September 27, 2008

So I finally managed to go over to You'Tude and check out that Kopecky hit from the first pre-season game against Montreal, and DAAAAAAAAAMN!!! Kopecky absolutely destroyed Mathieu Carle! And he did it cleanly, too. No elbow, no leaving his feet, just a good, solid, well-placed shoulder to the noggin. But of course You'Tude being You'Tude, there are a whole gang of Montreal fans lamenting the hit as a dirty cheap shot, even though the coach of the Canadiens admitted the hit was clean. Actually, one of my favorite comments was from HolyHellPreacher who said, "This is hockey. Not nice hockey." Okay, let's pause here for a minute. While this seems like a simple statement, even an OBVIOUS statement, I think it speaks volumes when comparing hockey to other pro sports. Because other sports ARE nice. Look at football. After nearly every play you have these so-called "warriors of the gridiron" bending down and helping their opponents up off the turf. Basketball, too. "Oh, you fell down! And even though you guys are destroying us by 40 points, here, let me help you up and then pat you on the butt." Not hockey. After Kopecky dropped the shoulder bomb on Carle, what did he do? He skated back down the ice and crashed the net for a scoring chance while Carle lay face-down, unconscious, bleeding all over the ice. Maybe that's what separates hockey from other sports. The passion to win, no matter what. You give 100 percent all the time, even during pre-season. And you definately don't pass up a hit.