ASHAM/NEAL HEARINGS PART 2

[peter puck]

Just to compare the Asham and Neal incidents( not bashing the Pens just putting these particular offenses to the smell test)

Lets review the cases:

Asham-crosscheck to the upper chest and a punch to back of head

13 year vet with a clean record - first time offender

No apparent injuries sustained

Waived right to a hearing essentionaly admitting guilt and throwing himself on the mercy of the court jester and taking his lumps like a man

Result- we need to send a message here - 4 games

Neal- 1st charge- hit unsuspecting player that did not have puck leaving his feet to do so

2nd charge- charging a player targeting the head

4th year player with 4 previous incidents 1 fine 1 suspension 2 warning phone calls- repeat offender (total of six incidents in four years requireing league attentention)

Opts for seperate hearings on both charges-( Jose Baez defending)

charge 1- pleads not guilty because i didnt see player until last minute so i had to jump into him to brace for collision

although video suggests your looking at bright orange jersey clad player from several feet away we cant see your eyes so we'll take your word on it

Result - charge dismissed

charge 2-plea not released to public

Result- no message here-1 game for repeat offender

Lets sum it up - 13 year "fringe player" first incident requireing the involvement league officials with no injuries 4 games

4 year "star" player" sixth incident requireing the involvemnet league officials with no injury in latest incident(s) 1 game

Something doesnt quite add up here, no something smells worse than rotten halibut in the trunk of lumina in up state N.Y. and that smell is from Gayray Buttman and Colon Cumball. Dollars over Sense is what we have here.

[RonJeremy]

Lets also add, Shea Webber star dman for one of Gary Buttmans pet expansion franchises, slams a guys head into turnbuckle like WWF, and Buttman wouldnt dare suspend Webber and deny NAshville a chance to win their first playoff series ever. Its such a joke, I dont care who it is, you go for someones head and your out for a determined number of games ,based on how blatant your hit is , playoffs or not . If Neil had connected with Girouxs head, Claude would be done until next year. Intent is enough reason to suspend someone, but the NHL waits until you are actually hurt, and then maybe does something. You want to stop head shots, and preserve the careers of your players, then come down hard on any attempted head shots. Malkin did the old shoulder to the face of Grossman as he skated by, and if you recall he tried it on Giroux early this year and Giroux ducked it. Thats two attempts at Girouxs head by the Pens this year alone.

[radoran]

Nashville has advanced past the first round.

Last year, actually. Beat the Ducks.

[TedZep]

Just to compare the Asham and Neal incidents

Shanahan/the league has been horribly inconsistent most of the year and this entire brief playoffs. This one game and the two incidents you described so well are a superb demonstration of how bad it's been.

Neal should have gotten an extra game just for lying to Shanahan.