@taryneliza_beth Thank the Lord twitter wasn't around for the Bertuzzi shenanigans.
I could not imagine the crap, I lost friends over it, the bickering was endless. It was discussed in every single class, everywhere you went everyone had an opinion about it. I worked at McDonalds at the time and saw hundreds of people a day, I wore a Canucks logo sticker on my name tag and had to take it off because people would see it and feel the need to share their opinion.
As a Canucks fan I remember their game March 8th 2004, I think any Canuck fan would, and it will forever be in your memory whether you like it or not. I'm not here to debate what happened, Bertuzzi punched Moore from behind, Moore hit ice, players jumped on, Moore broken vertebrae and concussion, Bertuzzi suspended, The end. Ok, not really the end as stuff is STILL going on with it in court, but as far as the game goes, that was it. Everyone has their own opinions, and quite frankly I really don't care what they are anymore it's been played out too much. I understand it's serious, but there is nothing I haven't heard that could possibly sway me now from the opinion I had then, and still have now.
When Dan Hamhuis was was hit by Ryan Getzlaf in a game last month and left with a concussion, the same thing but this time in the form of social media, you couldn't escape it, people wouldn't shut up about it. Everyone is entitled to their opinions on the players/hits but holy hell, you can only take so much.
So, as you've probably guessed by now, enter the Montreal Canadiens vs Boston Bruins game last night and the Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty. Pacioretty has reportedly suffered Broken vertebrae and a severe concussion. Sound familiar? and so it begins again. I heard about the hit last night but was quite busy with my kids and even missed most of my beloved Canucks game and went to bed right after. I watched the hit this morning and couldn't even eat my breakfast after. Seeing that hit, seeing him on the ice, seeing his saliva dripping out of his mouth and freezing to the ice. wow. I don't think I can properly describe exactly what I was feeling, and I'm sure most fans feel the same. Once again, not here to discuss if it was a clean or dirty or suspend-able hit, everyone is entitled to their opinions, but I've heard enough already.
I understand each play I've mentioned does come with the need for extremely important debate and talk about how to improve the game, the rink design, players attitudes, players equipment etc. I'm not the one to discuss that with because, well, I'm not smart enough to have input into any of that. I also understand their are far more debatble incidents that have caused injury, but those are the first 3 that came to mind. Anyway, I'm heading a different direction then probably most of the people writing about this today.
As a fan, someone who doesn't even know him, I was absolutely sick to my stomach when I saw Max Pacioretty laying on the ice. I can not fathom how it must of been for his team mates, his friends, his family and girlfriend. Can you imagine being at the game and seeing your son, boyfriend/husband, father like that on the ice? Can you imagine even sitting at home watching it on tv? I don't know the protocol as to how family can get down to the player after or find out information about him from home, but I imagine it takes awhile and must be pretty scary.
As a mother and girlfriend, I'm not sure I'd ever not have anxiety that something like that could happen with my children watching if my boyfriend were a hockey player. I'm sure the thought must cross these wives minds if they bring their children to the game or let them watch their daddy on TV. If their father makes a living from playing hockey, obviously their children are going to be proud and want to watch, so it's not even like you can try to avoid it. When I saw Dan Hamhuis lying on the ice, and I could even clearly see that he was conscious and moving my thoughts were immediately to his wife and 2 young children that I had read about before in a Fort Nucks post. I don't believe she was at the game because it was reported after that she was called in to pick him up because they didn't want him driving. Was she watching the game? was their 2 year old daughter? I'd love to know the thought process of wives during times like this, and what goes on.
From another angle, I know kids can be vicious, vicious beasts. If your father is a star hockey player, other kids are going to know, and other kids are probably going to comment when he has a good game or bad game. So, if a player makes one bad decision, one hit goes badly and he severely injures another player, does some of this fall back on their kids? If we all have our opinions, some of them are obviously going to be bad about the player, these thoughts may be passed along to their children, I imagine some of these thoughts are going to be passed around the school yard and eventually get back to the player's child. How is this explained at home? do their children really suffer because of this? I guess, this may be stuff that is talked about before their children is born. I'd hope so anyway. So, another point I never really intended to make as I ramble on all over the place here, may be to parents. We all have our opinions, I see them beat to death everywhere. Be careful where, when, and to who you are saying these things to. I know the large population of us will never have children who are school yard pals with players kids, but you never know, and you never know when something you may say or feel about how a player plays may reach back to their children. They don't deserve it.
Once again, I know stuff needs to be debated, people need to share their opinions, and I'm quite guilty of it when it comes to Matt Cooke lately. However imagine his kids, proud of him for being an NHL player, who may one day google their dad, and see all the nasty stuff that is being said about him. I'd love to know if this stuff is discussed before players decide to have children. Also, how does a player like Matt Cooke discuss this kind of thing with his children? I'm not telling people not to do it, I'm simply wondering how the other side of all this deals with it.
So glad you Tweeted me about this. I think you'll remember my similar post about hockey fights and how I feel about them. The thing is, it's not just fights. It's hits, it's cheap shots. It's all part of the game, even the illegal stuff, but it can be dangerous, especially if a ref loses control of the game, which often happens in the lower leagues. Scary stuff.
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