Three Words That Should Never, EVER Be Near One Another

There’s an article on NHL.com by Dan Rosen entitled “Devils, Stars and Ducks looking for fortune’s smile.”

Does anyone else have a HUMONGOUS problem with this?

Not that it isn’t a well written story (Mr. Rosen’s forgotten more about hockey than I’ll ever amass), but dude, show some sensitivity to the fans! As a staunch supporter of the Ducks, I cannot stand those pesky Stars who simply won’t go away and just the thought of New Jersey makes me apoplectic (but then again, who doesn’t hate the Devils).

Speaking of the Stars, we face them at home tonight and with the race so tight, this game is probably gonna be yet another squeaker. Dan Ellis is once again going to have to be a brick wall because Darth Hiller is still spinning around with vertigo. Game preview stats can be found here.

In other news, it’s been confirmed that former enforcer Bob Probert suffered from a degenerative brain disease most commonly found in boxers, wrestlers and football players.

The results were released by Boston University at the request of Probert’s family in the hopes that the NHL will step up their efforts to protect their players.

The inestimable Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times spoke with George Parros and John Scott who had this to say about the subject:

Parros: “I’m still doing my job and I think at this point, it’s a tricky area. I can say I don’t feel any symptoms now, but who knows what’s going to happen in the future?

“It’s too early to tell if Bob’s disease came on because of fighting, because of hockey, because of something else he’s done, but I still have my job to do. I’m still going to go about business my own way and if something comes around and says that’s definitely the cause and everyone’s going to get it if they do it, if they fight like I do, I’ll definitely re-evaluate and probably switch gears.”

Scott: “If you eliminate fighting, guys are just going to go around hitting people with no regard for what’s going to happen to them. If you take fighting out, there will be guys running people, taking head shots, using their sticks and it’s just going to increase the amount of concussions.”

If you really think about it, the dynamic is truly unique and unusual – a sport that condones and even encourages fighting. You don’t see it in football, it’s extremely rare in baseball and I’ve seen a lot of yelling and shoving in soccer and rugby, but no beat downs.

This may very well be a problem that will have to be solved by the players themselves. Go serious old school with a Gentleman’s Agreement. Only pick on someone your own size. If you’re 6’5”, 220, you don’t mid-ice someone 5’11”, 175. Because if you do, you’ll be shot.