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| | Wednesday, March 22 | |||||
| March 21, 2000
Scott Niedermayer's suspension for his slash to Peter Worrell's head isn't getting the same attention that Marty McSorley received for his hit on Donald Brashear. But lots of people are talking about it, nonetheless. Below are some of the comments made by ESPN.com users.
The 10 games is not enough. The only difference between what he did and what McSorley did was that Mr. Worrell was not injured. Niedermayer should be gone for the season. Patrick McIntyre Chelmsford, Mass. I think Scott should have been suspended, but not for 10 games. Peter is a big man; he frustrates many players, that's for sure. Scott took things into his own hands and made a big mistake. Although the slash was intentional, it didn't look like it was intent to injure. As a long time Panthers fan, I still think Scott only deserved around five games and a fine. Kevin Goddard Allston, Mass. The nearly systemic violence in the NHL today can be directly attributed to the lack of leadership being displayed by the head office. Sure, Marty McSorley was a repeat offender when he hit Brashear in the head. We can all agree that he fully deserved the punishment he received. Yet, here we have Niedermayer, who actually swung harder than McSorely, getting off with a proverbial slap on the wrist. This has to stop. If you're going to suspend someone for doing something, then you must be equally as harsh to someone else who commits the same act. The violence today is bringing down the great game of hockey, and if things don't change soon, the results could be tragic. Carlos Vanderloo Guelph, Ontario This is crazy! Scotty did the right thing. Those blind referees out there wouldn't call anything against Worrell. He was knockin' everybody over and should have had many penalites. Scotty just reacted and got revenge on Worrell. Hey, I would do the same if I saw the refs weren't calling anything! Dan Wayne, N.J. While Niedermayer's actions deserved a suspension, what really needs to be eliminated from hockey are the players whose actions continually and consistently put other significantly more talented players at risk. Interestingly enough, when one puts together a list of such skill-deficient goons, one of the names at the top of the list is Peter Worrell. While toughness and fighting are part of the game, NHL officials have to bear some of the responsibility for letting players such as Worrell disrespect the game by disrespecting the talented players whose skill and athletic ability have provided him a job. Jeff Middleton Nashville, Tenn.
Given that there is not a whole lot of difference in this incident and McSorley's, the 10 games is a joke. First-time offender or not, hitting someone on the head with your stick is a serious transgression that needs to be dealt with severely. Niedermayer and the Devils can whine all they want about Worrell and his so called elbow throwing. Since there is six inches in height difference, when Worrell hits somebody like Niedermayer, what should he do, bend over first? Besides, the Devils have goons like Oliwa to take care of someone who is pounding the little guys. Marty Mason Fargo, N.D. Niedermayer got off too easy. It shouldn't matter if he had a prior record or not. He clubbed Worrell over the head. Period. Just because Worrell wasn't knocked out cold shouldn't matter either. I like what the NHL did by suspending McSorley for 23 games, but I can't understand why they didn't come back and suspend Scott for the same length of time. They are saying it is OK to hit someone in the head as long as they don't become knocked out. This was an opportunity for the NHL to show they will not tolerate that kind of stick work. It is mind-boggling to me why they didn't come out and make a bold stand for the better of the game. Rich Mullen Buffalo, N.Y.
I am, and have been, a huge fan of Scott Niedermayer since he came into the NHL and know him very well. He is a quiet player when he wants to be, being the non-aggresive type, or he can throw a big hit once in a while. I always pay close attention to his every move when the intensity level rises during a game. It is not like Scott Niedermayer to swing his stick at anyone, no matter how ticked off he gets. Since this is his first suspension and he is not likely to ever do such a dumb thing again, I think five games could have gotten the message through. I'm sure the self-shocked Nieds thought to himself it was such a stupid thing to do. He could have controlled himself easily by just going after Worrell with his hands in a fight. After all, Worrell did cheap-shot Scott. Mark Nouri New Jersey The 10 games, with the added loss of nearly $160,000, is fair. The Niedermayer incident was far less severe than the McSorley-Brashear goon show. But sadly, it points out that the players learned nothing from the McSorley stupidity. Using your stick as a weapon has no place in hockey. Colin Campbell should keep hitting the players in the check book. Maybe it'll get through to their heads! Roy Azevedo Vancouver, British Columbia |  | |||||