Those of us who belong to a segment of the NHL fans who know what Ovechkin really is has finally breathed a sigh of relief and proclaim to the heavens "IT'S ABOUT TIME!" The NHL has suspended (albeit grudgingly) Alex Ovechkin 2 games for his careless knee-on-knee hit on Carolina Hurricanes defenceman Tim Gleason. Even though the hit did not cause severe damage to Gleason, this was not the first time that Ovechkin has made a hit like that. If you've followed my blog to this point, the repeated history of the carelessness that Ovechkin continues to show will only increase to a point where somebody breaks a neck or other critical body part.
The controversial nature of this story is only as controversial as the Russian Ovechkin already portrays himself. It put the league in quite a bind to have to suspend one of the league's consistent leading scorers. He's also got a legion of lemming fans that devote some truly blind allegiance to him.
And if this doesn't get you riled up, look at the way that Ovechkin reacts to the Gleason hit.
"It's not a bad injury," Ovechkin said. "I thought it was going to be worse, but thank God I can walk, I can skate. Of course, it's a little bit sore, but it's not that serious."No mention in that sentence is he at all concerned with his opponent. It's all about him. It's like his selfishness knows no bounds.
Ovechkin should take the advice of Mark Specktor, with his column at Rogers Sportsnet:
What we’re seeing now is Ovechkin beginning to cross the line from aggressive superstar to a kamikaze hitter who can’t handle the fact that he is going to miss sometimes....If Ovechkin wants to run around and throw the big hit, fine. But if he can’t learn to pass up a hit — like on Gleason, who saw him coming and was about to side step the check — then NHL discipline czar Colin Campbell will be forced to step in again.And I hope that the next step is Ovechkin being banned for life from the NHL!
[Via: Rogers Sportsnet and Spector @ Sportsnet]
2 comments:
This is the last straw. I have tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. However, this article is ridiculous at best. You can count on one hand the number of "careless" incidents. If you ever played any competitive hockey you would recognize that these things happen. Players, even the best, make mistakes.
You're just a homer plug who gets on his knees for Cindy Crosby every night. Please Google search "journalistic integrity". Thanks.
Okay, so there is a couple of things wrong with your comment, Educated Hockey Fan.
First, have the courage and the decency to leave your own name behind your words or forever be known as a coward. Secondly, the incidents may seem like that there is only a few, but that is the ones that have made the highlight reel. There are plenty more high hits to the head that go unnoticed. Thirdly, having the courage of his own beliefs, as he likes to say, only emboldens him more when the facts are on his side. He tells it like it is.
Next, Michael has studied journalism and has an accredited degree from a major university.
Lastly, your cruel labeling of Crosby has not only worn thin, but only shows petty jealousy.
Grow up.
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