IS the leagues business when players hit with intent to injure and do so repeatedly – it’s criminal and the league should bloody well do something about it. If that sort of shit happened off the ice, you had better believe someone would be behind bars.
by Andrea on Jan 5, 2009 1:33 AM EST reply actions
Crosby is a p**sy. That’s the second time this season he’s cheap-shotted a guy. Someone needs to teach him a lesson.
by Capt. Stinky on Jan 5, 2009 7:39 AM EST reply actions
That wasn’t as bad as the fight where Sid punched an opposing player in the back of the head and then between the legs, all while the player was defenseless and tied up by another Penguin. Is this how a captain shows passion and leadership to his flailing team, or is this a breakdown and loss of control?
by John on Jan 5, 2009 7:46 AM EST reply actions
Not trying to defend crosby here….but its pretty clear in the replays (at least on NHL Network) that he and Mclean were having a conversation before the puck was dropped. The problem was that Sid grabbed the back of Mclean’s shoulders right away and never gave him a chance to stand up and fight. At least stand up, drop the gloves, circle, and go toe to toe like anyone else would. You could see it on Mclean’s face after the fight that he thought the whole thing was a hoot.
—Justin
by Justin Walther on Jan 5, 2009 8:22 AM EST reply actions
hey repent,
Interesting point on the helmet and visor. I think truly, if you are wearing a visor, you shouldn’t be doing the fighting, or at the very least,not starting them. I also disagree, kind of, with the captain/top center starting a fight. I applaud the leadership by example thing, but really, how much are you helping your team by removing your skill set from the game for no less than 5 minutes, and in this case much more? There are guys on your team who are supposed to take care of that for you (Godard). On top of all that who starts a fight like that? I think if he squares off instead of jumping him, everyone gives Cindy some cred, but this is just plain cowardice. Pittsburgh is a team in trouble.
by wylde4canes on Jan 5, 2009 10:09 AM EST reply actions
The reason why I brought up the visor issue is that Don Cherry recently bashed players who wear visors and fight or especially the ones who start fights. I wonder how Cherry feels about this situation.
by Bubba on Jan 5, 2009 11:21 AM EST reply actions
Yeah, but Don Cherry is a moron. I can’t believe he’s thinking of running for Senate. It’s disgusting. I heard him talking recently after a game about how the winning team (I don’t remember who was playing) had to be disgusted with themselves because they weren’t playing tough enough when they were up by 2-3 goals. The losing team was getting frustrated and started trying to get a little scrappy, and the winners were just ignoring them, which was apparently offensive to Cherry. But that’s exactly when you DO walk away from fights – just stay out of the box and win the game. I guess I’m just trying to say that I really don’t care what cherry thinks…
by Andrea on Jan 5, 2009 1:59 PM EST reply actions
Andrea,I think the game you were referring to was the Pittsburgh vs Toronto game where Pitts got blew out. He was all pissed that someone, I Think Deveaux, would not drop the gloves for Godard, but took on Fedetenko later in the game after Godard had been tossed. I had to laugh at his commentary on that. It was like watching a Pro Wrestler cut a promo or something. I think Cherry has the same thought process as Avery. He believes that every story needs a villain and he is more than happy to play the role,even if sometimes he goes over the top doing so.
by wylde4canes on Jan 5, 2009 2:20 PM EST reply actions
Wylde – yup, that was the game. It was HNIC and there was a Canucks game on after that which is why I didn’t just turn him off (I just can’t stand listening to him). Anyways, if I remember, it was a pretty fun game to watch (even though I wanted the Leafs to lose)…
by Andrea on Jan 5, 2009 2:34 PM EST reply actions
as a side note – in Canada, no one runs for Senate. It’s an appointed positon held for life. And it’s completely retarded.
by repenttokyo on Jan 5, 2009 2:39 PM EST reply actions
In Socialist Canada, Senate elects you!
Sorry I couldn’t resist.
by wylde4canes on Jan 5, 2009 2:56 PM EST reply actions
The saddest part is these people are well payed, yet play no real legislative role – it’s a rubber stamp.
by repenttokyo on Jan 5, 2009 3:14 PM EST reply actions
Sorry repent, I misspoke – he’s trying to get harper to appoint him… for a while there were even clips of him spouting off political BS on the CBC website. At least Air Farce (McLean, no less!) hit Cherry with the chicken cannon this year.
Sorry to those who have no clue what I’m talking about, and that it has nothing to do with the canes… I just had to get it out…
:)
by Andrea on Jan 5, 2009 3:31 PM EST reply actions
Speaking of Semin being a little “sissyfied” lets not forget about his interview when he discussed him and Ovechkins room sharing on the road…….how they like to “Pour syrup on each others heads and fight with pillows…….they go at it full bore” Then we see that he fights like a little girl too!! I’d say Ovechkin definitely wears the pants in the relationship!
by TylerA on Jan 5, 2009 4:25 PM EST reply actions
I grew up watching Don Cherry. At first, I was offended by a lot of his comments. After watching him for a while, I realized he is not serious. He is just stirring the pot. Getting ratings up. He actually really knows his hockey. He understands sticking up for your team. He also knows how the good old game should be played. He is a big draw for Hockey Night in Canada.
Don Cherry Fan
Semin and Ovechkin…hhhhmmmmm. Clearly a case of beauty and the beast. LOL
by ken on Jan 5, 2009 5:14 PM EST reply actions
he does know hockey, but he also coached in a very different era.
by repenttokyo on Jan 5, 2009 5:27 PM EST reply actions
Someone needs to teach Semin how to throw a punch! He punches like a girl!
by Toni on Jan 6, 2009 10:38 AM EST reply actions
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