Bertuzzi is a Sweetheart --- Compared to any NHL Goon from the 1970s
Yahoo! Merry Christmas, gents! Spritied discussion about an unfortunate cruch incident between two honest hockey gladiators. Bertuzzi has been beaten up rather thoroughly by the liberal press. But preserving the honor of one's teammates is hockey religion. Stand by a few more months, another such incident will occur. It's hockey. Even Don Cherry himself on Hockey Night in Canada has pronounced Bertuzzi complete in his penance and absolution.E go te absolvo ab omnibus censuris, et peccatis, in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen!
Let's run the same incident in 1974 clothing:
In a packed house at the Spectrum, Tiger Williams from Toronto takes a run at Reggie Leach, the Flyers' primary skill-snyper. He drills Leach into the dasher boards, sending him sprawling onto the ice with apainful separated shoulder. Here's what would happen next: ***
Two minutes later, Bill Barber and Dave Schultz dive over the boards to meet the Leaf's crunch line. After a puck-exchange at center ice, a Toronto defenseman passes to Tiger Williams, who receives the pass at full speed at the Flyers' blueline. In a flash, Bill Barber swoops in from the leftwing and knee-whips Williams, sending him flying face-first into the boards. Then Dave Schultz arrives and butt-ends Williams head, sending eight teeth spurting into the night. Before Williams can finish spitting up the blood, Barber comes back and hip-checks Williams' head against the glass, almost severing his spinal cord. Williams reaches out and kicks Barber in the groin with his skate, laughing wickedly as he does so.
Both benches clear, and twelve one-on-one brawls commence. Every one draws blood, and security guards are called in to help the linesmen and referee calm down the meelee. Williams is taken to a local hospital on a stretcher, but not until he gets the driver to stop at "Guppy's Irish Pub" for a few brewskis on the way to the emergency room. A paramedic holds a straw for Williams to suck the beer from since all ten of his fingers were broken in the fight.
The next morning the Philadelphia Inquirer and theToronto Globe and Mailcomplain about last night's boring 1-1 tie between the Leafs and the Flyers. There was a minor scrap in the second period between players on each squad. They look forward to a more interesting game next month in Toronto.Edited by: Realgeorge