[lock-jaw]

I have to say that I'm a fan of the way NHL players police themselves. Fighting is a necessary part of hockey. The general rule is that enforcers make sure that smaller, usually more scoring-minded players on their team don't get pushed around by larger players on the other team. Enforcers also use fighting to show their teammates that even though they may not get much ice time, they're doing their part to get an edge on their opponents. It sparks their team's drive to play better. Todd Bertuzzi is not an enforcer. Dropping his gloves on rare occaisons does not make him a hockey tough guy. Slashing, high-sticking, cross-checking, roughing, etc. Those are the penalties this "tough guy" prefers. Enforcers around the league should be pissed that he's being lumped in with them in the media and pissed that their task is now under scrutiny by people that don't understand the enforcer's role. Most enforcers face their opponents during a fight. Bertuzzi's just an oversized coward.

Todd Bertuzzi comitted a crime. Assualt.

If the player you challenge doesn't accept, you can talk trash him; you can put hard -maybe even cheap- checks on him; you can challenge the enforcer from his team; taunt his bench; push him around; etc., but you CANNOT pull their jersey towards you while throwing a haymaker from right field into his temple- FROM BEHIND!

This is assault. It's a crime.

If you get your nose broken in a fight that you dropped your gloves to be a part of, that's part of the game. If you get a concussion from getting checked into the boards, that's part of the game. If you get your face mangled by your visor, and your brain concussed and your neck gets broken because you've just been knocked out by a punch from behind and driven face-first into the ice, that's NOT part of the game.

Todd Bertuzzi- Crying and apologizing to the children does nothing to make this right. Here's the problem you're facing: you can't make it right. Telling Steve Moore that you never meant to hurt him is a bold-faced lie and in telling that lie you've succeeded in exposing to the world what some people have known about you for years. You are a d**k. Plain and simple. Your very occaisonal willingness to drop your gloves when face-to-face with your opponent is just reinforcement that you've always preferred the cheap shot over facing your enemy.

I personally hope you get attacked from behind in a prison shower.