Pages

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Hockey Needs To Take A Page From Baseball

Atlanta Braves minor league manager Luis Salazar has been told by doctors that he is going to lose his left eye after being struck in the face with a foul ball last week. Salazar was standing in the dugout watching the game when the ball hit him. This is a tragic story from something that happens time and time again during a baseball game. Its a freak event that had terrible consequences. What I don't see here is baseball saying this must stop immediately and suggest changes. Baseball acknowledges this isn't a day-to-day thing and that what happened to Salazar was unfortunate, but that it wasn't pre-meditated and was just a freak occurrence. Hockey could take a page from baseball's stance. The Zdeno Chara hit on Max Pacioretty had everyone wanting instantaneous change and for Chara to have the book thrown at him. Like Salazar, Pacioretty was in the wrong spot at the wrong time and the consequences were terrible. Guys are rubbed out along the boards all the time in a hockey game, but in this instance that rub-out turned into a serious injury. If baseball can look at what happened and admit to a freak occurrence taking place, why can't hockey?
----
The NHL is showing how much it cares about blatant headshots with its weak punishment towards Dany Heatley. Watch this cheapshot from the Sharks forward if you haven't seen it already.




The NHL suspended Heatley two games for this. Two games? I hope his wrist heals in time after it was slapped so hard. This was a chance for the NHL to show its serious about headshots and flag Heatley with a 7 or 8 game suspension for this gutless act. Unlike Chara, this was pre-meditated. Heatley showed no respect for Orr in this instance and went out of his way to deliver the elbow. For that, he gets two games! Is this supposed to deter others? The NHL had a chance to show they had had enough and they fumbled that chance away. I'm not surprised!
-----
Why did I take Joba Chamberlain in a baseball draft I am in. I am going to regret that down the road methinks.
-----
I don't know if you caught the Sportscage this afternoon, but Rod and I went from talking about his picture with legendary porn star Ron Jeremy to him playing CKRM"s World Curling contest called "Hammer Heaven". You can't go from Ron Jeremy to something called "Hammer Heaven". I lost it! Apparently so did some others who were listening. You can't rehearse that crap bay-bee!! I can only wonder how much more that would have gone off the rails if Derek Meyers or Scott Schultz had been around.
-----
How about this for a goaltending performance. Lucas Gore of the Chilliwack Bruins stopped 78 of 79 shots last night in a game against Spokane. The Bruins lost 2-1 in a shootout. Spokane fired 32 shots on Gore in the 2nd period and 30 more in the 3rd.
----
Its St. Patricks Day so we are supposed to wear green. Don't we wear green in Saskatchewan all summer?
----
How many more days until training camp?
-----
Regina police arrested a man who stole some items from the Pats and from some rec hockey teams. I know its vigilante justice, but that individual should be allowed to go back into the dressing rooms with the players in there when all of a sudden the lights go out if you know what I mean!
-----
The deadline to fill out brackets has just about arrived. If you are a US college basketball fan, you will be finding a way to stay in front of a TV today and tomorrow as its the first two days of the NC double A mens basketball tournament. I know many a person who will be keeping an eye out on whats happening and I'm guessing some of those people will be found at the 4 Seasons or the Press Box. For what its worth, your final four will be Duke, Pittsburgh, Purdue and Syracuse. Duke beats Pittsburgh in the end.
----
Is it just me or should the people from "Antique Roadshow" contact the people from "Hoarders"
----
CC, Lorie and Buzz from Z99 have started their annual radiothon. The trio are staying awake for 36 hours to raise money for the neo-natal unit at the General Hospital. This is a great cause and I encourage you to drop a couple of dollars if you can. As is always the case, you can donate by heading down to the Cornwall Centre.
------
Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dany Heatley is a gutless coward. Always has been and always will.

Anonymous said...

I was laughing so hard when you and Pedersen started the Ron Jeremy talk. Nothing against Meyers or Remple, but you two work so well together. I'm guessing you are having way more fun working with Rod than Remenda.

JD

Anonymous said...

Is that a rcord for most shots stopped in a WHL game?

Mitchell Blair said...

Good question. I don't know

Anonymous said...

As someone who has needed the neo-natal unit, I would encourage everyone who reads this to donate money to the Z99 radiothon. It is a great cause!!!

Hats off to CC, Lori and Buzz.


Terry

Mitchell Blair said...

The Chilliwack Chiefs have issued a release saying the WHL does not know if that is a record for most shots stopped. The record for shots in a game is 85.

Anonymous said...

Just wondering if Crash and Mars were doing the radiothon, would Z99 fly them in from Edmonton or would they just do it from the West Ed? I stopped listening to Zed the moment I found out about that crap. Don't get me wrong I think Radiothon is great, but having someone do a show from edmonton pretending they are in Regina is ethically wrong.

Anonymous said...

I'd like a re-do. I had Louisville in the final 4. DAMN!