1) The NHL's decision to give Chris Pronger an 8 game suspension was undoubtedly significantly influenced by the outcry of us(the fans)! In this new world of blogging and Internet communication its harder for the powers that be to bamboozle the folks. We have access to the facts that we may have been unable to gather before. If this were 10 years ago its unlikely that the Pronger incident would even be known by any other than a few Canuck fans. Few would see the play, and fewer would write about it.
2) With Utube disseminating the infraction AND more importantly, with us bloggers discussing it, it was far more difficult for the NHL and the old Boys club(Campbell/Burke) to get away with an obvious double standard of glossing over Prongers 'stomp', while leveling the longest suspension in history to Chris Simon for an eerily similar act.
3) It all started last week. Thursday morning fans (who didn't watch the game) awoke to see the Pronger incident. Then we bloggers, having seen the replays weighed in wondering if pronger would get 30 games like Simon. We balked at the initial NHL decision to give Pronger "the benefit of the doubt"/the replays were inconclusive, etc. We knew soon thereafter when the NHL started to feel the heat when they suddenly said they had "new" video evidence that they would now review. As we mentioned then, and maintain now, that's total Bullshit! The NHL has the best/all the possible tapes/angles of every game. They simply used that as an excuse to cover their asses when they knew they had to reassess their earlier decision.
4) As for the 8 game suspension. We strongly disagree that this is sufficient. Some are now saying that Simon got too stiff a suspension and that Pronger's is more appropriate. Sorry, the NHL actually got the Simon suspension length correct. Perhaps for not the right reason, but it was what he deserved for his reckless actions, especially for a repeat offender. As we noted in our Friday entry, after the recent skate injury incidents, it should have been clear that they are very dangerous, and any time one is used as a weapon, like in these two instances, the league needs to come down hard with its punishment. Pronger, like Simon is a repeat offender and as such deserved much the same degree of punitive action against him. As we have mentioned time and time again, the NHL's system of justice is flawed beyond belief and this incident merely helps illustrate is utter inanity!
5 comments:
I think you guys are right. That the NHL felt the heat from the folks. I don't think Prongs meant to hurt that dude. he didn't get no penalty when it happened. I'm glad it won't affect us none for the playoffs.
1) Sorry Zulu you're just incorrect here. Blinded by your fanaticism for your team. Its fine to root for your team and we respect that, but sometimes you have to see that not all your players' do is innocent Pronger has a well deserved reputation.
2) As we wrote previously: We don't know which is worse, the fact that Pronger got 8 games and Simon got 30, OR that the league originally tried to get away with Giving Pronger ZERO games?
3) We believe, the NHL hierarchy has ZERO credibility with us/the general public. Colin Campbell is a total joke/asshole.
Sorry boss i didnt think i was bein blind in what i said to ya. I don't think Prongs shoulda been given 8 games. That other dude Simon been a goon for years. prongs a tough dude and plays hard. he aint dirty or nuthin like that. When your one of the best they gonna try to knock ya down. prongs just makes sure no one knocks him down first.
i do agree that they need to make one tatement and thats it. no more of this changing the suspension if people start to wine about it. Just my opinon boss
I still cant believe that Pronger only got 8 games. This is such a blatant double standard, that I have lost the .001% of respect I still had for NHL brass.
If I was Chris Simon, I would be pissed beyond belief. And, I'd make this an issue with the NHLPA, because what other recourse does he have?
Zulu: I'm all about loving and defending your team, but it is quite clear that Pronger had intent to harm with that stomp.
HOW can anyone defend Pronger? Is this his first suspension for an attack on an opponent? This guy is unstable ON and OFF the ice... What really happened in Edmonton? Was that not the most bizarre "trade me" request in recent league history? "Prongs" is a goon! And, this dumb league hierarchy seems to get the punishment piece wrong - EVERY TIME!!!
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