WHEN HOCKEY PLAYERS CROSS THE LINE

Todd Bertuzzi by Jo Ann Lawery We've all seen the images over and over by now. Colorado Avalanche player, Steve Moore is attempting to make his way back to the bench. He never makes it, as he is sucker-punched to the head and tackled to the ice by big Vancouver Canucks All-Star, Todd Bertuzzi. Moore's hockey future is in doubt, as he suffered a concussion and damage to his vertebrae. Bertuzzi, got the punishment he deserved -- he's out for the regular season and the playoffs. His status will then be reviewed at the start of next season and will probably be contingent on whether Moore has fully recovered at that point. Bertuzzi apologized for the hit, saying, "I didn't mean to hurt him." Call me naive, and a big Bertuzzi fan, which I am, but I honestly do believe Bertuzzi -- sort of. I do believe he didn't mean to injure Moore. He was "sending a message." Therein lies the problem. Bertuzzi was retaliating for Moore's hit on linemate and fellow Canucks All-Star Markus Naslund last month. The hit was borderline clean, but resulted in a Naslund concussion. In response, Bertuzzi did what no hockey player should ever do. He crossed the line when it comes to retaliation and not only he, but the Canucks are paying for it as well. Bertuzzi isn't the only player to go over the edge. Just a few months ago, in a game against Minnesota, Los Angeles Kings tough guy, Sean Avery just didn't let up during a fight. After the opposing player was down, Avery lost his cool and kept pounding on him. Not only did he receive a game misconduct, he was rightfully reprimanded by Kings' coach Andy Murray, who sat Avery down for not one, but two games. He was also taken aside by Kings' veteran and captain, Mattias Norstrom, who basically told Avery that his behavior wouldn't be tolerated on the Kings. What's going on with hockey players today? Have players just gotten a little too testy? There is nothing wrong with standing up for a teammate, but surely there are better ways to do it. I have been a hockey fan since 1967 and I can truly say I have never seen such insanity as the kind that's happening in hockey right now. Hockey has turned ugly, very ugly and the media, based mostly in the United States, seem to delight in telling us everything that they see wrong in hockey. Who's to blame for all this madness? The players? Or the coaches? What about us fans? Do we condone this nonsense? Admit it, some of like to see the hard, clean hits that go on. We won't even mention how much some of us like the fights. I know I do and I have no problem seeing two players duke it out, cleanly, not hitting from behind. My biggest gripe is with some of the coaches, like Marc Crawford, who can't seem to keep their mouths shut, and players like Todd Bertuzzi, who let their emotions get the better of them. I understand Bertuzzi was trying to send "a message", but that's not his job. His job is to score goals not be "team security". And the last time I looked at Markus Naslund, he looked big enough to handle his own business. The league commissioner and referees can only do so much. The players have to police themselves and right now they're doing a real lousy job of it. The game as we know it is in serious trouble. Hockey fans don't need to see the game destroyed by some players crossing the line. Jo Ann Lawery was born in New York, a New York Rangers fan. She was introduced to hockey by her late nephew, who was an Islanders fan! She has lived in Southern California for seven years and has written articles on many internet websites, including the now defunct Boston Sports Report. You can reach Jo Ann at: Berard34@hotmail.com