... if say Jason Lawmaster has punched P.C. Drouin under the same circumstances as Brad MacMillan punched Robin Bouchard? Would you have wanted the Komets to go after Todd Robinson on the next faceoff?
In some ways, I can see where you've got three Lumberjacks approaching MacMillan and he probably is figuring he better be the first one to throw one or he might not get the chance. I can also see why the Lumberjacks have the right to be upset about it, too. I can't remember the last time I saw Robin Bouchard fight.
There are a whole lot of layers to this, including the image of the league and the new commissioner and the owners wanting more physicality. Let's face it, this is what people are talking about and most are fired up about this like they haven't been for anything else in a while. Does the league consider the possible alienation of some fans?
That's why I think the league will just go strictly by the rule book, and then there's little
Comments
Would PC Drouin approach Big Snake the way that Bouchard approached MacMillan? No.
Bouchard wasn't even in the play and went out of his way to skate to MacMillan and run his mouth. PC wouldn't have done that.
All this is a result of Bouchard not being able to keep to himself then turning and whining about it.
Comparing Bouchard to PC doesn't cut it. Bouchard is a far chippier player.
The league needs to work out its identity.. all we hear about is being more physical, more fights, then when they happen they get all up in arms over it.
I agree with you completely, JM. They are still trying to decide what they are. Maybe P.C. was a bad example. OK, what if it was David Hukalo or Leo Thomas? LOL. Would that be comparable?
I think if a player goes out of his way to run his mouth then cries about what happens that is his fault. I do not agree with jumping a player that is not even considering fighting like little snake said he ask Mac to fight lol and i'm sure Mac was like no way i'm scared come on he would of and for Lawmaster he got beat i like how there coach was up in arms over Mac using him as a punching bag so what did they prove other then they are goons. Mac never kept punching once lawmatser fell down because of the pain. there coach told them no matter what he says he told them but in the end he proved Lawmatser and Little Snake are a joke. run mouth be willing to pay the price. But i'm sure Bouchard did nothing just got punch out of the b lue then cries like he has forever.
I'm not sure I totally agree, Blake. The owners wanting more physicality doesn't equal what went on here. Dennis Hextall said almost immediately after accepting this job that he wanted more hitting-but that means more clean checking, not what went on Saturday night. Are there a lot of layers here? Sure, but this needs to be dealt with swiftly and harshly to send the message to the member teams, management, players, and fans that these things will not be excused. There is a post on the other blog that says Mac got 13 games. If that is true it isn't enough. Both Mac and Big Snake should get 10 games for leaving the penalty box and at least another 10 games for their actions with the on-ice officials. Yeah, people are talking about this because hockey fans get emotionally involved with the game and because no decision has been released as yet. Everyone has an opinion. Nothing wrong with that. I believe that "going by the book" is the right thing to do regarding leaving the penalty box, but when you touch an official you don't "go by the book" anymore, in fact they should "have the book thrown at them." The sad thing is that no one remembers that the K's won the game. That fact got lost.
Okay, I'll bite on Hukalo... He's thrown a well placed slash behind a play before.. but here's where I have the issues.. It's a different philosphy between FW and Muskegon (at least in the last 4 yrs). FW is passive for the most part then we have guys like Woods, Stayzer, MacMillan, Henley who will fight. I really don't remember the last time a FW "skill" player get in the face of a known tough guy... Our guys let MacMillan handle the rough stuff, maybe I'm wrong here, but when was the last time that PC, Huck, Shaf, or Guy get in the face of an esstablished enforcer?
(I hate using that term, I believe Brad MacMillan has more "skill" than a lot of guys in this league...it might not be scoring skill.. but skill all the same)
I guess what irritates me is that the Komets allow for these things to happen. The Elmira incident, the way Rockford beat on our guys.. I just hate to see what happened to Shaf happen.. if they took issue with MacMillan, so be it.. go after him, get dirty... but beating Shaf into the ice isn't acceptable. I only hope that Lawmaster is sent a message on the 15th.. And no, I don't hope that anyone goes after Robinson... Todd Robinson earned my respect on Saturday night, he actually skated away from the bench shaking his head and waving off Kromm as Kromm hatched his plan. I got Robinson's attention and told him he was better than what his team just did, he acknowleged it with a nod and shrug..
I really don't take issue with Big Snake/Chaulk.. Chaulk can handle himself, and I would put him on par with Bouchard, both team leaders, both highly effective... So if we want to use the analogy of Chaulk in place of Bouchard, I'd say no.. I wouldn't want our guys jumping Robinson if Chaulk skated up and got in Big Snake's face and took a fist to the eye.. All they had to do was man up when Mac left the box in 2 minutes.
ok mac had 3 guys on him and as soon as bouchard hit the ice mac maybe hit him 1 more time. but 3 muskegon players cornered mac. he didnt jump bouchard off the face off and continue to beat him while he was laying on the ice
They wouldnt have gone after Drouin because they would have gotten rug burns on thier knuckles from PC's fierce fu man chu thingy....besides insurance salesman are scary...
There hasn't been this much posting since we lost two games in a row last year, this has everyone excited and talking, its entertainment after all. I didn't like shaf getting attacked but mac took care of the problem. If I was a komet on the bench I might have left the bench to go out and protect shaf, boy wouldn't that have started something.
Ironically on Dec. 3, 2005, Drouin did fight Big Snake.
http://www.kometsphotos.com/Rockford3/KOM_0327.JPG
http://www.kometsphotos.com/Rockford3/KOM_0328.JPG
It was the result of a line brawl.
Who has the better stach? Druin of the Komets or the one Baum was sporting for the Tincaps this summer?
Either could be seen on a regular basis during certain unspeakable 1970's movies.
either STACH that is!
I agree with Jungle Monkey....I won't add anything to it, he did a fine job of representing my view here.
Bouchard ran his mouth and jumped on Mac, he got what he deserved. I still don't think the Goonery that Kromm instructed matches the crime though. Not even close. And this is why I think that Bouchard and company are fair game the rest of the season. I don't like that, but I think they opened the door and it is what it is now.
I have one question to ask because I was not at the game...If FW has the last change Muskegon had to put Big Snake and Lawmaster on the ice, why did Coach Sims send out the line-up he did at that time? He could have put out Stayzer and maybe Rodgers also, just speculation on my part. I know there are many things that go on behind the "scene" so to speak as to why or why not a coach does something and I am sure Coach Sims had his reasons. Maybe he was totally caught off guard and didn't expect what would what happen. I am not questioning why or why not Coach Sims didn't change his line just wondering why that line at that time.
Both teams essentially changed at the same time. Komets followed their normal rotation, and made the second change, and the ref put his hand up. You can't make any changes at that point.
OT- but boy dont those black 2005 jersey's look nice and classic compared to our road jerseys now
I still cant get over the ridiculous actions of that fool Lawmaster. If you are out there looking for a fight...why would you go to someone like Shaf? simple answer, because you are a big goon and bully who likes to throw your weight around and pick on people who choose not to fight! There are plenty of scrappy guys out there that would be willing to fight you if thats what you are looking for, but NO..he went to the one guy who is a gentleman and treats everyone fairly on the ice. Yeah, Lets pick on the guy who has always shown good sportsmanship and who just happened to be standing there not expecting it. I hope they keep this in mind the next time they are on the ice with Lawmaster. I wanted to shake Mac's hand after the game saturday night. A big thanks to him for defending my favorite player, you might have broken the rules, but you Macmillan are the guy I want on my side in a bar fight!
Hell, I'll take Brad MacMillan on my side digging a ditch, in a checkers tournament, eating Thanksgiving dinner.... The dude is all heart.
Bouchard has been a yapping turtle for a long time. His first run (Here in Flint) he tried quite a bit of fighting and got hammered alot. Since that time, he seems to get it started and then skates away, still mouthing off to anyone within earshot. Mind you, Robin sure can shoot that puck and is a huge asset on any team he plays for.... Reminds me alot of John Vechiarelli......if anyone else can remember back that far.
GeneralsDave--You can have Boohoochard. Take a real good look at his plus/minus stat. For all those points it should be a lot higher. If I were him I would be looking over my shoulder alot. The safest place for him will be anywhere Lawmaster isn't.