Why did Brad MacMillan get suspended for 22 games?
Every report I've read and/or heard says MacMillan hit Van Drunen with one punch off the faceoff. I've heard all kind of supositions that someone allegedly hit Van Drunen while he was on the ice, but I've never seen that in a reliable source, and that has never been repeated in the reports since that night. Frankly, I don't believe MacMillan would do that. MacMillan is a player who reacts instantly, such as the elbow against Glenn Detulleo, but I've seen him fight more than 60 times when he had a chance to really do some damage to a player and he always pulls off at that point. He never loses control. Even in the incident last year against Muskegon he knew exactly what he was doing the entire time.
So he gets 22 games for one punch? Or does he get 22 games because of Van Drunen's injuries which are horrific, but also are a possibility when you play in a hockey game where fights are allowed and frequently happen? But attempt to injure for landing a punch? It has not been explained why that particular punch was any different than any other punch that is landed or thrown in a game.
But are the rules suddenly changing to fit the circumstances in this instance?
The more I think about this, it seems to be he got 22 games because Odessa's owner yelled the loudest, the incident was getting massive national publcity and the league had to react. The league has never released the tape, and would likely love for this to go away as quickly as possible, but part of this smells. From what I've seen reported, I don't understand why MacMillan got 22 games. He gets 22 games for landing one punch, but the other fights that happened basically get nothing?
I hope the union goes forward with its appeal because something isn't right here. The league needs to protect it's players on both sides, and fighting is allowed under the rules of the game. It's no surprise to anyone on this blog that I'm not a huge proponent of fighting, but it's allowable under the rules. Either it is or it isn't, and what did MacMillan do wrong under the rules? If he threw one punch shouldn't it be an instigator penalty at most under the rules?
I don't understand this.
Comments
Colorado people monitor this blog on the chance that a topic about one of their players comes up? Interesting.
Greg Rajan mentioned this blog on his own blog. Lot of good info shows up on Rajan's, even though the team he covers dropped down to JuniorA this year.
http://blogs.caller.com/rajan
I call bull crap on Anonymous...SHENANAGINS!
Anonymous, you witnessed the incident first hand? OK, but where were you upper deck, ice level? Do you know all of the circumstances surrounding the incident or did you just see it happen? I'm not suggesting that you are not telling the truth, but just claiming to be an employee of the team does not give you credibility. For all we know, concession vendors are employees of the team. Not that they're any less credible, just that their complete attention is not on the game and things can be missed, which change the perception of an event.
All I'm saying is the Mac I talked to and interviewed in my position as a member of The News-Sentinel Sports staff here in Fort Wayne does not just sucker punch a guy off a face-off for no reason. I'm not saying he didn't do it, but give us more of a reason to believe you than just announcing as an employee of the team that you saw it happen.
I'm not wasting my time on that dude's obvious grab at attention. He's in his mom's basement in Waynedale..Colorado employee....yeah right.
i think anonymous is in burgees basement drinking orange foo foo's
Nah, I don't think it's the ol' Dsche... Not a tall enough soapbox and the grammar and spelling are way too correct... I'm with JM though. Enough effort has been wasted on someone wanting attention. Any new topics yet? A preview of the next team the Ks play perhaps? I know there was the big insert in the paper, but is their roster the same since?
Come on guys! The guy drives a Coors truck.... From Colorado to Cap N Cork.
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Mcmillan is nothing more than a talentless dirty cheap shot! He got a hefty suspension last year too , that outta tell you something. He should be banned for life...period!
Dude--you are wrong--sorry!