Mario Lemieux's Letter Regarding Team Punishments for Suspensions

[loki604]

from an outsider perspective, it seems that every time mario has spoken up (not just as owner, but throughout his career), it has been mostly self-serving.
I hope that he is turning the corner on that, but honestly I won't hold my breath. And until it does, I'm going to consider his agenda behind whatever words he says.

That's a shame, as he has valuable perspective from so many aspects of the game.

I agree that he hasn't been the asset to the game post-retirement that someone like, in my opinion, Shanahan has been. But I view it differently than most people; yeah I'm sure that's partly from my bias, but I think it's also partly from seeing stories on him all the time. In my view, he's an intensely private guy who only speaks out when he feels that he needs to, not a selfish asshole looking out for his dime. If looking at the body of his character, I think it sides with my view. Sure, I guess you could say his cancer foundation is self-serving, as he had cancer, but it's more like he takes a personal interest when he sees that he can make a difference and cares about an issue.

Edit: And I meant you as in the collective you, not you personally.

 

[SFNL]

 

[TheRobotDevil]

I know hitting itself has increased a ridiculous amount since the lockout.

I just get really...I don't know...pissed sometimes thinking about what is going on with our game. I'm not one of those people who would say I wouldn't watch for whatever reason, but this issue is so much more on the forefront of my mind than what Southern team might be moving in the next three years.

They can get rid of the trapazoid

 

[Darkstone42]

I can now be repped, for those of you it concerns *coughclarksoncough*.

 

[SFNL]

I can now be repped, for those of you it concerns *coughclarksoncough*.

I will rep you sir. I am full of ammo.

 

[TiLoBrown]

They can get rid of the trapazoid

I support this idea

 

[loki604]

I will rep you sir. I am full of ammo.

As long as you're not shooting blanks...

 

[sbb122]

They can get rid of the trapazoid

When Marty retires...

 

[TiLoBrown]

Yea when Marty retires















Marty Turco

 

[TheRobotDevil]

I can now be repped, for those of you it concerns *coughclarksoncough*.

you will get it in fewer then 24 hours

 

[ELYEAH82]

from an outsider perspective, it seems that every time mario has spoken up (not just as owner, but throughout his career), it has been mostly self-serving.
I hope that he is turning the corner on that, but honestly I won't hold my breath. And until it does, I'm going to consider his agenda behind whatever words he says.

That's a shame, as he has valuable perspective from so many aspects of the game.

So when he was a player did you expect him to take a stand toward clutching and grabbing? Most people are going to look for a reason to discount what he says for reasons I am unaware of. Clearly the Gillies incident was on point since the asshole was suspended in the first period of his first game off suspension. Everyone wants to discount what he says because of who he is and not what he is saying, because there really is no arguing his message

 

[KennyBanyeah]

In addition to this system, which I think is the only way to legitimately provide incentive to owners to stop employing "goons," would be a more rigidly defined suspension system.

Minimum suspension for each action:
Any hit to the head (even accidental on a follow-through for a legal check): 2 games
Any blindside hit to the head: 5 games
Any dangerous hit along the boards (essentially any hit at the shoulder-blades or higher between 1 and 10 feet from the boards): 5 games
Any sucker punch or other such assault that isn't in the course of a hockey play: 7 games
Any use of the stick as a weapon outside of the lines of play: 7 games
Hitting a guy who's already down on the ice: 7 games

All of these could then go up from there based on the severity of the incident, repeat offenders, etc. But this system would require superstars and players without records to be punished and would eliminate a lot of the subjectivity that goes into whether or not to hand out a suspension. All of the subjectivity would lie int he length beyond the minimum requirement.

Also, no matter how much you like this post, do not rep it. I have a palindrome of rep points and rep power, and neet to make my post count a palindrome as well before I can accept reps.

Just saying.

This is what the NHL needs to do. I don't agree with the bolded sections, but this kind of thinking is the way to getting some reasonable, objective conclusions to controversial hits.

My objection to the first bold segment is that it is out of the control of players. During regular hockey play the level of a player's head changes significantly (up to 20% of a players height in cases) even on an individual basis. Accounting for this and also for the discrepancies in heights is just too difficult to do during regular play. I fear this would eliminate too much hitting. IMO, this is an area where judgments still have to be made on a case by case basis.

The last one is too vague; does this mean during a fight (in which case I agree), or any kind of hit once a player has fallen (in which case potential scenarios are much more ambiguous)?

The idea and your structure is pretty damn good. If this was a starting point for the league, it's hard to see a negative outcome.

 

[puckhead]

So when he was a player did you expect him to take a stand toward clutching and grabbing? Most people are going to look for a reason to discount what he says for reasons I am unaware of. Clearly the Gillies incident was on point since the asshole was suspended in the first period of his first game off suspension. Everyone wants to discount what he says because of who he is and not what he is saying, because there really is no arguing his message

you are going to disagree, because of your perspective, and that's OK. however, consider:

as a junior - refused to play for his country in the 1984 World Junior Championship (he was far and away the best player in junior) because he didn't like the coach (Dave King).
drafted - refused to shake Eddie Johnson's hand, or put on the Penguin's jersey. He has apparently since called it a mistake, but it showed his character. and of course he's going to call it a mistake from his position now.
as a player - most vocal about clutching and grabbing. he may well have been right, but you never heard someone like Yzerman (50 lbs lighter?) complain.
as an owner - became an owner as it was the only way the Penguins could possibly square up on his $30 mill deferred salary.
on rules - the whole recent hypocrisy thing with Cooke on the roster

and I'm not really a 'hater' - in my opinion, he was the most purely talented player ever to lace 'em up.
He has done some amazing things for charity and for Pittsbugh (I firmly believe that the Pens would have moved or folded if he didn't step in), but I hope you understand why when he comes down from the mountain to say something profound about the game, at this point I mostly shrug my shoulders.

 

[ELYEAH82]

you are going to disagree, because of your perspective, and that's OK. however, consider:

as a junior - refused to play for his country in the 1984 World Junior Championship (he was far and away the best player in junior) because he didn't like the coach (Dave King).
drafted - refused to shake Eddie Johnson's hand, or put on the Penguin's jersey. He has apparently since called it a mistake, but it showed his character. and of course he's going to call it a mistake from his position now.
as a player - most vocal about clutching and grabbing. he may well have been right, but you never heard someone like Yzerman (50 lbs lighter?) complain.
as an owner - became an owner as it was the only way the Penguins could possibly square up on his $30 mill deferred salary.
on rules - the whole recent hypocrisy thing with Cooke on the roster

and I'm not really a 'hater' - in my opinion, he was the most purely talented player ever to lace 'em up.
He has done some amazing things for charity and for Pittsbugh (I firmly believe that the Pens would have moved or folded if he didn't step in), but I hope you understand why when he comes down from the mountain to say something profound about the game, at this point I mostly shrug my shoulders.

I think 1-2 can be attributed to being a spoiled teenager, not a total excuse but certainly a long time to hold this against him. 3 As I stated why would he not complain these teams played to nearly empty rinks and it was clearly bad for the game. 4 Kind of sounds a lot like you are hating, I am certain you don't personally know why he took ownership of the Pens. 5 has been debated to death, but Cooke appears to be playing a straight up game since the comment and the bigger issue is if what happens if he doesnt. I dont know what the guy can do or say without everyone ragging on him...

 

[HonusWagner66]

What does Ron Burkle think about this issue?

 

[Curtrain]

I dont know what the guy can do or say without everyone ragging on him...

I am not sure what the big deal is. The criticisms against his rant were valid. Being a famous and iconic hockey player is a double edged sword. Yes, the whole hockey nation will pay attention to you when you decide to speak up. But you will also be critisized by the whole hockey nation if what you say is not up to snuff.

Good for him though for "proposing a system that would have been punitive to his own team," as Loki said. Here he is using his fame and power as a owner to help make hockey a better and safer sport.

 

[TheRobotDevil]

What does Ron Burkle think about this issue?

 

[h X c Chris]

lol I love reading these threads so I can see people make points and Penguins fans whine about why everybody hates them. Wash rinse repeat..

Mikko Koivu returned to the ice tonight but I didnt see any threads about that, but I did see 2 threads about Sid "skating" and another beating a dead horse Mario thread.

If you dont want the attention, positive or negative, then stop feeding it.

Oh yeah, Mikko had a goal and an assist tonight and it was sexy!

 

[HonusWagner66]

lol I love reading these threads so I can see people make points and Penguins fans whine about why everybody hates them. Wash rinse repeat..

Mikko Koivu returned to the ice tonight but I didnt see any threads about that, but I did see 2 threads about Sid "skating" and another beating a dead horse Mario thread.

If you dont want the attention, positive or negative, then stop feeding it.

Oh yeah, Mikko had a goal and an assist tonight and it was sexy!

Sid's return to "skating" was a headline on the league's official website so it probably is deserving of a thread on a hockey message board...

 

[puckhead]

Mikko Koivu returned to the ice tonight but I didnt see any threads about that, !

I mentioned it in the Nucks GNT.
that thread was dedicated to Harold Snepts.