That is the best insight I have heard about this whole mess. Unless you have played hockey or played any physical sport at a higher level you have no position to comment on this situation. All you see is the horrible site of someone being ko'd and falling to the ice. Sitting on your couch you don't see the emotions of the game, you don't see the pressures of being an inforcer, you don't see the underlying physical dangers associated with the game. As an athlete in a physical game these are parts of the game. Bertuzzi's incident was rare but blew up because of the nature of the incident. Had Moore not landed ackwardly this would not be the issue it is. Hockey players have roles that they follow. Bertuzzi was just doing his job, which he ended up taking a little too far. His punishment is more than fair considering he also has to live with the remorse for what happened. And don't think he doesn't feel horrible. It's probably going to eat him alive until Steve Moore steps on the ice again.

Is it fair for the league to base its punishment on the consequence instead of the action? Criminal Law distinguishes between the two. Did the league? How many times have you seen a hockey player hit another in the back of the head? Whatever, gives everyone something to talk about.

Well broken neck or not, he DID get blindsided when he least expected it..It was a little more than getting "hit in the back of the head"

the punishment reflects the severity of the injuries, not the act.

i guess that isnt the way the law would work, but it is reasonable for sport.

i like how the canucks got fined $250,000 and they are complaining even though they will save for than $500,000 from not having to pay Bertuzzi, plus all the play-off bonues he woudl have recevied.

he should get the boot for another 10 games into 2004-2005 as well.

nothign personal, but that is one of the worst injuries in hockey, especially when you see the replay.

i know dudes have lost fingers and stuff, but this was really prevetable.

the canucks should bring back Bure.. lol.. man i used to be a huge VCR fan when he was with them..

[ March 11, 2004, 03:47 PM: Message edited by: bing ]

Whether or not he intended to brake his neck, Burtuzzi did give Moore a cheap shot. It was brutally obvious that he wanted to hurt him whether or not Moore wanted to fight. What the hell does that have to do with hockey?

So he gives him a cheap shot, falls on him and in the ensuing mess Moore comes out with a bad (very bad)injury.

Is Burtuzzi responsible for breaking his neck...well he sure didn't do anything to prevent it. He didn't do much to stop himself from falling on the guy.

actually, they have to pay his salary to the NHL. They don't get out of paying it

Ever look at old footage of hockey?The old timers played with no helmets,min.padding and minimal scuffles...THATS A GAME OF HOCKEY!!

The only reason that players dress the way they do now is because of all the abuse they get from other players and because some dickhead here and there decides to take a fall when some one passes him and make it look like he got hit.

are you crazy? have you ever watched old footage? how about taking a look at some of the older hockey players...how many real teeth do they have left? how many of them have noses that arent all bent and crooked? hockey has always been a rough sport, forever...Gordie Howe was notorious for poking his opponents with his stick on the boards when scrambling...

people played accordingly when they didnt have as good of technology for safety and padding, there was still alot of rough housing...look at bobby hull and bobby orr...they used to play broken bloodied and bruised...the safety equipment available today allows players to play alot more haphazardly with less physical consequence...

as far as the Bertuzzi incident, he was out there gettin it done, and unfortunately for moore, he got hurt really badly...Bertuzzi took a cheap shot for sure, but how many cheap shots are taken in hockey everyday...I admit he kind of crossed a line, but he wasnt intending to break moores neck, he was venting some pent up aggression...it manifested ugly in the end...

he made a mistake and now has to pay for it, but to call bertuzzi the cheapest player in the game would be a far cry from the truth...anyone ever see Claude Lemieux play hockey??? do any of you remember Bob Probert evening the score with Lemieux when he was beating the piss out of him against the boards as the rest of the rink turned into the WWF? Bertuzzi was doing something similar, standing up for his teammate and friend...I would have done the same myself, altho perhaps carried it out differently than Bertuzzi did...

as far as there being a criminal investigation, that is utter bull****...its a damned hockey game, and hockey is a physical sport...fighting is just part of the game...if you dont like that, dont watch it...and if you dont watch it you dont really have any place running bertuzzi for doing it...

i agree with tim totally. you don't try and hurt someone by hitting them with your glove on. seems like the hockey players are on bert's side. tyler i think your second post said it best, until your on the ice at a competetive level you wouldn't understand whats goin on. bert should get 4 games max, how many wrestlers have been jailed after breaking opponents necks?

I doubt the debate would get this heated on an American site. I love it. I dont know about you guys....but I am kinda sick of hearing about it.

ok...I just saw the footage finally...My thoughts are as follows:

It was a vicious attack.It was 120% uncalled for in my veiw.I feel he should be banned for good from hockey as a whole.I personallyy would not want to play against or with such a player.

What I saw in the footage,and some may have already said so, is him come up from behind,reach around and punch Moore in the face.As Moore fell forward,Bertuzzi held his grip on his jersey draging him down(if look,the shirt stretches as Moore falls),thus causing him fo fall on top and "ride" on top of him.I dont think the latter part happened on purpose,but it was result of of Bertuzzi's own idiotic,stupid and goon-ish actions.

Ban the son of a bitch!!

My 2 cents