Canucks and Beyond

Leave the NHL Out of Your NBA Lunacy

12/20/2006 at 7:12am EST
By happenstance, I came across this opinion piece by Phil Reggio -- an article about the Knicks/Nuggets brawl last weekend in the NBA.Specifically, the article questions the role of racism in the NBA, but that isn't the relevant part. What caught my attention was actually this little gem:
Todd Bertuzzi (NHL) is an alcoholic, he is Canadian. Maybe we (the media and society) can blame his actions a few years back on two many Heineken’s. Seriously… Who in their right mind would swing a stick purposely into the face of an opponent, injuring the opposing player with such severity that the local police pressed charges?The media coverage surrounding the Bertuzzi incident went on for months and is still talked about today, and not once did I hear race become an excuse to justify Todd’s misguided actions. Bertuzzi took responsibility for his actions and moved on. I guess this is the difference between the NHL and NBA?
Excuse me, but wtf?1. Should we be offended or grateful for this back-handed 'approval' of NHLers. Reggio goes on to argue that race was not a factor in the NBA suspensions the other day. Well, okay. Whatever. I know nothing about the NBA, nor do I want to. For all I know or care, they could be playing with puppets under the hoops, feeding each other caviar on camera. (Perfectly good fare for ESPN2 these days, actually).*But when you make an argument that NHL players are somehow 'better' -- if indeed that's what this guy is doing, and I'm not agreeing with that, either -- is it really necessary to highlight the worst example of on-ice behavior in recent NHL history?And that leads me to...2. Since when did Todd Bertuzzi get labeled an "alcoholic"? He drinks socially but I've certainly never heard the accusation of alcoholism made in any serious way, much less thrown out there in a matter-of-fact this-is-the-way-it-is way. Besides, what does alcohol have to do with anything that Bertuzzi was ever accused of?And just one more final point -- what is that stuff about swinging a stick at an opponent's head?Oh, wait... I think someone mixed up their Bertuzzi/Moore low-lights with their McSorley/Brashear low-lights. Tsk, tsk!Just keep your crazy NBA analysis off my NHL. Thanks muchly. _______________________________________________ *No serious disrespect intended to NBA fans. Just on a rant here.

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