tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post6711078921508547916..comments2024-03-08T23:13:42.780-06:00Comments on Hockey Blog In Canada: Maybe We're The ProblemTeebzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-74390951927815563932009-11-04T19:08:18.714-06:002009-11-04T19:08:18.714-06:00Good point about the chinstrap, Zvi, and it might ...Good point about the chinstrap, Zvi, and it might be why football players have a lower rate of incidents for concussions. They are mandated to have the chinstrap properly fastened or they are penalized. Maybe this is something like the fight strap in the jersey: everyone has it done up properly, or you're assessed a game misconduct.<br /><br />As for the hit itself, Liambis finished his check well after the puck was gone. The Hockey News even said that the only person who could have changed the outcome of this hit was Liambis.<br /><br />I'll have more on this tomorrow, but great discussion and some excellent points, everyone.Teebzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-63253932306756754062009-11-04T18:19:18.129-06:002009-11-04T18:19:18.129-06:00Teebz, I'm both a hockey fan and a medical stu...Teebz, I'm both a hockey fan and a medical student so maybe I'm coming from a different perspective. I've got 2 points to make.<br />In no way am I blaming Fanelli (and I agree with your post over the danger of shots to the head and I can surely tell you all of the dangers of head trauma from my work in various Emergency Departments), but if you look at the replay, Fanelli’s helmet chin strap is not snug around his chin, and his helmet is therefore jarred off with the huge hit. Does anyone remember the Kariya or or Tony Granato or Lindros post-concussion NHL career talk? Just ask Dr. Karen Johnson, the Neurosurgeon and Director of Neurotrauma at McGill. It was all about a better protective helmet which both fits properly and is worn correctly. Correctly as in snug around the chin and not how he or many NHLers do (Ryan Callahan comes to mind - if you watch a NYR game, his helmet is constantly flopping around since his chin strap isn’t tight enough). It's a matter of proper equipment, and coaches, trainers and equipment managers all need to be aware of this.<br />Secondly, Fanelli seems to have turned at the last moment, thus both exposing his back and lowering his head to Liambas's shoulder/elbow level. Again, there should be nopthong legal about a hit to the head, but if Fanelli doesn’t turn and lower his head, it’s might be at most a 2 min penalty for charging.<br /> Med student hockey nutDubehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02209850969213658697noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-13385139029106310142009-11-03T17:50:28.413-06:002009-11-03T17:50:28.413-06:00Right right...I did see an HBO Sports special (or ...Right right...I did see an HBO Sports special (or some such US TV program) about old time pro football players with unfortunate effects from head injuries way after they retire. Or was that boxing? My memory is fading...<br /><br />Just my thoughts on the Liambas hit. I've only seen the hit on CBC in slow motion (I can't see Youtube feeds at work) and it looked clean to me. Liambas did charge at him full tilt starting at the blue line...was that necessary? Probably not. It's a freak accident. Hockey is a rough game...unfortunately kids sometimes get seriously hurt and I'm sure it's a risk they are all aware of and accept. I certainly hope Fanelli comes back 100%.<br /><br />My inappropriate rant of the day - let's just hope the OHL doesn't go the way of the Q; my opinion, the biggest fags among the three. My trailer park white trash ass will root for the WHL where real hockey is still being played.Dondihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16905982497854771142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-55761004804488662872009-11-03T12:15:55.983-06:002009-11-03T12:15:55.983-06:00MY - LOL!
The frequency of head injuries compared...MY - LOL!<br /><br />The frequency of head injuries compared to football injuries is about 5:1. The reason? Football helmets are designed to absorb hits. The hockey helmet is not.<br /><br />However, the number of NFL players who are suffering from long-term head injuries is staggering.<br /><br />Protecting the head is paramount in both leagues, but neither league knows how to establish a rule, and neither league wants to accept responsibility for players who may be suffering from these injuries.<br /><br />It's a slippery slope, but unless someone steps up to help the $50 million investment, you're assuming a Bernie Madoff-style risk with your investment. One hit, and that player could be done.<br /><br />Keith Primeau, Eric Lindros, and Pat Lafontaine are your references in this scenario.Teebzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-4593530671583912172009-11-03T12:10:38.828-06:002009-11-03T12:10:38.828-06:00How come this doesn't happen in other contact ...How come this doesn't happen in other contact sports like NFL Football and Lacrosse...or does it? I don't watch American Football or Lacrosse...I do recall Football players literally dying on the field from the heat or some such.<br /><br />I don't buy the culture argument. The NHL has always been a collection of disrespectful bastards that we all hated unless they played for our team (e.g. Gassoff, Wensink, John Kordic, etc. etc. as far as I can tell, these guys played to kill EVERYONE on the opposing team). I also don't buy the enforcer role that puts fear in other players to prevent dirty hits...I'm 100% certain Bonvie has absolutely no fear of Probert even after the beating he took. I recall the great Paul Stuart once say he had no fear of the Bruins, let alone Stan Jonathan...I think he said Jonathan beat Pierre Bouchard to a bloody pulp, but who the hell did Pierre Bouchard beat?<br /><br />You know, if I was a owner, I'll be super f'n pissed if my $50 Million dollar investment just goes down the toilet because some asshole treated his head like a Fun-Go ball.<br /><br />I don't know. I don't have a point...I just want my old NHL back. There was nothing wrong with it. I'm one of those grumpy old farts that can't handle change.Dondihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16905982497854771142noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-69648753344047890192009-11-03T10:57:07.561-06:002009-11-03T10:57:07.561-06:00JTH - I don't believe Mitchell's hit was m...JTH - I don't believe Mitchell's hit was more vicious than any of the others, and it appears that it is shoulder-on-shoulder which is legal. But the fact that he blindsided Toews makes it extremely dangerous. I'm all for legal big hits, but there's a respect factor that I want to see players adopt. And this is one such case where Mitchell could have slowed up Toews with no penalty rather than knocking him silly.<br /><br />Peter - the helmet may have done some good, but with his facial injuries and possible brain injury, it means little. I agree that good work is being done on the equipment level, but the truth of the matter is that Liambis is the only person who could have changed the outcome of that hit if he had simply made a different choice. I'm not blaming Liambis, though, because his coaches would have ripped him a new one if he didn't throw the check. Therefore, the culture is to blame.<br /><br />Again, I'm not asking for hits to be outlawed. I am asking for head checks to be penalized. If the brain is the most important organ in your body, why aren't we protecting it more?Teebzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-68085609039431770802009-11-03T10:09:08.766-06:002009-11-03T10:09:08.766-06:00While that was a vicious hit...can some light be s...While that was a vicious hit...can some light be shed how the helmet actually may have saved his life? <br /><br />Teebz, I believe it was you that pointed out that Messier is striving to create better head gear, to help prevent injuries as in this extreme case.<br /><br />I truly don't believe the hit was malicious, that same hit has been delivered 1000's of times, but due to the young age of the guy getting hit, what are his chances of playing again? <br /><br />Is second impact syndrome as serious in Hockey as in High School level football?Peterhttp://www.karavida.tvnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-84908780917995566032009-11-03T09:58:51.151-06:002009-11-03T09:58:51.151-06:00So Teebz, are you saying that Mitchell's hit o...So Teebz, are you saying that Mitchell's hit on Toews was illegal? I was watching that game and it looked clean to me. Hawks' announcers Eddie Olczyk and Pat Foley also thought it was clean, even after many replays. And watching the clip you linked, the TSN announcers seem to agree.<br /><br />It appeared to be shoulder-to-shoulder contact. I didn't see any contact with the head and Mitchell had his arm down.JTHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047380192814991586noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-5705387860629635032009-11-03T00:34:56.780-06:002009-11-03T00:34:56.780-06:00If you can't hit the other 4'10" of h...If you can't hit the other 4'10" of him, you clearly haven't learned how to throw a bodycheck. You're aiming for the head, and that's precisely what needs to be eliminated.<br /><br />I'm not looking to outlaw hitting. I'm banning any contact with the head. It doesn't matter if you hit him clean or not - contact to the head needs to be eliminated.<br /><br />I have and still play the game. Granted, a beer league is far less intense than the NHL, but no one is out there looking to ruin someone's life. Hits to the head, as shown in the rule, are outlawed for that very reason: brain injuries are significant and long-lasting.<br /><br />And if you're dropping your shoulder to hit a 5'10" guy when you're 6'5", you're head-hunting.Teebzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00538474727022437837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5906875144542272320.post-68070694646899307812009-11-02T23:30:17.412-06:002009-11-02T23:30:17.412-06:00speaking only of clean open ice shoulder to head h...speaking only of clean open ice shoulder to head hits.... I'm 6'5", if a little 5'10" forward cuts across the ice on my blue line, and I hit him clean.... where do you think my shoulder is going to hit him?<br />You cannot outlaw clean hits to the head unless you add a rule that players must be at least 6'1" to play in the NHL.<br />Any talk of outlawing hits to the head is garbage by people who haven't played the game because it's an impossible thing to do.Captain Canuckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02189853561737282234noreply@blogger.com