[News] Bettman upholds 20 game Wideman suspension. NHLPA files appeal to neutral arbitrator

[heep223]

Originally Posted by Ashasx

If Wideman legitimately feels he did nothing wrong, he shouldn't feel guilty.

If he told his teammates otherwise, it would conflict with his defence.

If anything, the text message supports Wideman's claim that he had no intent to injure a linesman.

The rule is, after all, all about intent. It's apparent to me that Wideman had none.

Yeah I don't see what the big deal is about the text. Yes he shouldn't have used the word "stupid", but it aligns with his story. He feels the refs and media are blowing it out of proportion, and that's why he got suspended.

If the text said "I really hope I can get away with this" or something that'd be a different story.

[Gaudfather]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

John Shannon @JSportsnet
NHLPA and Wideman now have 7 days to appeal Bettman ruling. Would go to 3rd party arbitrator , George Nicolau.

George Nicolau was an arbitrator for MLB in the 1980's and 1990's.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

Asking for a reduced suspension would be admitting he did something wrong, when the defence has always been that Wideman did nothing wrong.

Well if Bettman's 2 options were reduce to zero or leave at 20, based on the incident, what do you expect him to do?

[Fighting Banana Slug]

[QUOTE=GreenLantern;5632296

Are we all looking at the same hit? Am I the only one that thinks Wideman got off easy with only 20 games?

What details am I missing here that has CP in an uproar? Cause this is pretty extreme homerism, even for here.[/QUOTE]

I don't think anyone is arguing that he didn't hit the guy. It is the context of the prior hit and what his state of mind was at that time. Bettman clearly takes your position: look at the video, he hit him hard!.

What is interesting to me is whether an arbitrator would accept any of the expert findings. It seems they were dismissed out of hand, for not having the interview done immediately after the hit. Perhaps that is legit, but I would have thought uncontested medical advice should hold some weight (unless I missed something that indicated the NHL doctors looked at him as well).

[sa226]

Everything about this is so weird. Its hard to unbiased yourself when you sift through all the crap. As far as hockey is concerned, I'm ok with Wideman not playing. We get to see Nak-clah-dle. I really don't care that the Flames don't have Wideman available.

But because he is a Calgary Flame, I think I've over analyzed it. That statement from Bettman is complete hogwash. I couldn't disagree more with his ridiculous interpretation of what happened. The only shred of truth is the precedent angle. The refs, concussion protocol, media attention. They can't piss too many people off. So they may as well take the path of least resistance and piss off Wideman.

The text from Wideman was probably ill advised, perhaps childish. But kind of understandable for a guy who feels like he didn't do much wrong and is now caught in a stupid "save face" scenario that costs him just shy of 600K.

[Flash Walken]

Wideman never should have appealed, and by the sounds of the Bettman statement, he's lucky he isn't getting more games.

I don't think an arbitrator gives him less games either.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Frank Seravalli @frank_seravalli
Wideman sent text msg to teammate on Feb. 2: "(t)he only problem and the only reason I'm here is cause the stupid refs and stupid media."

Yeah, it had nothing to do with attacking a linesman.

Get him out of the league already.

[Coach]

I don't understand how you can watch Wideman's feet and determine that he wasn't trying to dodge him. If he wanted to run over him, why try to avoid it at the last second.

I also like how the Predators player all stand up in protest, like it was a penalty against them or something.

The suspension is done, that's what they decided. I'm just pissed about the foot-dragging involved here. How can this decision take so long, it makes no freaking sense.

[mrkajz44]

I agree with those saying the text fits his narrative. The collision was an accident and he apologized shortly after during the game. Both him and the linesman continue through the rest of the game and probably thought nothing of it. Then the media s-storm takes off, and suddenly he's a targeting officials and intending to injure them.

[Gaudfather]

Burke is certainly annoyed with Bettman on how long this ruling took!

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Interesting:

Frank Seravalli @frank_seravalli
Also: NHLPA acknowledged Bettman's authority to reduce suspension. NHLPA did not request reduction, maintaining no suspension was warranted.

So the union basically argued all or nothing? Yeah, easy to see where that would go then.

Originally Posted by skudr248

So whats the process with a neutral arbitrator now? How long would it take etc.

For the neutral arbitrator, the union has, iirc 48 hours to appeal that route after Bettman makes his call. The hearing would be handled on an "expedited basis", per the CBA.

[Looch City]

Wideman sounds very immature in that text. Take some responsibility for your actions atleast.

[ResAlien]

Do I have severe reading comprehension issues or do other people? The text was taken from Wideman's phone and/or records, right? So in what universe does that "fracture" a dressing room?

To be fair I was probably concussed earlier today and may be missing something.

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Weitz

I don't know how an arbitrator could change it after what we have learned today.

How do you figure?

All an arbitrator has to do to change it is disagree with Gary Bettman's conclusions.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

I agree with those saying the text fits his narrative. The collision was an accident and he apologized shortly after during the game. Both him and the linesman continue through the rest of the game and probably thought nothing of it. Then the media s-storm takes off, and suddenly he's a targeting officials and intending to injure them.

Only if his narrative is being a moron. What a stupid text to send, he clearly ####ed up, whether it was an accident or not saying the only reason you're there is because of the "stupid refs and stupid media" is in itself stupid.

No dummy, you're there because you crosschecked a ref in the back, accidentally or not.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

I agree with those saying the text fits his narrative. The collision was an accident and he apologized shortly after during the game. Both him and the linesman continue through the rest of the game and probably thought nothing of it. Then the media s-storm takes off, and suddenly he's a targeting officials and intending to injure them.

Sorry, but how does it fit his narrative?

His narrative was that he was concussed and confused as a result. It was the concussion's "fault" that he couldn't avoid the linesman. But in his text he is blaming the refs and media. Come on

[gt4flames]

just watched Burke on Tim & Sid. he's furious. The fact gary took a week to hand down the decision is sessionally saying that he deserves 10 games no matter what...This is going to get ugly. he was ver vocal about how unacceptable it was for the length of the decision to come down.

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by ResAlien

Do I have severe reading comprehension issues or do other people? The text was taken from Wideman's phone and/or records, right? So in what universe does that "fracture" a dressing room?

Before Friedman said the texts were obtained via subpeona, people were assuming the teammate gave the text voluntary to the league.

Many, myself included, didn't think the NHL had the right to his phone records for an on-ice discipline suspension.

[tvp2003]

Any idea if they subpoenaed Wideman's phone or the teammates? Either way, I don't see how this "destroys" the locker room -- it's not like they would have given up that info voluntarily.

As for the text itself, aside from the reference to "stupid" refs, I don't see how that makes him guilty or shows he had intent to hit/injure. He can be remorseful for accidentally injuring the linesman but still upset that he's getting suspended for it. If anything, it arguably paints him as a "bad guy" and therefore more culpable? Pretty tenuous in any event...

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

I think the punishment is a little steep, but at the end of the day, Wideman did this to himself IMO. I don't for one second believe the guy had no other options or was completely out of his mind.

And as for the stalling, I don't actually mind it from a discipline perspective. If it was taking the league this long to deal up an appeal, but the player in question was named Alex Burrows and he was disputing a suspension for a head shot to Johnny Gaudreau, we'd all be perfectly fine with Bettman taking his sweet time and letting Alex and the Nucks sweat.

The fact that many on here think the punishment on this case was unjust, and even think that the act its self wasn't that bad isn't relevant to "how long the appeal process takes" issue. As long as the NHL "drags it's feet" so to speak on other serious infractions (and this one is being deemed as such given it got 20 games) I have no issue with it, cause more often than not the player protesting his suspension likely did something pretty crappy and should be made to wait.