NHL FORCED TO MAKE EXAMPLE OF TORRES
Shark’s 41- game suspension handed down in face of potential lawsuit
It’s no fun kicking a man when he’s down, but every once in a while, there’s an exception. In this case, its name is Raffi Torres.
The National Hockey League was doing itself no favours by allowing its teams to continue to employ players who demonstrate, over and over again, zero respect for the game or for the welfare of opponents.
Torres, a San Jose Shark in his most recent incarnation, is Exhibit A — or B, if you prefer ( because Matt Cooke kind of retired A) — in the potential class- action suit against the NHL by former players who may fairly argue that the league, via its coaches and GMs, continually enables, encourages and values the types of hits that damage brains, and refuses to permanently remove the chronic offenders from the equation.
His most recent atrocity forced the NHL to act, and 41 games, a full half- season, is a decent response. Not perfect, but who expected perfect?
Colin- Oscopy: It happens in every sport, the stunning decline of an athlete who shows amazing promise early on and then all but disappears into mediocrity. This week’s case in point: San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who was the new- age rage two years ago and today can’t seem to hit the ocean from the end of the pier with a thrown football.
Opponents have learned to all but ignore the pass and concentrate on stopping Kaepernick from running. Sunday, after sacking the quarterback, Green
Bay linebacker Clay Matthews kissed his bicep in a mocking nod to Kaepernick’s self- glorifying signature celebration, and after he hauled down Kaepernick for a loss on a read- option play, Matthews shouted: “You ain’t Russell Wilson, bro.”
Hold Your Horses: Speaking of people who aren’t Wilson, the Seattle Seahawks’ field general, let’s add B. C. Lions QB Jon Jennings to the list. Or at least delay the coronation until further evidence is in.
Not to take anything away from the most heartening performance by a Lions player, let alone QB, in a very long time, but Jennings’ four touchdown passes and a TD reception in Saturday’s 46- 20 win at B. C. Place were, lest we forget, against Saskatchewan.
Three of the Lions’ five wins this season have come against that same team, now 2- 12.
Also, about that touchdown reception on a gadget play, on which Austin Collie threw a wonderful pass in between two defenders: if DB Tristan Jackson had wanted to take Jennings’ head off with a hit instead of running past the play, he was in perfect position to do so, and the Lions might be, once again, looking for a quarterback.
Bang For Their Buck: Interesting, from Maury Brown of Forbes. The Toronto Blue Jays, who have the ninth- highest payroll in Major League Baseball, are No. 4 among playoff teams in dollars spent per win. The Jays’ $ 1.484 million per regular- season victory is just 44 per cent of what the L. A. Dodgers ($ 3.379M) paid out. The New York Yankees spent secondmost per win ($ 2.515M), while Toronto’s first- round opponent, the Texas Rangers ($ 1.722), were No. 3.
Best playoff bargain: Houston Astros, $ 936,000 per win.
L. A.- Di- Dah: The Dodgers’ payroll,
meanwhile, exceeds MLB’s luxury tax threshold by more ($ 121,872,000) than the entire payrolls of the Astros, Pirates and Mets, all playoff teams.
Stability Wins: Courtesy ESPN SportCenter and since the New England Patriots hired Bill Belichick in 2000, the other three teams in the AFC East have gone through 21 head coaches.
Hire a coach you believe in, and stick with him.
Most teams lose their belief quickly, trying to outsmart Belichick.
29 Seconds: That’s how long it took the Sedin twins to end the game against Edmonton in 3- on- 3 overtime Saturday night. There is little reason to suppose that, at least in the beginning until coaches inevitably figure out how to dull it up, the new O/ T format won’t be the happiest addition to the rule book since the NHL allowed the forward pass in 1929- 30.
Apology Accepted: Rory McIlroy tells ESPN that the PGA Tour cut his fine for throwing a club into a lake at Doral in March to $ 5,000 from $ 25,000, because he apologized.
Who said sorry seems to be the hardest word? Elton John. Clearly not a golfer.
McIlroy, who damaged nothing but perhaps some unsuspecting fish by launching his club into the drink, threw a number of other clubs during the season, so perhaps he hasn’t learned his lesson. I salute him.
Of course, he was No. 1 in the world at the time, so I guess you can’t have a generation of little golfers going around thinking it’s OK to helicopter their clubs, with probably poorer aim, after bad shots. Still, sometimes the club doesn’t listen to simple verbal abuse, and steps must be taken.
Best Day Ever: If you think hockey ever had a better day in the maternity wards than Oct. 5, 1965, we’d love to hear what it was. A belated happy 50th, Mario Lemieux and Patrick Roy. Two great players, one great quote.