109 replies to this topic

[eva unit zero]

The people using the word blindside in this thread are ridiculous, they should put a word in the rule called peripheral vision to help people who haven't played figure out that just because a guy comes across to hit another doesn't mean if their head is up they cant see the guy. One of the first things I was taught in hockey was to use my peripheral vision to avoid hits. When they come from the angle Cooke did, then yes that is blindside, but when the guy making the hit comes BLATANTLY form in front of a guy, if they have their head up they will see him.

Ok coach, how does Horton avoid this one? He's gliding into center ice while Lucic is lining up to receive the pass and Rome is lining up to hit him. He is moving pretty slowly and couldn't get out of the way if he tried to. Which, of course, would have required his knowing that the hit was coming. Just because Rome's final motion was to hit Horton towards center ice doesn't make this a north-south hit; he was skating east-west for a good distance directly before he threw the hit. That makes it a blindside hit. Whether Horton should have seen him is irrelevant; especially as Horton wouldn't have been able to avoid him anyway.

[jollymania]

Ok coach, how does Horton avoid this one? He's gliding into center ice while Lucic is lining up to receive the pass and Rome is lining up to hit him. He is moving pretty slowly and couldn't get out of the way if he tried to. Which, of course, would have required his knowing that the hit was coming. Just because Rome's final motion was to hit Horton towards center ice doesn't make this a north-south hit; he was skating east-west for a good distance directly before he threw the hit. That makes it a blindside hit. Whether Horton should have seen him is irrelevant; especially as Horton wouldn't have been able to avoid him anyway.

sigh, you have no concept of hitting in hockey. Would you try to hit Lindros if he was looking at you? If horton had his head up the whole time chances are Rome doesn't step up because he knows Horton would get something up in defense. The whole entire pattern of Rome's skating would have been visible to horton if he was looking where he was about to skate. The fact that Horton could have seen him is the most relevant thing because if his head was in the proper position it wouldn't have beena blindside. So what you are saying is guys should deliberately look away or skate with their heads down to draw penalties?

[under_par_00]

It's a rough game, keep your head up.


I wonder what Scott Stevens would have to say about the Rome hit on Horton?

Edited by under_par_00, 08 June 2011 - 05:09 AM.

[toby91_ca]

Ok coach, how does Horton avoid this one? He's gliding into center ice while Lucic is lining up to receive the pass and Rome is lining up to hit him. He is moving pretty slowly and couldn't get out of the way if he tried to. Which, of course, would have required his knowing that the hit was coming. Just because Rome's final motion was to hit Horton towards center ice doesn't make this a north-south hit; he was skating east-west for a good distance directly before he threw the hit. That makes it a blindside hit. Whether Horton should have seen him is irrelevant; especially as Horton wouldn't have been able to avoid him anyway.

I think this was pretty clearly a north south hit...nowhere even close to a blindside hit and I don't think many in the hockey world (players, coaches, analysts, etc.) are questioning that. For me, the only problem at all with the hit is that it was a little late.

[Konnan511]

A late hit that lead to a devastating injury. "An eye for and eye" type of suspension. I'm perfectly fine with it.

The hit wasn't dirty, it was just late, and you can't have that.

[Drake_Marcus]

The hit was to the area of the collarbone. It was the impact on the ice that gave Horton the concussion.

Eh? I guess I need to rewatch the video. I thought it was a head shot.

[Konnan511]

Decided I'd illustrate this:
All of this adds up to a long suspension. I think the NHL got it right.

I +1'd you because I think your assessment is spot on, but those dots reminded me of NHL EHM 2007.

[Drake_Marcus]

I wonder what Scott Stevens would have to say about the Rome hit on Horton?

To be honest? I doubt he'd be as happy with it as people seem to think. After he knocked Lindros out he was pretty upset. Apparently he had to be consoled by his coach afterwords. Moreover, Stevens' retirement wasn't on his own terms-- he did so because of post-concussion syndrome. When a guy gets carted off the ice on a stretcher and has to stay in the hospital overnight it's pretty upsetting. Stevens' hits were kind of like Kronwall's in the sense that he'd catch people and just wreck them. But, like Kronwall, Stevens wasn't a dirty player aside from making hits that some called dirty. He wasn't a guy who tried to injure people any way he could (see: Pronger, Chris).

Today we know a lot more about concussions than we did ten years ago. Medical science continues to show how serious concussions are and how dire the long-term repercussions can be. Having a brazen attitude about causing someone else brain damage is just ignorant.

[Drake_Marcus]

Problem is, 4 games in the SCF is unprecedented. Certainly, the hit deserved a suspension. A game or 2 ok, but the remainder of the playoffs? Has it been done before? The league looks stupid because the suspensions seem to be arbitrary. If they want to crack down, fine. They should ramp up the level of suspensions but to go from what 1 game or zero games in the last hit like this to 4.

It makes no sense. And I am NOT defending the hit or the guy. I am questioning the way the league hands down suspensions.

Rome is a schlub. There's no way this suspension would go down this hard on Chara. The NHL's shown many times that examples are only to be made with non-stars.

Life is a little bit different than a hockey game. The guys on the ice know that they can hit or be hit. You are not seriously comparing a hockey game to running over a chick on the road are you?

I am because in both cases you have to consider the health of a defenceless person. Most hockey players let up when the see the guy in front of them is defenceless. No one has a license to be reckless. Intent to injure is taken very seriously in the NHL among management AND players.

[Konnan511]

To be honest? I doubt he'd be as happy with it as people seem to think. After he knocked Lindros out he was pretty upset. Apparently he had to be consoled by his coach afterwords. Moreover, Stevens' retirement wasn't on his own terms-- he did so because of post-concussion syndrome. When a guy gets carted off the ice on a stretcher and has to stay in the hospital overnight it's pretty upsetting. Stevens' hits were kind of like Kronwall's in the sense that he'd catch people and just wreck them. But, like Kronwall, Stevens wasn't a dirty player aside from making hits that some called dirty. He wasn't a guy who tried to injure people any way he could (see: Pronger, Chris).

Today we know a lot more about concussions than we did ten years ago. Medical science continues to show how serious concussions are and how dire the long-term repercussions can be. Having a brazen attitude about causing someone else brain damage is just ignorant.

[Crymson]

To be honest? I doubt he'd be as happy with it as people seem to think. After he knocked Lindros out he was pretty upset. Apparently he had to be consoled by his coach afterwords. Moreover, Stevens' retirement wasn't on his own terms-- he did so because of post-concussion syndrome. When a guy gets carted off the ice on a stretcher and has to stay in the hospital overnight it's pretty upsetting. Stevens' hits were kind of like Kronwall's in the sense that he'd catch people and just wreck them. But, like Kronwall, Stevens wasn't a dirty player aside from making hits that some called dirty. He wasn't a guy who tried to injure people any way he could (see: Pronger, Chris).

Today we know a lot more about concussions than we did ten years ago. Medical science continues to show how serious concussions are and how dire the long-term repercussions can be. Having a brazen attitude about causing someone else brain damage is just ignorant.

A large chunk of Stevens's big hits would be considered illegal today, as they would violate rule 48.

[Drake_Marcus]

A large chunk of Stevens's big hits would be considered illegal today, as they would violate rule 48.

True. A big part of that comes from how much more we know about concussions today. The best parallel would be helmet-to-helmet hits in the NFL. At some point our standards for clean/dirty plays have to catch up with the medical reality of what concussions can do to players. If ruling out certain hits can significantly improve the quality of life of the players during and after their careers end it's the league's responsibility to take action. No one should have to suffer from memory loss or periodic headaches/nausea for the rest of their life. The impact on a person's quality of life is so much larger for brain injuries compared to muscle or skeletal injuries.

[dteowner]

Eh? I guess I need to rewatch the video. I thought it was a head shot.

You really should. It takes a couple views to really get what's happening. To the folks still claiming this was a blindside hit, you need to pause your way thru the :52 mark of the video back in post #7. Rome nearly comes to a stop before jumping into Horton. Pause thru the video and see. At the moment of impact, the only part of Rome not directly in front of Horton is the right leg that he used to plant himself (you can see the ice spray from that plant near the end of the video if you want to). Even at the moment of impact, Horton is still admiring his pass, but the angle of body contact is nearly face-to-face. You can also see that Horton's accelerating stride (with his left leg, as he presumably heads to the net) actually angles his body toward the hit.

[jollymania]

True. A big part of that comes from how much more we know about concussions today. The best parallel would be helmet-to-helmet hits in the NFL. At some point our standards for clean/dirty plays have to catch up with the medical reality of what concussions can do to players. If ruling out certain hits can significantly improve the quality of life of the players during and after their careers end it's the league's responsibility to take action. No one should have to suffer from memory loss or periodic headaches/nausea for the rest of their life. The impact on a person's quality of life is so much larger for brain injuries compared to muscle or skeletal injuries.

they also get paid millions, play a game they love, and have the ability to avoid hits if they wanted to see: lidstrom.

[stevkrause]

To be honest? I doubt he'd be as happy with it as people seem to think. After he knocked Lindros out he was pretty upset. Apparently he had to be consoled by his coach afterwords. Moreover, Stevens' retirement wasn't on his own terms-- he did so because of post-concussion syndrome. When a guy gets carted off the ice on a stretcher and has to stay in the hospital overnight it's pretty upsetting. Stevens' hits were kind of like Kronwall's in the sense that he'd catch people and just wreck them. But, like Kronwall, Stevens wasn't a dirty player aside from making hits that some called dirty. He wasn't a guy who tried to injure people any way he could (see: Pronger, Chris).

Today we know a lot more about concussions than we did ten years ago. Medical science continues to show how serious concussions are and how dire the long-term repercussions can be. Having a brazen attitude about causing someone else brain damage is just ignorant.

Perfectly stated.

[Konnan511]

they also get paid millions, play a game they love, and have the ability to avoid hits if they wanted to see: lidstrom.

Ah yes, just have the vision and presence of mind of a NHL Hall of Fame defenseman

[stevkrause]

they also get paid millions, play a game they love, and have the ability to avoid hits if they wanted to see: lidstrom.

Wow... just, wow...

[haroldsnepsts]

they also get paid millions, play a game they love, and have the ability to avoid hits if they wanted to see: lidstrom.

You think people get hit because they don't want to avoid them??

Who wouldn't want to avoid getting crushed if it were that easy?

[haroldsnepsts]

A large chunk of Stevens's big hits would be considered illegal today, as they would violate rule 48.

I honestly don't think they would. First off a lot of people think all of Steven's hits were like his highlight reel. But those were by far the most devastating. A handful of them would be. Kariya, Kozlov, Lindros.

But the great proportion of them were from the front, arms tucked in, skates on the ice and while there may have been contact to the head, it was not the principal point. Typically they were crushing a guy in the chest.

Edited by haroldsnepsts, 08 June 2011 - 02:39 PM.

[sputman]

I think part of the reason they made such a stand on this is because they missed suspending burrows. They miss that and he goes out and pots 2 goals including the ot winner. I think they are definitely trying to compensate for that. But I do think they suspension length is worthy.

i dont know why somebody "negatived" you on this. your exact point has been talked about on sports shows ever since the hit. though i wouldn't say it was in response to burrows scoring 2 goals afterwards, i think they would have come down on anybody hard regardless of what he did.