Everyone (at least in this fine city) has something to say about the recent Todd Bertuzzi incident.
Darren, Mel, Sue & Rog (among others I’m sure I’ve missed), and their commentors, all have their own opinions on what did, should & will happen.
I wanted to toss out my few cents on the situation:
-Professional Hockey as it is today is an inherently violent sport. Whether or not that’s a good or bad thing is up to you, but it is what it is.
-Why did the referees not keep the obvious bent for mayhem in this game under better control? this is an incident that could have been prevented.
-Factoid: It costs $98,000/year to house one male prison inmate in Canada. Not to mention the costs associated with police and court time spent on the issue. What’s the point in that?
–Nobody but Todd Bertuzzi knows what Todd Bertuzzi intended to do in that moment. Perhaps, like so many “crimes of passion,” he was criminally insane in that moment he swung his fist. Perhaps he is a murderous fiend – a product of a sport gone out of control. Perhaps it was just a horrible horrible accident – where everything in a situation that could have gone wrong, did.
Whatever the outcome of the situation, I still don’t think the police should be involved. Whether he had “the intent to cause gross bodily harm” or not – it’s a waste of police time and taxpayer money. The league can and should dole out appropriate punishment. After all, they fostered the environment that allowed this to happen.
So it goes without saying that I strongly feel, as does almost everyone I’ve talked to, that the league should re-evaluate its policy on fighting. I’ve heard arguments from both sides on how they should either loosen the rules, so that enforcers can be free to just pound on eachother (leaving the other players to just play the game) – or tighten the rules, so that any fighting is cause for a major penalty or game ejection.
I haven’t been a big hockey fan long enough to have a very educated opinion on either argument – but something needs to be done, and soon, before this kind of incident happens again.
There is no grounds for a charge in Canada.
McSorely can have his charge overturned if his lawyer caught wind of Regina V. Sea.
The “victim” has technically (and by technically I mean legally) consented to the “assault” by Bertuzzi by playing hockey. While the argument goes that Moore did not consent to that, but merely the rules of the game is irrelevent. By playing professional hockey, a player consents to whatever roughhousing is part of the game–including getting bapped in the back of the head and taken down onto the ice and all resulting consequences). Precidence.
I suggest that Bertuzzi get a better lawyer than McSorely.
If one of my co-workers were to reach across the table during a business meeting and snap another co-worker’s neck I would sure hope the police get involved — and that it was more than an internal “company” issue.
“You go sit in the corner, young man, and think about what you’ve done.”
“But, boss, he stole my stapler.”
“Okay — but no doughnuts for you. Now someone call an ambulance.”
I don’t watch NHL hockey, but I did at one point watch Olympic hockey (before it allowed all those NHL players in it) and I remember them being MUCH tougher in ref-ing, basically giving penalties for looking cross-eyed at another player. It lent to a different style of play, more focused on passing, speed and skill, which I quite liked. I really think they should clamp down on that kind of nonsense and not allow any of it. When was the last time you saw a fight in other sports like football or tennis?
I would imagine the police got involved because what happened wasn’t merely a fight in a hockey game (which the NHL could have handled by itself) but an assault. Someone ended up with a broken neck. That’s a wee bit more serious than your garden variety hockey melee and I honestly don’t understand why so many people feel the cops shouldn’t be involved. An act of violence is no less serious for having happened on an ice rink rather than a street corner. There’s no defense for it.
I disagree with you about only Todd Bertuzzi knowing what his intent was. If that were so cut and dry, we couldn’t have any crimes at all, because no one can read the minds of others.
Obviously there was some intent, I’m sure Bertuzzi wasn’t trying to give Moore a friendly hug with his fist.
Courts do the best that they can in regards to intent. Was injurying Moore ever discussed on the team? That’s a strong likelyhood. Was “payback” for Naslund’s injuries meant to be an eye-for-an-eye? These would be valid investigations into intent. I’m not seeking to crucify Bertuzzi on the spot, but I do think it’s entirely appropriate for it to be investigated and if guilty, then charged.
I’m with you, Jen. I agree that the league can deal with it without the help of the Vancouver Police. Hell, even Morris isn’t co-operating with the investigation. That’s got to say something.
…My two and a half cents worth.