Brian Burke

[stevie for president 42]

Here's a couple quotes from this article: http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/news?slug=ap-d...p&type=lgns

"If you watch some of the other views, it looks like a dangerous, high hit. If you look at the end zone view, I think it shows best that Chris Pronger went to hit Tomas Holmstrom at a 45-degree angle from the boards. At no point is Chris delivering a hit toward the boards, a dangerous hit. He's coming in to finish a check at a 45-degree angle. Rob Niedermayer steps into the player (Holmstrom), pins him, you get a high finish."

Ok that's kind of implying the Neids put Homer at a 90 degree angle to the boards which caused such a severe hit to take place.

"I think if Robby Niedermayer doesn't come into this play, I'm not here (talking about it), there's no hearing, there's no issue," Burke said.

Right there he definitely blames it on Neids.

I might be reading too much into this, but doesn't it look like the Ducks GM Burke is blaming Rob Neidermayer for Pronger's suspension?

[Guest bullocks]

burke's an idiot...he'll blame anyone so mr. pronger wont be out...snobbiest GM in the league. f*** BURKE!!

[BuckeyeWingsfan80 209]

he's just making excuses.

It isn't as if he had any say in the decision and, for once, the NHL front office got it right.

[Gordie Howe hat trick 110]

Nyttermeyer may have held him to the boards, But Pronger is the one who HIT HIM IN THE HEAD!!!

Pronger has been in the NHL long enough to know better...

The more I hear justifacations about the hit from the Ducks the more I want to sink to their level, and have Chelly play dentist and fix Prongers teeth with his fist.

[Sergei Fedorov91 24]

Burke is just mad because he could finish the deal with a talented Vancouver club.

[Guest bullocks]

he's just making excuses.

It isn't as if he had any say in the decision and, for once, the NHL front office got it right.

if homer was injured, he would have got more then 1 game thats for sure.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Give me a break Burke, are you s**tting me?

Pronger hit him square in the head, Pronger pays the price with a 1-game suspension, no if's/and's/but's. He's lucky it's not 2-3 games or the rest of the series.

Let him serve his time tonight gracefully, then life goes back to normal for your team on the game Sunday. Let it go Burke.

[#19forPresident! 1]

Give me a break Burke, are you s**tting me?

Pronger hit him square in the head, Pronger pays the price with a 1-game suspension, no if's/and's/but's. He's lucky it's not 2-3 games or the rest of the series.

Let him serve his time tonight gracefully, then life goes back to normal for your team on the game Sunday. Let it go Burke.

Here's the way I feel about that putz, this is an excerpt from a post I made in the "Pronger suspended: Its not about game 4" thread. Pretty much sums up Burke's incompetence to see the problem.

Imagine if they come out next season and Pronger runs someone down like that again because its "okay" with his boss, and that guy ends up like Draper after the Lemiux hit, or Steve Moore or worse. Everyone will be sorry then, including him and the organization. Don't get me wrong I'm not going to say that was anything close to what happened to Moore or Drapes, but it easily could have been. Hitting someone blind hard and high without reguard like that can have the same effect.

Asked if Pronger's hit warranted a suspension, Wings coach Mike Babcock said, "Everybody saw it. He's got cuts, he's got 13 stitches. It's not like it's a boo-boo."

Anaheim Ducks GM Brian Burke said in a press conference:" Well, again, our view of the hit is there shouldn't have been a suspension. The player wasn't injured. He finished the game. Got a couple stitches, which would have been preventable if his helmet was properly attached."

Well sorry Brian, apparently you forgot your time as NHL Senior Vice President, and Director of Hockey Operations, but the NHL doesn't assess suspensions for not attatching helmets correctly or nobody would play. Unfortunately though hitting their face into the glass from behind is just alot illegal.

Apparently13 stitches to the kisser after a high hit from behind isn't bad enough to punish someone in your eyes? Do they need to be sent to the hospital before its a no no? End their career? Perhaps you want to blame the glass next for not flexing properly? If you want to find something to blame, get down to the real problem in that situation, look in your locker room where No.25 hangs his equipment. The next problem after that is the way you handled it.

That logic baffles me, its the act that needs punishment reguardless of the outcome. If someone robs a bank they don't say well if the bank had the safe closed I wouldn't have been able to steal any money so I shouldn't be charged, if the bank wants the safe open thats their business. Not to mention you're still charged with robbery reguardless if you took $500 or $500,000. They don't say oh it was only $500 it could have been worse I shouldn't be charged. You pay for your actions, intent is intent, we're simply lucky the outcome wasn't worse

They are lucky the only thing assessed to Pronger for the incident was a suspension, and for condoning it they deserve to be fined as an organization. Certainly they are entitled to their right to disagree with the suspension, but they should imply they will take measures to ensure nobody does something like that on their watch again. Instead they basically say they didn't think he did anything out of line. The fact that some young kids learning the game are out there watching this on a pro level and hearing plays like that are acceptable is scary.

Edited May 17, 2007 by #19forPresident!

[Kp-Wings 3]

Ask yourself: Who is more valuable to the Ducks: *Rob* Neidermayer or Pronger? If you said Pronger, that's correct.

It's expected that he would come out and question the suspension. Pronger, even though he is a dirty ass ***** *****, is one of Anaheims best defenseman behind Scott Neidermayer and, depending on who you ask, Francois Beauchemin.

[#19forPresident! 1]

Ask yourself: Who is more valuable to the Ducks: *Rob* Neidermayer or Pronger? If you said Pronger, that's correct.

It's expected that he would come out and question the suspension. Pronger, even though he is a dirty ass ***** *****, is one of Anaheims best defenseman behind Scott Neidermayer and, depending on who you ask, Francois Beauchemin.

Oh yeah, I understand the logic behind his questioning of the suspension. But at what point do we start putting the welfare of the game and NHL players as a whole over the best interests of our own team? You would think he could see the big picture being the former Dirctor of Hockey Operations, but he isn't so much concerned with Pronger's actions, only pissed off that he lost a key player. Playoffs or not that suspension is well deserved and he knows it, admitting it on the other hand, now thats a whole nother story. Bleh Im done spewing over that tool, just waiting for tonight, as Mickey says, it'll be a dandy.

[OsGOD 3]

I might not of seen the hit many times... but didn't Pronger make contact first? if so then Rob had nothing to do with the angle pronger was hitting at. When I say first... I mean like a photo finish first.

Edited May 17, 2007 by OsGOD

[calfan 0]

Give me a break Burke, are you s**tting me?

Pronger hit him square in the head, Pronger pays the price with a 1-game suspension, no if's/and's/but's. He's lucky it's not 2-3 games or the rest of the series.

Let him serve his time tonight gracefully, then life goes back to normal for your team on the game Sunday. Let it go Burke.

But Jack, did you hear the best part. Pronger is 6'6" and Homer is only 6'1". Burke basically said its Homer's fault because he's shorter than Pronger. Since Pronger's hands weren't above his shoulders, it shouldn't be considered a deliberate hit to the head.

[lets go pavel 2]

Well you see, everyone knows that Pronger is tall and checks high, so everyone should know to duck -- if you have your head up and Pronger smashes it into the boards, that's your fault for not ducking.

And if he rips your helmet off in the process, well, that's your own fault too -- everyone knows Pronger is strong, so you need to really fasten that lid on there (duct tape, velcro, industrial fasteners) and if you don't, it's your fault.

Oh, and don't even try to say you didn't see him coming, because you should have looked. It's not Pronger's fault that you're looking the wrong way.

So in conclusion, it's not Pronger's fault ... suspend Holmstrom.

Edited May 17, 2007 by lets go pavel

[superstarsingh 23]

Brian Burke is an angry man and yeah, he is just trying to make excuses and rationalize the situation to the best of his ability.

[kevotron 3]

Brian? BRIAN BURKE? Is that you? I am not sure. I can hear you voice squawking, but I cant see you. That GIANT FLASHING "L" on your forehead is blinding me.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

The fact of the matter is it doesn't change the end result of the hit. Burke is trying to make an excuse for Pronger, but the end result is still the same. Keep you hands and elbows down, and Pronger would have got a stern lecture. Lift your elbows up, and you get the suspension you deserve regardless if Rob is involved in the play.

[Guest jaytan]

burke's an idiot...he'll blame anyone so mr. pronger wont be out...snobbiest GM in the league.

He's actually one of the best GMs in the league (though we've got a better one). Burke didn't offend me with his handling of this situation. He was very careful to point out that the Red Wings were responding with class, and while he was obligated to disagree with the ruling (what do you want him to say? "Chris Pronger is a filthy goon. We wish the league had suspended him for the rest of his life. I'm embarassed to have signed that punk."), he gave respect to the people who made the decision.

Of course, he may have been trying to avoid fines, but I still like the guy. He always builds teams that are fun to watch.

[Gizmo 21]

I think it shows best that Chris Pronger went to hit Tomas Holmstrom at a 45-degree angle from the boards. At no point is Chris delivering a hit toward the boards, a dangerous hit. He's coming in to finish a check at a 45-degree angle

If you actually bother to read the rulebook you'll see the angle of the check in relation to the boards doesn't make a wit of difference!!!

44.1 Checking from Behind - A check from behind is a check delivered on a player who is not aware of the impending hit, therefore unable to protect or defend himself, and contact is made on the back part of the body

Show me where it talks about "boards" or "angles". Edited May 17, 2007 by Gizmo

[ducksfanforlife 0]

Nyttermeyer may have held him to the boards, But Pronger is the one who HIT HIM IN THE HEAD!!!

Pronger has been in the NHL long enough to know better...

The more I hear justifacations about the hit from the Ducks the more I want to sink to their level, and have Chelly play dentist and fix Prongers teeth with his fist.

I don't think it would be such a good idea for Chelios to take a run at Pronger. Just my opinion.

[Guest nutz2u]

I think it would have been funny as hell if Homer had ducked and Pronger got Rob full in the head with his left elbow causing Robto miss a game or two and broke his right elbow on the glass.

[Stevie Y. 0]

It's not really okay for him to elbow anyone up high; teammate, opponent, or anyone else.

Edited May 18, 2007 by Stevie Y.

[Kira 451]

I think it would have been funny as hell if Homer had ducked and Pronger got Rob full in the head with his left elbow causing Robto miss a game or two and broke his right elbow on the glass.

You and me both. I would have laughed my ass off if that would have happened.

Suck it up, Brian...he was wrong and you know it.

Anyone remember that sign that showed up the game after Burke started whining back in '02?

BURKE

SHUT UP

LOSE

GO HOME

I think someone needs to revive that sign and put it to use again.

[wingsfan40 0]

burke's an idiot...he'll blame anyone so mr. pronger wont be out...snobbiest GM in the league.

I second Burke being and idiot

[Guest nutz2u]

Yo Burke :violin:

[Kira 451]

I suggest if he's looking for sympathy, the dictionary would be his best bet.