|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Reactions: Marty McSorley No room in hockey for McSorley's type of "stick work"Latest: Sunday October 08, 2000 04:42 PM
Marty McSorley was found guilty of assault with a weapon Friday, but he won't spend any time in jail for his two-fisted stick attack on Donald Brashear. We asked CNNSI.com users what they thought of the decision, and if they thought the case should have gone to court in the first place. Here's a sample of the responses we received: Yes, this belonged in the courts. Professional sports can not, and will not, police itself. You've got a bunch of overpaid children playing a child's game in front of a bunch of children, and no one wants to be responsible for their own actions. Sound familiar? Sounds like all professional sports in the U.S. to me. When a teacher makes more money than Michael Jordan ... now that will be some real news. Until then, we will always have uneducated, unlawful, overpaid babies in every realm of professional sports.
I've enjoyed hockey ever since the Penguins became a part of the NHL. I normally accept "stick work" as part of the game. What McSorley did cannot, and should not, be construed as a part of the game. The 23-game suspension was justified, and, from my perspective, he should be banned from hockey completely. As for the courts being involved, normally I would say "no," however, as vicious as that event was, it belonged in court.
I'm not a hockey fan, but I don't think hockey or any other "tough" sport should be above the law. What McSorley did was unlawful and should be punishable, certainly not with the slap on the wrist that he got in court. What would've happened if Brashear could never recover from the attack? Would we even be discussing the issue? Please.
Marty is a goon. His case should not have been dragged into court. Rather, it should have been left to the NHL to penalize him and to take measures to prevent attacks like this in the future. McSorley should have been banned from the NHL for life (as a player). This type of goonery does not belong. I love a good NHL fight like most people, but hits like the one McSorley laid on Brashear are not a part of hockey. The NHL also must cut out the "head-hunting" that goes on in this league by guys like Scott Stevens of New Jersey, Jovanoski and others. There should be multiple game suspensions for deliberate elbows to the head. These players are professional, these hits are not accidental, and they are intended for the sole purpose of trying to knock out the big players that pose a threat to their team.
Maybe it's too bad that the judiciary has to do the job, but the NHL has clearly demonstrated for the past 50 years that it was unable to discipline the game. And it has deteriorated, beginning with the Philadelphia Bullies of 20 years ago. Problem is, the NHL is in conflict between the "sportsmanship" of the rules of the game and its commercial interests, its basic instinct to sell blood as a "showbiz" attraction. I'm glad a prosecutor has decided to blow the whistle: the merchants are not good judges!
McSorley committed a criminal act. He should not be allowed to cowardly hide behind the NHL. Any player in any recreational league would be subject to criminal penalties for similar acts of violence. Yo, Marty, you did the crime, now it's time to do your time. Take responsibility! Maybe you and other "enforcers" will think twice now, knowing that there is enforcement of a higher level for thugs in professional sports.
It really isn't any different than the relationship between parents and children. If the ruling body in sports is unable to deter their children from purposefully inflicting a possible career or life-threatening injury to another player, then the legal system is obligated to step in and attempt to correct the problem. To assume that laws no longer apply to individuals once they step onto a playing field is extremely dangerous to other players, and it sets a bad example for future athletes. No matter what sport it is, if a player makes a conscious effort to go outside of the rules of play to inflict a blow that results in the loss of another player, then that player is no longer playing the game. He has gone beyond the game and is subject to the laws we all must live by.
The case that this matter should have been handled solely within the NHL sounds good on the surface. Only one problem: the NHL (along with the NBA, MLB, etc.) have shown themselves to be a bunch of gutless wonders when it comes to doling out any real eye-popping penalties. Good example: Dennis Rodman kicks a photographer in the crotch, gets suspended for a couple of games. Make that 40 games, and I'll bet that type of conduct would stop -- right now. Same for spitting at umpires, hitting referees, etc. If the governing bodies of pro sports want to keep matters out of the courts, they must be prepared to hand down real penalties, not just a slap on the wrist.
I think the NHL needs to consider not playing in Vancouver for 18 months. Since the Canadian court has decided they can step in for on-ice activity, where will it stop? Will this court decide to put officials on the ice? Or will only games that are internationally televised be scrutinized? What happens if it is a Vancouver citizen does a similar act in a U.S. city? Will this court go after that player, or will they let it pass? Also, how can the Canadian court dictate behavior in the U.S.?
It looks to me as though Marty McSorley did, in fact, commit a criminal act and got the verdict he deserved. In 18 months, if he completes his probation, he will no longer be considered a criminal. Athletes should realize that putting on a uniform and stepping onto a playing field does not give them blanket immunity for anything at all that they might do.
I strongly object to a Canadian court imposing a condition on McSorley that he may not play against Brashear in the U.S. That is an unwarranted interference into the policies of the United States. If they don't want McSorley to play against Brashear in Canada, I'm not going to object. But I find it offensive that they impose their laws on us.
As a hockey player, I hope the same thing would happen to another player if he or she were to try and take my head off with their stick. Tough play is part of the game, but when someone is purposely trying to injure another player, we have crossed the line of just being an on-ice incident. Incidents like this are some of the main reasons that many parents will not allow their children to get involved in the great sport of hockey.
|
