The Unnecessary Fall of Rome
by Dan J on Jun 7, 2011 7:04 PM EDT
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Brendan Shanahan, enjoy your ride. I ain't gonna be easy. Hits like these will haunt you.
As the new Dean of Discipline, Shanahan seems supremely suited to handle Rule 48 and any others to come. He played the game the way every hockey fan wishes every player would. He scored, he passed, he hit.
Oh, boy, did he hit! Shanny rocked a good few guys in his day, back when the game was played the proper way... in the '90's. Guys named Probert, Domi, Fleury (Theo, not Marc Andre), and Stevens (Kevin, not Scott) policed the game, just by stepping on the ice. Some were deft with the puck, others not, but all capable of inflicting pain upon their opponents, both physically and mentally.
Columbus used to have this guy named Jody Shelley, who had a bit of that spirit in him. You may not have noticed him, because his name was rarely on the "good" part of the scoresheet. His simple presence kept the game honest and clean. His face (mostly scar tissue), frame (big), and stride (thundering towards an unsuspecting opponent) kept his squad's swift skaters and skilled scorers safe. Shanahan played with several comparable guys.
Let's hope that when his reign starts, Mr. Shanahan remembers his playing days. Let us pray that he remembers the difference between a good blindside hit, and a malicious shot to the head with intent to injure. The hit in question was more of the former than the latter.
Aaron Rome was a Blue Jacket for a bit, alternating between C-Bus and Springfield. Aaron Rome is a solid NHL Defenseman. Aaron Rome missed out on having his name on the Stanley Cup as a member of the Anaheim Ducks. Aaron Rome has a wife and son.
Aaron Rome is not a dirty player.
Aaron Rome's hit on Nathan Horton did not deserve a four game suspension.
The NHL is becoming soft. I'm not one to take concussions lightly, throughout my youth and beer-league hockey days, I've experienced many concussions. Some result in minor headaches, others can leave you in loopy-ville for a long while. Nathan Horton will be in loopy-ville for a while, but not because of any part of Aaron Rome's anatomy. Horton was hurt when his head struck the ice.
Rome deserved a one game suspension. Not because he blind-sided a player, but because he left his feet to blind-side a player. Rule one in checking is: keep your hands down. Rule two is: keep your feet on the ice. Breaking rule two earns you a game.
Rule 48 says that you can't hit another player in the head. Violate Rule 48 and earn yourself a few games in the press box. Aaron Rome is going to be in the press box for a few games. Aaron Rome will be in that box for the rest of the finals... a finals that could very well see Vancouver hoisting the Stanley Cup on their home ice.
Aaron Rome will not be on skates to do a lap with the cup, because of an overactive attack on concussions.Aaron Rome did not violate Rule 48.
Aaron Rome did leave his feet. Aaron Rome did throw a blind side hit. Aaron Rome did hit Nathan Horton in the mid-section.
Nathan Horton was knocked cold when his head hit the ice. It's a hazard of the job. Every Hockey player wears a helmet for a reason.
The situation is oddly reminiscent of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green's concussion at the hands of Cincinnati Benagls defensive end Robert Geathers on September 10, 2006. Green was sliding and, unable to hold up on his momentum, Geathers hit Green in the chest on the way down. Green's helmeted head hit the ground and his season and, eventually, career came to an end. Geathers was cleared because he did not intentionally cause the concussion, he was merely playing the game.
Aaron Rome was playing the game. He was throwing a hit on an opposing player who had the puck on his stick less than two seconds prior.
The Bottom Line is: Aaron Rome should be back for game five. After the loss of Dan Hamhuis, Vancouver needs Rome. The Bruins need Nathan Horton, but injuries happen (see Hamhuis).
The NHL robbed the Canucks of a Defenseman, and robbed Aaron Rome of a chance to fulfill every hockey player's dream... hoisting the cup, in uniform, and skating around the ice with it.
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I liked the four games. Rome is NOT a dirty player and he is NOT a dirty player because of it. If it wasnt a second late and been a little lower it would have been a great hit. Rome is an easy guy to suspend because he does not mean as much to the Canucks. If it were Sedin or someone it would probably not be a suspension. I wish that would not be the case, but i think it would have been. i think Burrows should have gotten one as well and now the players are making a mockery of the biting incident.
The injury to Hamhuis makes a Rome a costly suspension to the Canucks. Had the hit been thrown by Burrows or Lapierre, four games would be a little more understandable, but this was Rome. Let’s not forget that he was knocked silly in the San Jose series and missed time because of it.
They can just throw Ballard in there, not a big deal.
I disagree that if it were Ballard or Lapierre four games would be more understandable because i think the league wouldnt want to suspend them, Burrows especially, for a whole series because he is such a big name. They dont want to knock a star out of the series because of a suspension. Rome is a lower end player on Vancouver who quite possibly has the deepest defensive group in the league. They can send a larger message to the league by suspending a lower end player like Rome without completely damaging Vancouvers chance for cup because of one hit.
Either way, Vancouver still gets the better of the hit because they knock out a great player in horton.
Actually, we should forget that he got hit in the San Jose series because it has no bearing here…are you suggesting victims of dirty hits get free reign to dish out dirty hits of their own? You are making no sense here.
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 9, 2011 4:41 PM EDT up reply actions
Just read it all. Rome can skate around the ice with the cup. put on the uniform and go down there. Just wont be able to play for it.
I really think you should give the hit another look by watching it in a mutual perspective and not as a Rome fan or Vancouver fan.
The Canucks have Ballard who they can just throw in there, so the injury of Hamhuis and suspension of Rome is not that big of a deal. They are unbelievably deep at defense.
Im not sure how familiar you are with Krys Barch and his tweets, but he has come out many times and in harsh fashions talking about how the NHL needs to stop the suspending. He came out hard on the NHL for suspending Torres saying that it was clean hockey play. Ill just say he believes whole heartedly that he wants the hitting to keep going. But after the Ballard hit, he tweeted “Now that’s a f’n 5min major and game misconduct and need of league discipline. That was a hit that is not needed in the game!”
I know, i know its just Krys Barch, but its pretty telling when someone that against suspending people for hits to come out and say something like that.
Finally, on the ruling, as you said rule 48 was not the case. It was the interference and leaving his feet. The fact that Horton has a serious concussion also had a role in the four game suspension. There was definately shoulder to head contact. I wouldnt necesarily call it a “mid-section” hit. It was also WAY late in NHL terms of a hit. The biggest deal is Horton had no way to protect himself from getting hit that late.
Good and unexpected four game suspension IMHO. Thumbs up on NHL for this one.
I agreed with the suspension. It wasn’t a horrible hit, but it wasn’t needed. As a player, you have to see the big picture and watch the play unfold. Horton had no clue where Rome was and had already gotten rid of the puck when he was hit. Rome did not have to finish that chech. The same goes for Horton in terms of knowing your surrounding…. you HAVE to know where everyone around you is.
This hit was not as bad as Chara’s on Pacioretty in which Zdeno saw no punishment in. However, I still believe this waranted a 4 game suspension to Rome. Maybe Shanahan is just making an example of him, maybe this is how the game will be policed while Shanny is at the helm of consequences, but regardless, I agree with the suspension.
Adam Foote still blows!
Mike Murphy made the suspension, not Shanahan, but hopefully this is how Shanahan will police the game when he takes office. I actually agreed on the no suspension on Chara. It would have been perfectly clean if it was not by the stanchion of the bench. The play happens all the time but yes, Chara should have been more cognizant of where he was driving Pacioretty.
“The same goes for Horton in terms of knowing your surrounding…. you HAVE to know where everyone around you is”
there is a difference between knowing your sourrounding and knowing when someone is going to hit you late. He could have known exactly where everyone was a second before he got rid of the puck. Two second later everyone is in different spots but Rome is starting to get close so he decides to pass it. He can expect that Rome is not going to hit him a second late. There is nothing you can do when someone hits you late because there is no way to expect it unless you are watching the player the entire time.
“Aaron Rome has a wife and son.”
So what? What does that have to do with his incredible late, dirty, and dangerous hit. Matt Cooke has a wife and kids too, and I’m sure is a nice enough guy off the ice.
Rule 48 doesn’t even matter here, Rome went after him well after he released the puck, a late hit, he deserved the suspension.
And “injuries happen (see hamhuis)”…..aree you serious?! Someone injuring themselves in normal gameplay and someone taking a dirty hit are two entirely different things.
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 9, 2011 4:39 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Also…love the part about how it was the ice that hurt Horton, not Rome. Even though, you know, it was Rome’s late hit the CAUSED his head to hit the ice like that. Wow, this post is amazing.
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 9, 2011 4:52 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Calm down dude. Its ok for someone else to have a different opinion than you. You do not have to act like they are stupid because they do not agree with you on something. There are plenty of people who think that it was not suspendable, the suspension was too long, the suspension was not long enough, but it doesnt mean everyone is wrong. Calm down and have a little respect, it takes some time to write that much and there is nothing wrong with it just because you dont agree.
by cbjfan14 on Jun 9, 2011 5:29 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
This guys post was stupid, and only enforces the stereotype that CBJ fans have no clue about hockey. I mean…it’s part of the job? This is why players wear helmets? It’s embarrassing to think an NHL fan would read this and associate it with CBJ fans.
Yes, the suspension is debatable, but the fact that it was a late hit is not. Rome, the coach, even admitted as much, they just don’t agree with the suspension.
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 10, 2011 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
But the thing is, there are a lot of people that agree with him. Its stupid to you because you dont agree with it, but if you read comments and stuff from places outside of here, not everyone thinks it was a bad hit. Just dont be a douche about it because you dont agree is all im saying. He said he deserved a suspension for the hit, just a one game suspension because it was late and he left his feet.
And I’m afraid if people agree with that, it’s a part of hockey culture that must be changed. This was a late hit and Rome did serious damage. You can argue the length of suspension, but to suggest that this play was “okay” really bothers me. I sure hope this isn’t the reaction people would have if there were a late/blindside/head-hit to any Jacket player.
Clarkson Golden Knights and Columbus Blue Jackets Fan
Essential Listening
Everyone agrees that it was a late hit, there is no arguing that. But it did not have anything to do with rule 48, there was no elbow to head, lots of people think that it wasnt a horrible it. People get hurt all the time on clean hitsm but the fact that it was so late and the outcome was so bad, is why the suspension was so long. If Horton did not have a serious concussion the suspension probably would have only been one game.
Aaron rome has a wife and kid? The NHL has become soft? This was a very poorly written, and uneducated post. Factually, things were wrong, such has him sayIng Rome won’t be able to skate with the the cup, and saying the ice is responsible, not Rome. That is like saying the gun is responsible not the shooter.
I am totally fine with disagreements or other opinions on the suspension. But to try and drum up sympathy for Rome by saying he won’t be able to skate with the cup, or by bringing up his wife, the NHL is robbing Rome of his dreams, etc Is pretty lame.
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 10, 2011 11:48 AM EDT reply actions
He also implied in his comments that we should remember Rome got a concussion in the last series, as if that should have some bearing on the ruling in this case, which also makes no sense
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 10, 2011 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
The “Wife and Kid” remark was part of a writing tactic… listing random facts about the player.
It’s an attempt (apparently not a good one) at a wittiscism, not an argument.
I see where you may not agree with the point of the article, but the truth is, hits like that happen. There was no intent injure. It was an open ice hit.
I just feel the suspension was too severe for a first time offender making a hockey play.
Just one man’s opinion, the essence of journalism. Or, in my case, dime store journalism.
The suspension is debatable for sure.
I guess I was reading your post and comments like you were saying because Rome had gotten concussed before, was a nice guy (wife and kid), wasn’t a dirty player, THAT was why you didn’t think he should be suspended rather than something related to the actual play that happened.
Your right, hits like this do happen…but, hit likes this one are always what they are trying to remove from the game so they don’t happen. So that is why I didnt get your point about it being a hockey play, because the NhL is now saying, this type of thing isn’t a hockey play anymore and it needs to be out of the game….which I guess is another debate?
Also, who wants crappy former jackets like Rome, Raffi, and Manny to win anyway?
by Re-SignZherdev on Jun 10, 2011 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions
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