More fines in the NFL

From where I sit it looks like a couple more fines are coming from the NFL...

via bleacherreport.com

First to Mike Tomlin for not paying attention to what's happening in front of him. I don't blame Tomlin for watching what's happening on the jumbotron. Let's face it, the sidelines is one of the worst places to watch football. It's almost impossible to get an accurate picture with what's happening on the field. Maybe someone should get him a tablet so he can stand back a bit and watch the TV coverage.

via sports.yahoo.com

Meanwhile, Ndamukong Suh is at it again. This time for a throat slash. He got flagged for 15 yards on Thanksgiving for taking his helmet off following his sack of Matt Flynn for a safety. I'm starting to question whether Suh actually cares about himself or his teammates. Both of these rules have been on the books for a long time. In fact, the rest of the defence was yelling at him to get his helmet back on. I would ask him to smarten up, but honestly he gives so much blog worthy material I'm not really complaining. Although I bet the Lions are getting sick of it...

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Kidd gets fined for being creative

From where I sit it looks like the NBA isn't impressed with Jason Kidd...

Given how crappy the Nets are once again this is creating a positive highlight for Brooklyn. Well, it's kind of positive. I will give Kidd credit for coming up with an original idea to buy his team a timeout. I do have a couple of problems with the plan. For starters, it was too obvious. It doesn't take much of a lip reader to see Kidd's instruction to Tyshawn Taylor. Maybe next time Kidd could find a more subtle way to give those orders. A simple nod of the head, for instance. Secondarily, it didn't actually accomplish very much. Sure, they got time to draw up a play, but they didn't score. And, in the end that's the real goal. To create a play and execute it. The Nets still lost, the game ended the way it should have. Jason Kidd got to show some bravado, and Karma looked after the rest.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The Leafs don't shoot and Happy Thanksgiving

From where I sit it looks like the Maple Leafs have discovered a novel way to lose a game...don't shoot...

via torontosun.com

It doesn't happen very often; a team ends up with no shots over the course of 25 minutes. I'm not going to pretend I can play, but honestly, no shots? Nothing drifted in from the blue line? No weak wrister form the wing? Not even a clearing attempt that hit the net? Nothing. Toronto even had a power play in the 3^rd and still couldn't find the net. Questions have been raised about the Leafs long-term ability to keep winning games when they are out shot on a consistent basis. This is another sign the team won't last without changes. As Wayne Gretzky so eloquently put it, “You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.”

It's Thanksgiving south of the border...

via forbes.com

Yes, I'm a proud Canadian. To tell the truth, the US Thanksgiving is a great day of sports...well, 2 days actually. There's football all day today, followed by basketball and hockey tomorrow. Plus the Macy's Parade, Black Friday deals, and a 4 day weekend...I think I may need dual citizenship...

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The NHL faces a suit over concussions

From where I sit it looks like the NHL is the latest league to face a lawsuit over concussions...

via faceoff.com

I have a few questions here. For starters...who the hell are most of these guys? Three of them played 20 games or less in the NHL. On the other hand, what difference does it make if the men are household names? It shouldn't just be the big stars getting medical help for a lifetime of being hammered. However, how is the NHL responsible for the long-term concussion effects for players who saw little action in the league? This lawsuit should be also directed at the AHL, ECHL and others where the injuries are more likely to have happened. How many of the concussions can be proven to have happened in the NHL? Yes, Rick Viave and Gary Leeman obviously got concussions in the NHL, but what about Darren Banks or Brad Aitken? The suit also alleges the NHL covered up the long-term problems associated with concussions. I can't speak for the players, but honestly, I would take a safe guess that any injury involving the brain could have long-term implications...and I don't need a doctor to tell me that...

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The NHL gets huge money from Rogers and a great graphic

From where I sit it looks like the NHL landscape in Canada is making a massive change...

via business.financialpost.com

Congrats to Rogers for getting the deal...but what does this mean to me? Probably more money out the door. As a transplanted Vancouverite, I have limited chances to watch the Canucks. However, with regional restrictions being lifted I expect to be able to watch most of the Canucks games. My brother can watch his Canadiens. And I will bet my ass it's going to cost big money to get those games in Edmonton. I will probably still get the Oilers/Flames coverage on my normal cable. But for those extra games I will need to have extra channels. And that won't be cheap. So, how will they apply that to their streaming feed? Or will I actually be able to watch on-line for 'free'? As for radio coverage, what will that mean to Edmontonians? Right now the Oilers rights are held by Corus Entertainment (630 CHED). Rogers has 3 stations in Edmonton, none of which are conducive to hockey broadcasts (91.7 the Bounce, 102.9 Sonic and 101.7 World FM). Will this mean a format change? Or a new property for Rogers in Alberta? As for TSN, they're facing a massive challenge without the NHL. I'm expecting to see increased coverage of international events, like the World Juniors and World Championship. And now what do they do with the old 'Hockey Night in Canada' theme song?

Just as an aside, I think I found the perfect sports graphic...

via bleacherreport.com

What make this so good? For starters, it's interesting to look at, seeing how every team completes the circle. It's colourful and generates memories and discussion based on the games on display. But, more importantly it reveals absolutely nothing. There is no insight to be gained by looking at it. It doesn't show a trend. It's just to look at. And it's a safe bet there are football fans around the world staring at it...

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

An NFL tie and the Riders win it all

From where I sit it looks like the NFL needs a new overtime system...

via packers.com

No, I'm not just saying that because of the Vikings and Packers ending up in a draw 26-26. It's because they ended regulation 23-23. Each team manged to score a field goal on their opening possession and then accomplished nothing. Let's face it for all the Patriots comeback on Denver was thrilling, the overtime session left a lot to be desired. I'm not saying the NCAA method is perfect, but at least you get a winner every time. It's exciting. It's dramatic. It's not as confusing as the NFL. The CFL uses it, in a modified form for the regular season (2 possessions each before a tie). By placing each team within field goal range at the outset of their possession it encourages risk taking. The NFL would be well served to take a proper look at changing their overtime procedure to match up with the NCAA. At the very least it would prevent people, including some players, from embarrassment when admitting they didn't know football games could end in a tie.

Meanwhile, the 101^st Grey Cup was anything but a tie...

via vancouversun.com

There was a lot of one-way traffic in Regina on Sunday...and most of it was heading to the Hamilton endzone. Yes, it's always enjoyable to see a close game. But as someone who lived in Saskatchewan for 3 years, I can assure you it might as well been a 1 point game for Rider fans. But that's not what got my attention. It was the reaction from the players. It amazes me how the players fall in love with the people of Saskatchewan. Of the 24 active players on the roster how many could find Saskatchewan on a map before they came to Canada? How many knew just how small a city Regina is? To put that in perspective, Most Outstanding Player Kory Sheets went to Purdue. They have a student population of just under 40,000, making the University larger than every city in the province save for Regina and Saskatoon. And the players love it. They love Rider Nation. They become part of the community. And after a Grey Cup win at home, they will never have to pay for a drink again.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Oregon guilty of looking past Arizona

From where I sit it looks like the Ducks may be cooked...

via usatoday.com

Oregon has quickly gone from national title contender, to joking about the Rose Bowl, to looking at a lesser bowl bid. This is a team that's now lost 2 of their last 3 and may have been guilty of looking down the road. With De'Anothony Thomas calling the Rose Bowl no big deal the team seems to have lost something. A coach perhaps. How much of a difference can losing Chip Kelly have made to this team? I'm not trying to pin all the blame on Mark Helfrich, the players have to take a big chunk of this too. However, questions need to be asked, particularly after being hammered by an unranked team. That wasn't just a bad performance. The Ducks never showed up. Sure, their offensive numbers are good. But 5 turnovers can't happen. 16 points can't happen. The Ducks were already looking at their Rose Bowl bid and forgot to take their opponent seriously. And they paid for it.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Time to expand CFL awards

From where I sit it looks like the CFL should do a better job with their year-end awards...

via blogs.calgaryherald.com

Don't get me wrong. I think all the right players won. Jon Cornish is a deserving winner of both the Outstanding Canadian and Outstanding Player. My issue is with the process itself. I can't understand why there's only 2 real nominees for each award. Yes, each team submits their picks, but only one player from each division is selected for actual nomination. I'm from Vancouver, so I'm a Lions fan. There wasn't anyone from the Lions up for any of the awards. Nor was anyone from the Eskimos, not that they deserved any, but nonetheless that's automatically taking interest away from the Edmonton market. There weren't any Alouettes there either. Why not have each team get their nomination recognized? It's not like there's 32 teams in the league. There's 8, soon to be 9. Chances are Ottawa won't make the playoffs or have anyone nominated next season. Let's expand the nominations and recognize players from every team.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A-Rod storms out of his own meeting

From where I sit it looks like Alex Rodriguez is getting tired of his own act...

How else can A-Rod storming out of his suspension appeal be explained? He's throwing another hissy fit because things clearly aren't going his way. Judging by what's been said publicly, Rodriguez thinks everyone who has testified so far has lied. Everyone. This isn't a trial, it's arbitration. And now it's descending back to being one big joke about A-Rod and his delusions. Running away like a spoiled child actually seems kind of fitting given the situation. The only positive out of all this is another opportunity to remember how A-Rod is a classless jerk. As for his claims that he never took PEDs, there's a two word response to that: Lance Armstrong.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A questionable call ends the Monday Nighter

From where I sit it looks like another controversial ending to a Monday Night football game...

With arguments flying all over the place I decided to check out the rule book. Thankfully, the NFL has a digest version on their webpage. The way I read it the question is, was that a “clearly uncatchable pass for the players involved”? Yes, Gronkowski was the intended receiver. And the ball may have made it to his general vicinity has he not been in a bear hug. But, the key to this for me is, the ball never made it there. Kuechly could have been giving Gronkowski a wedgie for all it mattered. The ball never arrived to where they were. Thus making it “uncatchable.” Gronskowski was running away from the path of the pass on his own accord when he was tied up. Gronk tried to make a correction to get back to the the ball, but by the time he started his situation was hopeless. When Lester made the interception there wasn't a Patriot within 4 yards of the ball. Even Tom Brady admits he made a bad throw. Could there have been pass interference called? Yes. Should it have been called? No.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Did Hendricks beat GSP?

From where I sit it looks like another problem for judged sports…

Did GSP beat Hendricks?  That depends on who you ask.  The vast majority of fight fans would say no.  In fact, pretty much everyone who saw the fight would say Hendricks won.  However, of the three opinions that count, two of them say Hendricks didn’t.  Sadly, that is the overarching issue with any form of judged sports.  It’s just someone’s view of what happened.  Maybe they saw something we didn’t.  Maybe GSP got the benefit of the doubt.  This isn’t the first time a fight has ended with viewers questioning the intelligence, or at least the eyesight, of the judges.  The judges at ringside are trained, in fact, you can even get training from Herb Dean!  But none of that can prevent controversy.  Hockey, basketball, baseball, even cricket, are all based on the idea of a set way to score points.  If you have more points than the other team at the end of the game, you win.  It’s straightforward.  Whereas in all judged sports there is the big element of, well, judgment.  And in the end, that’s just someone’s opinion.  So, did GSP win the fight?  Yes.  Ask the judges.

At least that’s how I see it…and I sit in the cheap seats.  

Another suspension looms for a hit to the head

From where I sit it looks like Nazem Kadri could be getting two calls from NHL head office…

It’s not often one player get himself in big trouble twice in the same game.  But, Kadri managed to do it…with a pair of head shots.  Ok, the first one on Backstrom may have been incidental, but Kadri didn’t look like he was trying to hard to avoid contact.  And Backstrom had to leave the game.  The second hit however was simply reckless.  It wasn’t the initial point of contact that was the problem, but the follow through.  He rammed Granlund’s head into the wall.  There’s no real defense for that.  There’s also no justification for it.  The NHL has made it clear that players are responsible for their hit.  No matter what they were intending, it’s the result that counts.  And Kadri hammered Granlund.  This is what the League needs to get rid of.  Stop worrying about willing combatants in a fight.  Focus on the dirty hits.  I’m not saying Kadri is a dirty player, but both of those hits were.  The majority of concussions come from cheap hits.  The less of those we see, the safer the game will become.

At least that’s how I see it…and I sit in the cheap seats.

Yakupov must shut up and play better

From where I sit it looks like a petulant young man needs to keep his mouth shut...

via edmontonsun.com

I can empathize with Yakupov. He's off to a terrible start. His team stinks. And he's not getting the ice time he wants. I can even see his logic. After all, how is he supposed to fix his game, if he's not on the ice to fix it? In spite of all that, he had no reason to start moaning publicly about it. Guess, what...that tactic doesn't work. The question that Yakupov didn't address is who should get less time, in order for him to get more. Right now he's 12^th on the team in points (4), but tied for 2^nd in games played (17). Which of the players above him should be told to sit down so he can play more? Eberle? Nugent-Hopkins? Hall? Gagner hasn't done much. But he's only played 6 games. It's easy to find Nail Yakupov's name on the plus/minus charts. It's at the bottom. He's a liability in his own end and inconsistent on offence. Yet, there's an easy way for Yakupov to get more ice time. Play better. Stop bitching about how you deserve to be out there and make it impossible to take you off the ice.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Some animosity in the NBA

From where I sit it looks like a couple of boys need to grow up...

via hoopspeak.com

Yes, we know Ray Allen bolted from the Celtics to the Heat. Sure, it was a painful departure...as a free agent. He had no reason to stay in Boston, other than he was, emphases on was, buddies with Garnett and Pierce. He left in an effort to keep winning. And he has. He's become a big part of the Heat. Including making several key shots in last year's final. On the other hand, it's kind of refreshing to see some animosity in the NBA. Let's face, it the vast majority of basketball games at any level have little in the way of hatred going on. Players greet each other with a hug and a handshake before and after every game. I get it. You are friends with a good chunk of other players, but really do you need to do this during the pre-game? Even NFLers can wait until after the game. Hockey players will fight with their friends. Literally. For all Garnett and Pierce need to get over themselves, this might help sell some tickets and that's never a bad thing.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A moment to Remember

From where I sit it looks like 'thank you' is insufficient...

I've grown up with sports. Being able to spend a few hours relaxing with a game on is something many of us take for granted. The life we enjoy today would never have been possible without the sacrifice of tens of thousands young men and women. The pictures of graveyards are visually overwhelming. The sight of row, upon row, upon row of headstones is staggering.

via en.wikipedia.org

The impact for me is deeply personal. While, I had one grandfather serve in World War 2, he never saw action over-seas. However, my other grandfather was in the Netherlands. He saw the devastation. He saw the madness. He was finally saved by the Canadians. If it wasn't for their sacrifice I wouldn't be here. Neither would my daughter. As she grows I will teach her about the soldiers who died for us. Someday I want to take her to Vimy Ridge, to Juno Beach, to Arnhem. I want her to see and try to understand what happened to give her the life she enjoys. More importantly I want her to have an opportunity to say thank you. I want to say thank you, too. Even though it seems so insufficient.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Bryzgalov brings his weirdness to Edmonton

From where I sit it looks like the circus is coming to Edmonton...

In spite of his long list of eccentricities, Bryzgalov is needed in Oil Country. As the Oilers continue to struggle, at the very least this will give the media something else to talk about. At some point Edmonton had to start making changes. The first step was the Smid trade, now they've added goaltending. Sure, Bryzgalov is a nut case, but if he can get back to stopping the puck who cares? Further to the point, goalies are weird. Patrick Roy talked to his goalposts. Ron Hextal attacked his posts. Ken Dryden would lean on his stick and watch. Hell, goalies used to play without masks. Let's face it, anyone willing to throw their body in front of a piece of rubber moving at 100 mph is probably more than a little screwy. As long as he can help the Oilers win, nobody in Edmonton will care if Bryzgalov walks through West Edmonton Mall in a housecoat.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

T-Shirt style jerseys for the NBA's Christmas games

From where I sit it looks like the NBA is planning an outdoor game for Christmas...

via bleacherreport.com

At least judging by those unique jerseys it looks like an outdoor game. I would say those looks like warm-up shirts, but honestly warm-up shirts look cool. I can't tell if they are going for a hockey-hybrid look or just trying something different. I'm sure Nike has spent millions of dollars coming up with a design. Creating something special for Christmas. Something aiming to generate a good chunk more revenue from the 'must have' jersey of the holidays. The big problem is, it looks cheap. Just a logo on a plain shirt. Kind of like a t-shirt you would buy for $10 at Walmart. It's licensed, but has little else to it. For an extra $5 you can get one with a name and number on the back, but the name is spelled wrong.  On the plus side, there's no way the games can be as bad as the jerseys.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Ware returns to the court and a fan steals a hlemet

From where I sit it looks like a welcome return for a basketball star...

via newyorker.com

Kevin Ware was back on the court and hit a 3-ball with his first shot. It doesn't much matter that it was just an exhibition game. Or that he only had six points in 10 minutes on the floor. All that matters is that he played. After how he looked when he last was in a game this was a wonderful sight. He was already a key player on his Louisville team when he was injured. But his strength of spirit showed through even as he lay on the floor in agony. While medical staff attended to his gruesome injury, Ware himself offered support to his devastated teammates. It was a striking image to say the least. Now he's returned to court. With story after story of bullying, cheating and terrible behavior, it's great to see a good kid make a return. But please, don't try to block any more 3-pointers.

A pair of observations following a bizarre scene in Chicago...

One: why the hell was everyone still battling in the corner after the glass fell out? It's a dangerous situation and these knuckleheads are mugging each other. Second: how much are you allowed to drink at a Blackhawks game?  It was fairly obvious just from the guy's expression that he was plowed out of his mind...and he still had drink left!  I'm not saying it wasn't funny. I'm just glad nobody got hurt. But honestly, was there nobody running down to rinkside to check on the fans? Also, how drunk was this guy to think ripping off a player's helmet is a good idea? He wasn't Rob Ford drunk, but certainly getting there.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Martin keeping the bullies at bay

From where I sit it looks like another case of blaming the victim...

via blogs.thescore.com

I get it. Initiation is part of team building. Making everyone feel like they're part of the group. But at what point do you cross the line? When does initiation become hazing? More importantly, when should it become a public matter? Naturally, the Dolphins, and apparently several other NFLers, would like this to have been an in-house situation. Quite frankly, I'm glad it's not. Like it or not, these guys are role models for children. With Martin standing up to the bully he's showing kids they can do the same thing. Martin didn't use his fists. He didn't start taking it out on his family. He didn't decide to 'man-up', he decided to grow up. It takes more courage to walk away, than to shut up and take the abuse. Jonathan Martin shouldn't be condemned, but praised. He's taking steps to make life safer for kids who are victims of bullies. Sadly, Martin seems to still have bullies to take on, but he's made an important first step, he quoted Popeye, “That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more.”

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

A bully in Miami and a mascot gets attacked

From where I sit it looks like the bully is getting his due...

via usatoday.com

Something really jumped out at me from that article. I'm going to quote it so it's totally clear:

“In previous interviews with reporters, Incognito and his father indicated other students ridiculed him for being overweight as a child, especially during sixth grade in Glendale, Ariz. His father, Richie Sr., a Vietnam veteran, told NFL.com that he gave his son advice: "If you let anyone give you (expletive) now, you're going to take (expletive) your entire life."”

So let me get this straight. Incognito thinks that because he was bullied he somehow gets the right to bully everyone else? I'm not to thrilled with the advice from dear old dad, but at some point Junior has to take accountability for his own actions. Yes, being bullied is awful. But that doesn't give anyone justification to become the bully. By lashing out at people he could have as close friends he continues to let those grade 6 bullies affect him. I hope he gets the help he needs.

Speaking of bullies...there's this jackass from the Victoria Royals game...

ca.sports.yahoo.com

Let me get one thing clear. I don't blame the guy in green for being pissed off. He was in a game of musical chairs and Marty the Marmot interfered. What isn't seen on camera is Marty grabbing the chair away from the guy and sending it to the girl. That left the guy in green eliminated from the contest. And he was mad. Can't say as I blame him for that. It doesn't really matter what the prize was, here's some twit in a costume playing silly buggers with the game. So, fine, get annoyed. Flip him the bird. Even a smack in the head would have been better. What he did though was completely beyond any reasonable response. Spearing? A mascot? At the very least that's a 15 yard penalty. I'm not too worried about charges being laid. At some point someone will figure out who this guy is and the court of public opinion will be the harshest judge of all.

At least that how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

Another outburst from Bryant

From where I sit it looks like Dez Bryant is at it again...

via ftw.usatoday.com

This time his tantrum was directed at the referees. Technically, he was flagged to taking his helmet off. Something Bryant claims he didn't know was illegal, adding he wasn't really mad at the officials. Sure you weren't. I admit I wasn't on the field, but that doesn't look like a calm exchange of ideas to me. That looks more like a wide receiver losing his mind. Annoyingly, the Cowboys won so this may encourage Bryant's petulance to continue. Hopefully one of his teammates will sit him down to discuss the finer points of 'encouragement' and 'discussing calls'. It's one thing to rally the troops, it's something else to have a screaming fit when things aren't going your way. He's a good receiver. But, let's be honest, his outbursts will be a detriment in the long term. On the other hand it provides the Cowboys with a useful distraction to Tony Romo's inconsistent play. One thing is certain...the Dallas Cowboys remain America's most successful circus.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The Oilers continue to struggle

From where I sit it looks like more rough sailing for a once proud franchise...

via edmontonjournal.com

Ok, the Oilers suck. It's pretty straightforward. Any team with a record this brutal is a bad hockey team. It's so bad in Edmonton, coach Dallas Eakins is getting chirped at by kids while he's walking his daughter to school. I'm left with a question...what the hell were people expecting? This is a team on it's 4^th coach in the last 5 seasons. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle have all played for 3 coaches. Nail Yakupov is already on his second and he's only played a bit over half a season. How many coaches did Wayne Gretzky have in Edmonton? Two. Total. With a new coach and a new General Manager much was expected. I have no idea why. Somehow everything was going to magically fall in place this season? There are major issues throughout the line-up. Apparently, these were going to fix themselves. Or, depending on who you talk to, everyone associated with the team currently should be fired. No matter which option, or any variation there of, is used it won't be quick. Look at the successful teams in the NHL currently. Chicago, Boston, Vancouver, Los Angeles, even Toronto. All of these cities have had long lean years and are finally great hockey clubs. Buckle up Edmonton, it's going to be a rough ride.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.

The NHLPA fights a cash grab and Emery helps the case against fighting

From where I sit it looks like Tennessee is making a killing off professional athletes...

via clarksvillesportsnetwork.com

And I thought photo radar and lottery tickets were a cash grab. A Professional Privilege Tax? On visiting teams too? That's embarrassing. Apart from the state flexing it's own muscle, what is the legal standing for this? Doing a bit of digging there seems to be a massive number of “privilege taxes” across the US. I'm sure someone with a law degree can explain to me why people need to pay for the right to work. Licensing taxes. Income taxes. All those make sense to me. But, quite frankly this sounds like a tax against workers, just for working. It can't help with an economic recovery. As for the athletes...although 2,500$ doesn't seem like much, it's fully unnecessary. The players are buying local food, staying in local hotels, bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars to the economy every game night...and they have to pay for the 'privilege' to do it? The other questionable part of this law is the exemptions.  Only the Memphis Grizzlies and Nashville Predators (and visiting teams) pay it. It's not in effect for the NFL's Titans. Nor for NASCAR (Bristol). Not even the minor league teams. I'm sure whoever is taking the money can find another way to generate the funds. How about cutting the salary of the idiots who created the law?

There's another piece in the argument of people trying to get fighting out of hockey...and it's thanks to Ray Emery...

Except for a select few members of the media and limited members of the public, most hockey fans like a good fight. However, a scene like the Emery – Holtby “fight” makes the anti-fighting ranks rise up in self-righteous indignation. And I do agree with them on this one. I've made it clear I like fights. Fights with goalies are even better. But that wasn't a fight. Braden Holtby wanted nothing to do with Ray Emery. Just as I think fighting should be allowed, it should be a choice. Holtby didn't want to fight and it showed.  There were plenty of the willing combatants on the ice, Emery should have picked on of them.  Instead, Emery made an ass of himself by charging the length of the rink to take on an opponent who wasn't willing. Ray Emery is having a hard enough time stopping pucks, he shouldn't being trying to fight too.

At least that's how I see it...and I sit in the cheap seats.