Willie Mitchell talks for the first time

[jstewismybastardson]

and very emotionally and strongly goes off on the NHL and Colin Campbell

maybe the words of a player forced into retirement by a head shot

Ill post a link if i can find one

 

[jstewismybastardson]

got it from another board - apparently the words posted dont do the emotional level he displayed any justice

some rough notes:

1. do you expect to play next year?

"number one for me is getting healthy...if you lose track of your process you're setting yourself up for failure. for me, i have a process and that's doing things that help me get better and being in the right mindset that encouraging things are happening to me. at the first stage of my recovery, i couldn't even watch games based on the whole emotional aspect of your recovery...the stress of that isn't good for your brain...i'm at a stage now where i'm starting to do a bit of activity, so that's encouraging, but it's been tough"

2. do you still feel symptoms?

"yup...just looking towards the day where i have no more symptoms. my wife notices it, but i'm getting better"

3. are these lights bugging you?

"no, i can function day to day fine now...i'm disappointed the series ended because where i was at my progression i felt i could've played if the series went to another round, but at the same time it's a relief"

4. if it's up to you, would you be wearing a blue jersey next year?

"of course, but right now i just want to be healthy...i've had alot of ups and downs these last 18 weeks, and i'm sure i'll have some more, but the fact that you have challenging times ahead means you're improving"

5. when you were first hurt, did you have any inclination at that time you wouldn't play hockey this season?

"nobody did, that's why i never talked to you guys. at first, i didn't want to talk to the media until i was healthy, and then i didn't want to be a distraction to the team. i wasn't happy with the hit i took...i had my numbers facing the player in a dangerous spot in a dangerous zone, and he hit me. also, i'm disappointed in the league and i'm disappointed in colin campbell...it's been very inconsistent how he's handled things in those situations...he handles things based on the result, and i think that's wrong...he saw me get off the ice and didn't rule anything...nobody's going to take back the last 4 months from me and my family, i'm saying this for my peers in the league so they don't have to go through what i just did. i know campbell is good friends with general managers in the league, and it's very tough to hand down decisions on matters like this when you're friends with people. i think the league needs to have an outside party handling discipline so there's some consistency."

6. have you spoke to colin campbell?

"no. i've just been focused on my process. i just want consistency. the hit's not going to change anything...i'm saying this now because i want to change things moving on forward for players, this doesn't change anything for me, it's about protecting my peers in the league"

7. what changes can be made?

"back in the day, the players did it. now, it's a high level game and it's in colin campbell's hands, and if he doesn't do it consistently, and if he doesn't it's like society...they'll be chaos in society and i think we saw that with players getting injured. players have called for that in him getting more inconsistent. it's unfortunate, but you go rob a bank and rob $50 million or $5 bucks, the result is the same. that for me needs to be more aggressive and consistent and having an outside party that doesn't have friends in the league goes a long way"

8. the respect factor has disappeared among certain players?

"i'm not saying that, i'm just saying it's a fast-paced game. at the end of the day, if you put discipline there and is consistent, the players will react"

in summary, he did an all out attack on campbell's performance and credibility

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

I am at a loss here. I have had concussion issues before and hate the head shots in the league, but I do not know the background here. DOes someone have a video of the hit or a cliff notes version of the story???

Thanks...

 

[jstewismybastardson]

 

[Forty_Sixand2]

Damn....

Sorry, I do not have audio here at my sat office. What penalty did Malkin get for that. He deserved on the ice and off the ice punsishment for that hit. He is Malkin, so I am sure that he did not have to pay on the ice (gay), but did he get a game or anything.

I really like Willie Mitchell and his style of play and it looks as though his teammates do too, because they were right there to stick up for him. I am sure they appreciate him sticking u[p for them a lot.

I hope he can come back. He is a great, old time, hockey player.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

Damn....

Sorry, I do not have audio here at my sat office. What penalty did Malkin get for that. He deserved on the ice and off the ice punsishment for that hit. He is Malkin, so I am sure that he did not have to pay on the ice (gay), but did he get a game or anything.

I really like Willie Mitchell and his style of play and it looks as though his teammates do too, because they were right there to stick up for him. I am sure they appreciate him sticking u[p for them a lot.

I hope he can come back. He is a great, old time, hockey player.

Malkin got 2 minutes for boarding and then a reach-around hand-job from Colin Campbell



Nearly four months since suffering a concussion which has kept him away from hockey, an emotional, red-eyed Willie Mitchell returned to target the NHL and indict chief disciplinarian Colin Campbell for his inconsistency in dealing with head shots.
Mitchell said he was disappointed by Campbell's decision making. He said a neutral party is needed in Campbell's role because his "relationships" with teams and players can bias rulings.
"I know Colin Campbell has a lot of relationships with general managers and owners and stuff like that," Mitchell said. "It's very tough to hand down decisions on matters like this when you're friends with people.
"It's like saying I have to discipline my teammates. It's too emotional. You can't always make the right decision."
Mitchell was run by Evgeni Malkin, hit from behind and into the boards on Jan. 16. He has not been on the ice since.
There was no discipline following the hit or an explanation from the league as to why there was not.
"I am disappointed in the league, I'm disappointed in Colin Campbell," Mitchell said. "I am disappointed he didn't rule down anything on the play. That's his job. As we've seen, he's been very inconsistent in how he's handled himself in those situations. I think a lot of times he hands down suspensions and fines on results.
"I think that's the wrong thing to do."
Mitchell said Campbell's "inconsistency" has led to "chaos" in the league.
"I think we saw that this year, we saw that with players getting injured," Mitchell said. "The players have called for it where we want him to be more 'aggressive' you could say in these matters.
"What's it going to take? Someone hit from the behind where they are left lying on the ice dead? I hope not."

 

[jstewismybastardson]

video from tsn: Injured Mitchell says NHL not doing enough about head shots

looks like a different guy - weight gain, dishevelled, looking down & not looking reporters in the eye

 

[scottflyers88]

willie mitchell talks for the first time.

how did he make it this long in life without speaking?

boom.

 

[puckhead]

video from tsn: Injured Mitchell says NHL not doing enough about head shots

looks like a different guy - weight gain, dishevelled, looking down & not looking reporters in the eye

yeah he looks like shit.
I wonder if he will get fined for criticizing Campbell and the league.