The taint on the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs
by John Fontana on Jun 6, 2011 2:46 PM EDT
in Playoffs
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Two wrongs do not make a right. You cannot do a make-up call for a non-suspension by not suspending someone else for a different rule infraction that should have resulted in a suspension.
The Wheel of Justice and Club Two-Minutes lack of consistency and lack of testicular fortitude have been well on displaying during the Stanley Cup Playoffs this year. Most recently was Alexandre Burrows being allowed to bite Patrice Bergeron during Game 1 of the Cup Finals with no disciplinary action for the offense.
What makes this worse was Burrows scoring two goals, including the game-winning goal, during game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
A game Burrows should have been suspended for.
For another example, let's flash back to game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. After the conclusion of Tampa Bay's win, Nathan Horton sprayed a fan in the stands at the St. Pete Times Forum with water, and threw a bottle at the fan. This was a crossing of the proverbial invisible boundary between fans and players. It's a line that should never be crossed unless a player is physically confronted by a rowdy fan. It was also stressed as a line not to be crossed by former NHL head disciplinarian Colin Campbell, who was still on the job at the time of the Horton infraction.
"While it is a difficult decision to suspend a coach at this point in a playoff series, it has been made clear to all of our players, coaches and other bench personnel that the National Hockey League cannot — and will not — tolerate any physical contact with fans," league disciplinarian Colin Campbell said in a statement last night. "We do not take this action lightly."
Horton was not suspended for his antics, and discipline handed down by the NHL (a fine) was done after the end result of game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals: Horton scoring the lone goal in Boston's 1-0, series clinching win over the Lightning.
A game Horton should have been suspended for.
There are other incidents throughout the NHL playoffs (and I do not believe in the slightest a case cannot be made against the Tampa Bay Lightning for any one of them). But these two incidents, and non-action against each player, taints the playoffs.
Rules are made to be enforced. Some sports officials and leagues in general enforce them in a draconian fashion where there is zero tolerance for even appearing to break a rule. The National Football League is famous for its strict policies. It's done not just for consistency, but for the sake of the integrity of the sport.
Meanwhile, other leagues (hello, NHL) are more willing to bend or forgo the rules to endorse the "let them play" mentality: Fewer penalties, more continuity in the game, keeping it from referees deciding a game. Everyone is happy, from casual fans to the TV networks.
But the integrity of the game suffers. Selective rule enforcement gives the appearance of partiality or apathy toward rules in general. And when they happen on such a grand stage as the NHL playoffs? What are fans supposed to think?
Brendan Shanahan will be taking over the league disciplinary job with the conclusion of the NHL season, and he has his work cut out for him. The missed calls, the non-calls, the perception of partiality, and the fabled Wheel of Justice - it all needs to be rectified, or at least repaired to the point that "NHL disciplinary action" doesn't seem like a running joke.
The 2011 NHL playoffs in general can be seen as Colin Campbell's legacy - one inconsistent jumble where rules are subjective at best, to be enforced only at the convenience of on-ice officials and the league itself.
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and Horton should have been suspended for game seven in the ECF…boston also shouldn’t have lost that 2-1 in game two
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The best commentary on the saga, IMHO
Bob McKenzie of TSN:
You can debate back and forth whether he should have been suspended or not, but it’s tough to suspend a guy in a Stanley Cup Final game for something that during the regular season would cost you one regular season game. A Stanley Cup Final game may be worth four or five regular season games, so that’s why he wasn’t suspended.
"[The Lightning] are uncanny. When they want to get a goal, it's like they just snap their fingers or hit a button. They just dial it up. You can see it. It's like they flip a switch. When they are down, it's just like they think, 'we know we are going to score.' I don't know what it is, it leaves [the opposition] flabbergasted." - Mike Knuble, 3 May 2011
I see that justification as to why he SHOULD be suspended even more.
Black eye on the marquee series of the sport.
Typing is an adventure, and reading should be, too!
Raw Charge.
Obviously, I disagree.
"[The Lightning] are uncanny. When they want to get a goal, it's like they just snap their fingers or hit a button. They just dial it up. You can see it. It's like they flip a switch. When they are down, it's just like they think, 'we know we are going to score.' I don't know what it is, it leaves [the opposition] flabbergasted." - Mike Knuble, 3 May 2011
So you believe
…Rules SHOULD be different for the time of season?
Less rule enforcement for the playoffs, more leniency, more blind-eye antics from the powers that be?
Typing is an adventure, and reading should be, too!
Raw Charge.
I think it should be consistent – no matter what time of year, not matter what game. It’s judging on a game-by-game, player-by-player, situation-by-situation basis that’s making the league a joke. No one knows what they can or cannot get away with anymore. Not even the officials. So I think that it should be the same al lthe time.
Win or lose, I'm proud of these guys.
Raw Charge, an SBN Tampa Bay Lightning community. Follow me on Twitter: @dagmar27.
by Cassie McClellan on Jun 7, 2011 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Therein lies the rub.
This is obviously a debate for the age. Why are the playoffs different? Should they be different?
Do I think Burrows should have been suspended? No, not in the current mindset of the “playoffs are different.” Do I think Horton should have been suspended after his Game 6 antics here in Tampa? No, for the same reason.
If the referees stop calling the playoffs different than they call the regular season, then I’m on board with rules staying consistent from October to June. Fact is, though, the games aren’t called the same—evidenced in person for us in Bolts Nation in Game 7 as well as previous games in our Cup run.
"[The Lightning] are uncanny. When they want to get a goal, it's like they just snap their fingers or hit a button. They just dial it up. You can see it. It's like they flip a switch. When they are down, it's just like they think, 'we know we are going to score.' I don't know what it is, it leaves [the opposition] flabbergasted." - Mike Knuble, 3 May 2011
As a teacher one of the first things you learn is that any rule you lay down you should be prepared to enforce. If you don’t stick to your guns, people (I teach college so they are supposed to be adults) have no incentive to follow any requirements. Then you get the nasty meetings and calls to the dean’s office when you do finally decide to do what you said you were going to do in the beginning, if you follow me.
If you don’t intend to do it, don’t say you’re going to. And if you do intend to do it, say so clearly and up front. Rules are the same for the final exam as they are for the first day of class. People know what they can and cannot get away with. Less overall b**ching and more productive class time.
I tend to think this is a fact of human nature, rather than a quirk of the educational environment, The rules should be enforced evenly and fairly and consistently, regardless of the time of the year or the stature of the offender.
Goaleez R weerd.
by CAustin on Jun 7, 2011 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed
I keep trying to figure out why this incident, out of all of the other potential suspensions not handed out has inspired such a huge outcry.
On a side note, Is there a precedence for this? I recall reading something about a similar biting incident in the playoffs that happened years ago, but I think no suspension was awarded in that case either.
Reply fail
Meant to be a response to the McKenzie quote above.
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