Chris Simon

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

About a month ago a Vancouver radio station did a poll on the Steve Moore, Todd Bertuzzi incident. This was when Bertuzzi chase Moore down the ice and sucker punched him from behind. Then slammed his head into the ice, effectively ending his NHL career. A third of the callers blamed Moore! Personally I think Bertuzzi should be gone. You want to stop fighting in the NHL, minimum 5 game suspension if you fight, 10 game if you are the instigator. Teams fined 50,000, 100,000 respectively. Of course the owners don’t have the balls to implement this. Rather go watch my local hockey team the National Hooligan League.

That's the problem, the only people who want to end fighting in hockey are real hockey fans. The NHL is more interested in marketing and they apparently believe that putting fighting back in will get them their national TV contract.

The people who want fighting in the game are the same stupid hooligans who believe that Bertuzzi and Simon are innocent. Oh my, look. We have one here.

[ndvfdff33]

The people who want fighting in the game are the same stupid hooligans who believe that Bertuzzi and Simon are innocent. Oh my, look. We have one here.

I know thats about me. So I'm going too clear up that one. I don't agree with what Bertuzzi did one bit. I agree with the suspension he got. I was clearly stating too him that Bertuzzi yes did go out and deliberately sucker punch Moore. Thats a proven fact. I was saying though that he didnt go out with intentions of breaking his neck or "smashing his face" off the ice as Shuswap put it. But once again I'm the ***** in this whole deal because I'm not saying what you want too hear. So I guess if you want too call me a "stupid hooligan" even though I don't think they were right in what they did(yes I did say what I said about simon earlier in this thread) then so be it.


Theres what now a days 1.5 fighting majors per game,if that. Look at when Bob Probert,Rob Ray,Tie Domi and all those types came into the game. It was constant fighting. A good scrap in a game never hurts anything,except your knuckles

[firefighterkid]

Fighting is a part of hockey, it always has been, it always will be. What they really need to get rid of is the instagater penalty.

Also another thing they need is a Canadian running the league, and more teams in real hockey markets and less in these sunbelt cities where no one cares about hockey.

[ndvfdff33]

Fighting is a part of hockey, it always has been, it always will be. What they really need to get rid of is the instagater penalty.

Also another thing they need is a Canadian running the league, and more teams in real hockey markets and less in these sunbelt cities where no one cares about hockey.

Agreed on that much Doug ole boy

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Fighting is a part of hockey, it always has been, it always will be. What they really need to get rid of is the instagater penalty.

Also another thing they need is a Canadian running the league, and more teams in real hockey markets and less in these sunbelt cities where no one cares about hockey.

If they are real hockey markets, why can't they sell tickets?

[manofire2]

If they are real hockey markets, why can't they sell tickets?

Actually, selling tickets is not the issue. The simple fact is that ticket sales have become secondary to other marketting and fan support is not considered an important issue. Infastructure and commercial marketting is what drives getting a franchise. Todays NHL requires a 20,000 seat building complete with luxury boxes and corporate support, a city could sell out the building for hockey but still not make it because they can't sell the building for the rest of the year.

Finances drive the awarding of new franchises, not fan support.

As for fighting in hockey, you say the only people who want to put an end to fighting are real hockey fans. I couldn't disagree more, most people who cry about ending fighting are people who never played the game and don't understand it. Banning fighting has been tried in many leagues and has always failed because when you ban fighting, things like stick violations go up. You said it yourself earlier in this discussion, "why didn't he drop the gloves and settle it like a man" or something to that effect. If you banned fighting, there would be no opportunity to do just that and so you find another way to retaliate. Not Simon's way, something sneakier where you won't get caught.

Banning fighting oversimplifies the issue of violence in hockey. Fighting creates a level of respect that's missing in todays over protected game. It is not just a coincidences that despite tremendous advances in equipment and protection, head injuries are occuring at a higher rate than ever. The fact is that helmets and visors can not do it all, players are more protected but do not have a level of respect like they used to. Stick injuries increase because players carry their sticks higher, shots to the head increase because of the lack of respect for person. Fighting does instill a level of respect.

Enforcement occurs in all physical sports, it is just more overt in hockey and it is no coincidence that very few injuries actually occur in the fights but many injuries are the result of other forms of retaliation. Like those pepetrated by Simon and Bertuzzi. The fact is that if the players had dropped the gloves and had it out, we wouldn't be talking about the Simon case and Moore would still be playing.

[RspctFrmCalgary]

Simon will not be charged

19/03/2007 6:34:41 PM
Printer-friendly page

NHL forward Chris Simon will not face criminal charges for an ugly on-ice incident for which he was suspended a league-record 25 games.

CBC Sports
Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg falls after being hit by the Islanders' Chris Simon during a March 8 contest. Simon was handed one of the stiffest suspensions in NHL history.<br /> <em>(Ed Betz/Associated Press)</em>
Rangers forward Ryan Hollweg falls after being hit by the Islanders' Chris Simon during a March 8 contest. Simon was handed one of the stiffest suspensions in NHL history.
(Ed Betz/Associated Press)

"After completing a thorough review of the on-ice incident, my office has declined to criminally charge New York Islander Chris Simon," Kathleen Rice, Nassau County district attorney, Kathleen Rice said in a statement.

The NHL suspended Simon for his two-handed stick attack to the face of the New York Rangers' Ryan Hollweg during a March 8 game at the Nassau Coliseum. Rice said her office considered "the willingness of the potential victim to support a criminal prosecution" and other factors in reaching its decision.

Hollweg, who required stitches after the hit, told the prosecuter's office he wasn't happy with what Simon did, but didn't want to press charges.

The incident occurred during the third period of the Rangers' 2-1 win on Long Island, N.Y. After Hollweg put Simon face first into the boards with a hard check, Simon got up, skated a few strides toward Hollweg and delivered a two-hand chop to the jaw with his stick.

In recent years, two NHL players have been charged criminally for on-ice incidents.

Former Vancouver Canucks forward Todd Bertuzzi, now with the Detroit Red Wings, was found guilty of assault for a sucker-punch that left Colorado forward Steve Moore with a fractured neck and other injuries stemming from a game on March 8, 2004. A B.C. court sentenced him to a year's probation and 80 hours of community service.

Now retired, Marty McSorley of the Boston Bruins was convicted of assault with a weapon for slashing then Canuck Donald Brashear in the head with his stick in February 2000. He was handed an 18-month conditional discharge.

Simon's suspension tops in NHL history

Colin Campbell, the NHL's senior executive vice-president and director of hockey operations, handed down Simon's suspension after reviewing the hit. Simon must miss a minimum of 25 games - 15 regular-season contests without pay, plus another 10 games (should the Islanders make the playoffs, Simon would miss these or serve the remaining games at the start of next season).

Simon's suspension, the sixth of his NHL career, will be the longest in terms of games missed in league history.

McSorley missed 23 games after being suspended for the balance of the regular season in February 2000 for his stick attack on Brashear. McSorley was banned for a year, but never appeared in another NHL game.

Gordie Dwyer also missed 23 games after a September 2000 suspension. He was playing for Tampa Bay Lightning when he abused officials and returned to the ice from the penalty box to fight in an exhibition game against Washington Capitals.

Bertuzzi sat out the rest of the season for punching Moore from behind in March 2004. Bertuzzi missed 13 regular-season games and the Canucks' seven playoff games, and he was prevented from playing anywhere during the 2004-05 lockout. He had been suspended indefinitely and was eventually reinstated by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman.

Dale Hunter, while he was with Washington, was suspended for the first 21 regular-season games of the 1993-94 season for a hit on Pierre Turgeon, then with the Islanders, following a Turgeon goal during the 1993 playoffs.

Simon sorry for actions

Simon, from Wawa, Ont., issued a statement shortly after his hit on Hollweg saying he was "disgusted" by what he saw.

"There is absolutely no place in hockey for what I did," he said.

He apologized to Hollweg, a 23-year-old Californian, saying his hope was to "reach out to him in the near future." He also apologized to his team and to the league.

"What you saw Thursday is not the person, player and competitor that I am," he stated. "I know my teammates and opponents over my 14 years in the NHL understand that."

Simon added he was "completely out of it" when he got up after being checked by Hollweg. He underwent physical tests the day after the game and said he'd suffered a concussion when he hit the boards. Team doctors told him he should not travel.

[SFD13]

In my first post I didn't proof read it so I missed the than so it should read ;

" Rather go watch my local hockey team THAN the National Hooligan League."
03-17-2007 04:49 AM

No way was I saying the the BCJHL was a goon league.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Actually, selling tickets is not the issue. The simple fact is that ticket sales have become secondary to other marketting and fan support is not considered an important issue. Infastructure and commercial marketting is what drives getting a franchise. Todays NHL requires a 20,000 seat building complete with luxury boxes and corporate support, a city could sell out the building for hockey but still not make it because they can't sell the building for the rest of the year.

Finances drive the awarding of new franchises, not fan support.

As for fighting in hockey, you say the only people who want to put an end to fighting are real hockey fans. I couldn't disagree more, most people who cry about ending fighting are people who never played the game and don't understand it. Banning fighting has been tried in many leagues and has always failed because when you ban fighting, things like stick violations go up. You said it yourself earlier in this discussion, "why didn't he drop the gloves and settle it like a man" or something to that effect. If you banned fighting, there would be no opportunity to do just that and so you find another way to retaliate. Not Simon's way, something sneakier where you won't get caught.

Banning fighting oversimplifies the issue of violence in hockey. Fighting creates a level of respect that's missing in todays over protected game. It is not just a coincidences that despite tremendous advances in equipment and protection, head injuries are occuring at a higher rate than ever. The fact is that helmets and visors can not do it all, players are more protected but do not have a level of respect like they used to. Stick injuries increase because players carry their sticks higher, shots to the head increase because of the lack of respect for person. Fighting does instill a level of respect.

Enforcement occurs in all physical sports, it is just more overt in hockey and it is no coincidence that very few injuries actually occur in the fights but many injuries are the result of other forms of retaliation. Like those pepetrated by Simon and Bertuzzi. The fact is that if the players had dropped the gloves and had it out, we wouldn't be talking about the Simon case and Moore would still be playing.

I've played the game and I understand it completely. Your arguments advocating fighting are hollow.

Football is infintely more physical than hockey. Fighting is almost non-existent. When it occurs, the players are dealt with immediately and harshly. Same with the less physical, but equally competitive games of baseball and basketball.

Enforcement is macho BS. I could accept your argument about fighting if the NHL would ban, immediately and forever, any player who uses a weapon (even Terry O'Reilly using the fan's shoe to beat him over the head) from the game.

BTW, if your theory about enforcement is so sound, how come Bertuzzi didn't have his face punched in at the beginning of the first shift against Moore's team?

[manofire2]

Comparing Football to hockey is apples to oranges. The snails pace of football (compared to hockey) means few fouls are missed by the refs and you don't have the close quarters like a hockey rink. Can't compare enforcement because in football it's slow enough that the refs can catch most violation. You also only play each other once a year in football, rivalries don't build.

Todd Bertuzzi didn't play again for a year and a half after that incident and the first game was played virtually under a microscope. Players on both sides were read the riot act prior to the game.

Nice try though.

[manofire2]

I agree with you about the use of weapons.

[firefighterkid]

If they are real hockey markets, why can't they sell tickets?

They COULD sell tickets, unlike Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa, cities like Winnipeg and Quebec City, did have fans ALL YEAR ROUND not just when their teams were in the playoffs, I mean look at last year this is a perfect example. Edmonton vs Anaheim, Western Conference FINALS, Edmonton sold out in 1 minute for every game, Anaheim you could walk up to the box office ONE HOUR before game time and buy a ticket, as far as i am concerned a city that you can do that in does not deserve a hockey team.

The reason Winnipeg and Quebec moved south of the border was because back in the early 90's the Canadian Dollar was WEAK WEAK WEAK compared to the American. The owners, even with a full house every night could not afford to pay their big time players because rich American teams would try to buy their way to a Stanley Cup. Therefore teams would have young up and coming stars that they built and molded into superstars, only to have them bought by an American team (Teemu Selane Winnipeg - Anaheim for example) and therefore their teams could not compete against the stacked american teams. Which is why they would lose money, and sell the team to an American who then moved the team south of the border and created this embarassment of teams in cities that should not have them.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

They COULD sell tickets, unlike Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix, Tampa, cities like Winnipeg and Quebec City, did have fans ALL YEAR ROUND not just when their teams were in the playoffs, I mean look at last year this is a perfect example. Edmonton vs Anaheim, Western Conference FINALS, Edmonton sold out in 1 minute for every game, Anaheim you could walk up to the box office ONE HOUR before game time and buy a ticket, as far as i am concerned a city that you can do that in does not deserve a hockey team.

The reason Winnipeg and Quebec moved south of the border was because back in the early 90's the Canadian Dollar was WEAK WEAK WEAK compared to the American. The owners, even with a full house every night could not afford to pay their big time players because rich American teams would try to buy their way to a Stanley Cup. Therefore teams would have young up and coming stars that they built and molded into superstars, only to have them bought by an American team (Teemu Selane Winnipeg - Anaheim for example) and therefore their teams could not compete against the stacked american teams. Which is why they would lose money, and sell the team to an American who then moved the team south of the border and created this embarassment of teams in cities that should not have them.

Cities that should not have them? Are there rules for this? Are they written someplace? Or do you mean UNITED STATES cities who should not have them?

Professional sports is a business. It always will be. If the economics were reversed, you would have no problem with Canadian clubs raiding the US teams for their stars.

There is no loyalty in sports anymore. Teams have no loyalty to their players and players have no loyalty to their teams. It's all about dollars. Good or bad, that's the way it is and it is never going to change.

If I invest tens of millions of dollars in a team, Do I want that team to win? Only if it synonomous with making money.

Seems like you will have to get over it. Or you could start your own hockey league in Canada. Let me know how you make out.

[firefighterkid]

Yes i am talking about UNITED STATES cities. But i am not reffering to them just because they are in the USA, that just happenes to be a coincidence. The fact of the matter is this, people in the United States for the most part don't care about hockey, lots have no idea about anything about the game. Yes you are right I would not care if Canadian teams - all 6 of them raided American teams - all 24 of them for their stars, but that doesnt matter because the fact is it will not happen. With the new cap system teams can afford One maybe two stars on their team, and there are enough stars for American teams to have their share of superstars. Hockey is a great game, the NHL is a great league, it could be better, if a CANADIAN ran the league. How was Americans feel if a Canadian came in and started running the NFL or NBA or MLB. We invented the game of hockey as it is played today, it is OUR game OUR national pasttime, WE should run the league and it would be a much better league.

[manofire2]

Don't forget, we invented Basketball too. Unfortunately very few people like the game so we let the Americans have it.

Lets not turn this into a we vs them thing. Canadians only soverenty claim to hockey should be that we play it better than anybody else, to suggest our bottom feeders could run the game better that anybody elses bottom feeders is ludicrous. I have in the past beaten the cheque-book recruitment issue to death(just ask George), but the fact is that Quebec and Winnipeg lost their teams primarily because of infrastructure, their buildings were not up to standard for todays NHL and there was not the marketplace to justify the 2 Cities building an arena that was.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Yes i am talking about UNITED STATES cities. But i am not reffering to them just because they are in the USA, that just happenes to be a coincidence. The fact of the matter is this, people in the United States for the most part don't care about hockey, lots have no idea about anything about the game. Yes you are right I would not care if Canadian teams - all 6 of them raided American teams - all 24 of them for their stars, but that doesnt matter because the fact is it will not happen. With the new cap system teams can afford One maybe two stars on their team, and there are enough stars for American teams to have their share of superstars. Hockey is a great game, the NHL is a great league, it could be better, if a CANADIAN ran the league. How was Americans feel if a Canadian came in and started running the NFL or NBA or MLB. We invented the game of hockey as it is played today, it is OUR game OUR national pasttime, WE should run the league and it would be a much better league.

Hey, at least if you are a bigot, you are an honest bigot. 90% of the Canadians I know are Albertans. Including people from your FD. Thank God they do not think like you do.

I had a much longer response typed out. You're a friggin' kid is is not even a FF. You don't deserve a second more of my time.

[GeorgeWendtCFI]

Don't forget, we invented Basketball too. Unfortunately very few people like the game so we let the Americans have it.

Lets not turn this into a we vs them thing. Canadians only soverenty claim to hockey should be that we play it better than anybody else, to suggest our bottom feeders could run the game better that anybody elses bottom feeders is ludicrous. I have in the past beaten the cheque-book recruitment issue to death(just ask George), but the fact is that Quebec and Winnipeg lost their teams primarily because of infrastructure, their buildings were not up to standard for todays NHL and there was not the marketplace to justify the 2 Cities building an arena that was.

You can take basketball back for all I care. I hate basketball. It's like gang warfare while wearing shorts. Give me a Ranger game any day.

[manofire2]

You can take basketball back for all I care. I hate basketball. It's like gang warfare while wearing shorts. Give me a Ranger game any day.

Sorry, you have to keep Basketball, and Celine Dion. Sorry.

[Bones42]

Sorry, you have to keep Basketball, and Celine Dion. Sorry.

Sure, throw more salt on wound.

[firefighterkid]

oh so im not a firefighter now because i disagree with you and i am younger then you?

I am originally from the city i have there, do not live there now, just havent got around to changing it because i am not on this site enough. I am not a biggot, I have nothing against the USA or people from the USA, I am just saying we should have someone that knows hockey running the NHL. Gary Bettman made all his money and moved up within the NBA and then just jumped over to the NHL when the job opened up, as far as I am concerened he has no idea what he is talking about. The league was run great when the head offices were in Toronto and it was run by Canadians, I think we should have a Canadian in there now.

Or at least an American who knows something about the game. But hey i guess that makes me a biggot, and being a younger person then you that disagrees with you makes me a "kid not worth your time".