Just for giggles, here is Larry Brooks bourbon fueled "take" on things.
I haven't read "Brooksies" stuff since Torts left the big apple, but it's good to see he still has visions of grandeur and complete license to continually embellish things and STILL is able to work in a dig at the league and Jeremy Jacobs all these years later. He just can't help himself at times.
Any team that doesn't follow concussion protocol should forfeit a 1st round pick and be fined a million dollars?
When most people in the arena that night had no idea what occurred, let's be completely petulant with their punishment!!!
Might as well cancel the whole 1st round then and start the draft at the 2nd round.
There isn't a team in the league that hasn't tried to avoid concussion protocol by labelling things as "whiplash" or as non-descript "upper-body" injuries, especially in the playoffs.
__________________
"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
NEB! I completely agree with your post. And add the little stutter step Wideman takes just before contact and I think he was totally unaware of Henderson until the last moment.
I just think the sudden faux outrage is funny and awfully convenient. Like OMG! The Flames may have violated concussion protocol, what should be done to them as a punishment!?
__________________
"A pessimist thinks things can't get any worse. An optimist knows they can."
Here's Simmonds throwing his stick at an official (after an admittedly terrible call) From that angle it looks like he is also hitting the linesman in the junk. OUTRAGE!
I go back to the notion that rugby players are capable of playing at 100% intensity and giving officials 100% respect. There is no reason this couldn't be the case in the NHL, if they came down hard on any and all instances of players disrespecting and potentially harming officials; especially in instances where it's actually players losing control (Simmonds, Lucic, Joseph) and not accidental.
The Following User Says Thank You to powderjunkie For This Useful Post:
^ ok. I misread.
I understood him to say that the concussion problem still exists today because fines for violating protocol are a joke - and this was the latest example.
I bet after Kadri's comments last night about being 'in and out of it' that the NHL is not going to look favourably on the defense of "oh I was concussed".
Uninformed prediction: Bettman reduces it to 15 for optics, PA appeals further.
I would be very surprised if Bettman reduces. Possible, but I suspect Bettman just kicks the can to an arbitrator, if Wideman chooses to take it that far.
Exactly. The NHLPA fought to have an independent arbitrator placed above Bettman. They aren't going to not use that arbitrator in a case as big as this one.
The Following User Says Thank You to Resolute 14 For This Useful Post:
If Bettman upholds the 20 game suspension (and I would suspect he does) then the NHLPA will for sure appeal to the independent arbitrator. Under the new CBA, this had not been done before and I expect they are anxious to test this process.
