Who pays this toolbag Scott Burnside anyway? He reports for ESPN, so I assume it is ESPN. Nice job with that. You would do better by burning your money then to let this clown report for your organization.
I’ve been reading Mr. Tool’s articles on ESPN.com for years and really I’m fed up with it. He’s afraid to do anything but fold and take the easy way out on argument after argument, time after time.
His recent article deals with my beloved Flyers. Sure, that may be why I hate him so much, but when it comes to the heart of the matter, that’s not really it. I hate lazy journalism especially when the “journalist” (as we will call him here) takes the easy side of the argument. In this article he’s really angry about the recent play of the Flyers.
The culture of recklessness in Philadelphia has been known for years, from the Broad Street Bullies on. It is part of the team’s identity, whether anyone has tacitly endorsed it or not. Holmgren himself is known as one of the toughest players ever.
Tough doesn’t mean dirty. Scotty obviously hasn’t watched the Flyers play hockey in the last 5+ years. Sure, the Flyers USED to be the Broadstreet Bullies. But that was in the 70’s my man, over 30 years ago. Please, keep up here. Sure, there was the Legion of Doom line (Lindros and LeClair teamed with Renberg) but that was actually just as much about scoring goals as it was about physical intimidation. At any rate, the Flyers physicality really isn’t much to speak about anymore. Although I am glad to see it on the rise these days…
Now, I will grant you rights on the whole Boulerice incident. He is a goon that has been guilty of pure dirty goonery before and his recent incident proves it. He crosschecked Ryan Kessler in the face and you know what? He was waived. The Flyers no longer had a need for him.
Next is the Downie hit. Again, I think Scotty Too Hottie should really watch the hit a few more times on replay before he calls that “headhunting.” Sure, we are all sorry that the other player (Dean McAmmond) was hurt, but was it really that brutal and dirty of a play on Downie’s part? He left his feet during the check and was given the standard 2:00 minor penalty.
That is, until the league sat and looked at the result of the hit, not the hit itself. That seems to be the same problem time and time. Let’s look at the result and not the actual infraction. When a player is hurt then we rule the hit is dirty and an abomination to hockey. Only AFTER. And then add lines like
What else are we to conclude from the fact that three players scouted and signed by the Flyers have engaged in behavior that could have ended players’ careers?
And I was totally done with the article. Again, the last hit from Randy Jones on Patrice Bergeron was, by the rules, a penalty. However, ask any pee-wee hockey coach what one of the first things you are taught as a kid playing hockey. How to position your body when you are dumping and chasing the puck. He appeared to do what a lot of players now do; leave themselves vulnerable to a boarding check to get the 2:00 penalty. I’m not in any way blaming Bergeron for the hit, but sometimes you as the player being hit have to protect your body when you are dumping and chasing behind the net.
Why not impose a sliding scale that takes into account previous history? That’s what NHL lord of discipline Colin Campbell does when he levies suspensions against players.
Go ahead Burnie. Search back into Jones’ history and find me one dirty play. I dare you. I’ve watched him play during his entire Flyers tenure, and almost all of his minor league time with the Phantoms. Keep searching, you won’t find it.
After reading this article I swear it seems that Scotty has never watched a hockey game in his life. By the sounds of things, he wishes any player that lays a hit on another unprepared player should be suspended for 50 games. Google “Campbell lays out Umberger” with YouTube and you will see what happens. That’s one of the greatest hits in hockey; and it was another player hitting a Flyer.