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Bertuzzi eager to prove he can shine in spotlight

ERIC DUHATSCHEK

From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 6:12 PM EST 27/08/08

Lightning-rod winger stresses actions over words as he attempts to relaunch career in Calgary ...Read the full article

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  1. jp6635 trojan from TORONTO, Canada writes: SHAME ON YOU CALGARY....shame for validating that the old boys network that allows goons and thugs to keep playing hockey and get 2nd, 3rd chances is still alive and wekk ..is the calgary farm system so devoid on ANY talent that they continue to use thugs who never paid a real punishment for their crime..I for one will hope that calgary fails miserably again and wasting the talents of kiprussof and iginlia with such a dishonerable player as bertuzzi.
  2. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: jp6635 trojan from TORONTO..... glad to hear you've never made a mistake in your life JP.

    Better not be an NFL (National Felons League) fan..... cause that just might make you a hypocrite.

    Cheers
  3. Hap Stokes from Canada writes: Scot Loucks from Pickering,
    Too rich Scot!
  4. jp6635 trojan from TORONTO, Canada writes: scot..i have made lots of mistakes, but none involved assulting people in a pre-meditated violent attack...time for the hockley old boys network to go away...some teams are willing to bring in new blood, even the leafs these days, rather than go along with the old boys network....read bob mccowan's book about the 100 biggest myths in hockey...hopefully the KHL will shock the NHL to become more professional as they loose more and more talent to european teams without budgets. but i don't see that happening with the totally incompetent bettman running the league, and most canadian teams being run by the old boys network. shame.
  5. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: jp..... wondering what old boys network you are talking about.

    This decade has given us new owners in Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal. (that's just Canada btw).

    New owners in Tampa and Chicago (inherited) as well.... and I don't like Bettman either.

    The KHL will not take over ... trust me on that one ... players want to play the best and the KHL will not be there until they own the Stanley Cup... and Canadian hockey players care more about Stanley than they do an extra million or so.

    Back to Bertuzzi.... we are talking about an incident that happened four plus years ago.... he has more than paid the price. Craig McTavish spent a year in jail for his (off ice) mistake and only he has to live with that for the rest of his life. Heatley didn't spend any time in jail... same thing... he has to live with it for the rest of his life.

    I am old enough to have seen the Leafs actually win the cup (3 times I remember).... I have seen much much worse in the NHL including some brutal stick swinging incidents.... I'm also not convinced that it wasn't the pile on that broke his neck.

    Cheers
  6. j wilson from vancouver, Canada writes:
    JP, it was a grave mistake. Bad outcome. But there have been worse injuries delivered, more vicious intent, on many occasions.

    It was a punch with a gloved fist. Stupid play. But in the other hand he had a stick, and could have pulled something far worse, like Scott Niedermayer's stick to the head of Peter Worrell, or Green and Maki, or Wilf Paiement or Dino Cicelli or Marty McSorely.

    Again, if it had been Steve Downie receiving the punch for the same reason rather than Steve Moore, the voices would be far more muted. Harvard boys shouldnt have to fight the unwashed in the NHL, no matter what theyve done.

    In the 24-hour sportsnews era, Bertuzzi was pilloried like none before. You've been sold on a villain, because villains get ratings.
  7. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: Well said J Wilson.

    Cheers
  8. Scot Loucks from Pickering, Canada writes: btw JP.... forgot to mention in my other post....

    Bob McCowan is an American.... and hates hockey. I do listen to him because his guests usually have something intelligent to say.... but McCowan is a bitter old Basketball fan. :) I wonder who wrote the book for him :)

    Cheers
  9. Steve Howe from North of Wawa, writes: What does Moore’s education have to do with anything? Maybe if he had played junior, finished his Grade 12 at age 23 and didn&8217;t wear a visor, Bertuzzi and the neanderthals would have cut him some slack. As time passes, I want to remind all the Cherry clones that Moore fought Matt Cooke in the first period of that game. According the archaic hockey code of 190_, all should have been settled.

    I have no sympathy for Bertuzzi and I will have no sympathy for the Flames when they have to deal with this distraction all season long. Caveat emptor!
  10. MIchael Hutz from Woodbridge, Canada writes: Again I must repeat that what happened to Moore was unfortunate but would the righteous armchair hockey critics drop this subject. Ask 30 General managers, before the incident, who they would fight for to have on their team between Moore and Todd. I'm sure that most of them would have loved to have Todd on their roster. Does anyone seriously believe in their hearts that Todd intended to go out there to break Moores neck? There are hundreds of cheep shots, hits from behind, vicious cross checks to the neck and flying elbows thrown ever season by men who are simply doing their jobs. Sometimes that dirty job involves payback. A Chris Pronger, adored by any team and fans in the league as one of the best ever, throws the most vicious cross checks at will. Those things can break a neck. He and many many others have been more fortunate than Todd. Its part of the game, its not in the man. Change the game if you will but stop attacking one soul who went out to do a job sanctioned by everyone on the bench including his coach and management.
  11. Andrew Perry from halifax, Canada writes: This isn't just about Bertuzzi and Moore. It's about a sick culture in hockey, one that glorifies thugs like Steve Downey while vilifying those who just try to play the game, a League and players association that still steadfastly refuse to effectively penalize intentional head shots and other attempts to injure, and fans and journalists who come to the rink to watch the fights and the hacking rather than what can in the right hands be the most beautiful game in the world.
    The controversy is not going away so long as there are people who empathize only with one of the involved players. There are those, often men who got as high as Jr' A some times even a cup of coffee in Major Junior who still delude themselves with the "If Onlys". These tend to side with Bertuzzi because they see themselves in his place. There are also those who played, often still play but were at best marginal and thus, like Moore expendable, and a great many who see not themselves but their sons in Moore's place and yes in Bertuzzi's, people who stand between the two camps who genuinely want to see that whole culture changed.
    The Bertuzzi/ Moore incident was a symptom, the illness in well known.
  12. Brenton E. from Canada writes: the league decides that an offense (attack on Moore) of this nature is allowed. So be it! I hope Todd does well and helps the Flames win a championship. I hope Moore gets every penny he's asking for. I hope the players and the owners pay egually for this horrible act (ending of Moore's career). I hope this never happens again.
  13. xoxo hockey girl from Canada writes: Bertuzzi is going to make the season interesting. But realistically a hit on neck is one thing. But when you have 10 other players piled on top of you in a awkward position might have played a part of it. I think Calgary can handle it because if Anaheim and Detroit could handle the circus that comes with him, then why is it a big deal for him to be with Calgary?

    Moore chose to play hockey. Moore chose to attack one of Vancouver’s top player. Not saying that it justifies Bertuzzi’s actions but what if Moore attacked Crosby instead? What would you guys be saying now?
  14. Duncan McCockenue from Canada writes: Man... this is the oldest, most beaten dead horse of all time! Those of you wishing for Calgary's demise would be regardless of who we brought in. True Flames fans love this move, or at least; will reserve judgement until the season is well on its way. In my opinion, the only thing that matters is team solidarity and getting value out of your players. If both remain intact, then I'm happy. Bottom line is that you get a decent player at a bargain price.
  15. S D from Resolute Bay, Canada writes: As it has been proven in the past and will proven time and time again Flames fans aren't the most educated hockey fans. Go to a game and see what they cheer for you and you will understand.

    Are people seriously happy with this move? Wow paying a underproducing, slow geriatric $1.85M who will be injured within 5 games is not what anyone ,but a blind Flmaes, woudl call a good investment.
  16. Montgomery C. Burns from Springfield, Canada writes: If the incidents such as the ones perpetrated by Bertuzzi, McSorley, etc.
    happened in the minor leagues, these players would have been banned
    for life. There is the hypocrisy.
  17. xoxo hockey girl from Canada writes: S D What would you know about it? You don't even have a NHL Team there. Did people call the Wings or Ducks idoits? As for education you should think about your own province before poking at others.

    All I can say is that the Flames always give their fans the hope of going further. You must be a Leafs fan, because they don't have anything to look forward to and need to pick on others.
  18. Ryan M from Canada writes: Michael Hutz, well put.

    jp6635 - what 'old boys network' are you talking about?

    Nice to see so many self-righteous folks who have undoubtedly led nothing but an angelic life attack Bertuzzi here. I'm sure Todd wouldn't think about 'the incident' and have to live with it every day of his life were it not for your reminders. Well done.

    xoxo - I wouldn't say much about Bertuzzi's time with Detroit and Anaheim...too much money, not enough production. He didn't last long with either team. Could be a steal for the Flames, though.
  19. Neil No more last name from Canada writes: People still defend these violent acts in hockey?

    Come on, 21st century.

    Bert or Pronger, Downey or Domi (Elbow to Niedermeyer's head - the worse I remember)

    It's all the ugly part of hockey, and it all needs to be done with and you all know it.

    Stop defending crap like this in the game. If the NHL says he can play again, he can that's fine. I'll live with it.

    But don't defend blatant intent's to injure - he certainly didn't mean to break a neck, but he wasn't tapping him across the back of the head either.

    Full contact sport means body checking's allowed. Chasing players around the ice with the intent to injure isn't.

    Just like it ain't cool seeing Mike Milbury beat a fan with his shoe in the stands.

    or the brawl in the palace.

    Or George Bell throwing a flying kick at a pitcher.

    the point - no sportsmanship, no respect, no place for apologists.
  20. j wilson from vancouver, Canada writes: Check out the end of Jeff Beukeboom's career as a comparison. Johnson got a 12 games suspension, and no one spent years nailing Matt Johnson to a cross.

    Johnson, as the perp, wasnt a star player, and Beukeboom, the victim, had no pedigree. This story disappeared like a fart in a hurricane.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTM8ocJJkY4
  21. j wilson from vancouver, Canada writes: Anyway, point is: Bertuzzi was punished, what he did was (unfortunately) not as otherworldly unheard of as some suggest. There's no difference between the Flames signing him than there was to teams putting contracts in front of other headhunters like Niedermayer, Domi, Green, Eddie Shore, Maurice Richard, Salei... and a fistful of others.
  22. Jude Hannaford from Canada writes: Scot

    I too listen to Bob on PTS and I don't see where you get the idea that Bob hates hockey. I think what he dislikes is the way the Coly hands out suspensions, and Gary's business plan. One thing I do know is that he hates Soccer. Wasn't Bob a golf pro at some time?

    Good news however, Cammalerri and Roy checked into the hotel I work at, the season is close very close.
  23. Aaron Treacher from vancouver, Canada writes: jp,
    Do you know how many times a year someone punches someone else from behind on the ice at least 5 maybe 10 maybe more. So how many served any suspensions? 0 until Bertuzzi. The problem is more that the league refuses to punish anyone until there is a serious injury. It's like refusing to punish drunk drivers unless they kill someone. Do you know when the league will introduce no touch icing? I bet it will be after an NHL player ends up a quad.
  24. Mr. Habs are the best from Canada writes: This on-ice incident has cost Bertuzzi several millions of dollars.
    In my eyes, still not enough. He should have been banned for life and served 2 years in jail. He is a pure thug that does not deserve to be on the ice.

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