sphynx

Courtesy, The Boston Globe:
http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/articles/2003/11/02/bruins_lose_grip_fall_in_ot/

"It's ridiculous," said Thornton. "It's not hockey. They obviously
don't want to let the offensive guys play their style, that's for sure.
But what can you do? You're not in charge of the officials. I'd
change a lot of things."

(mine) Nice to meet you Joe. Is this your first day here? I
think a little guilt might be causing him to react with such naivety.


Thornton said he felt no choice but to react.
"I've been taking it for 12 games," he said, his voice rising.
"When do you say stop?"

(mine) Certainly not late in a close game, eh?


"You'd think someone in the league office would kind of wonder
what's going on with the officiating. But nobody's throwing any
questions up. I've seen enough."

(mine) So have I, please Joe! Learn to take one or two for the team
because the league is not about to change anytime soon. When you
wake up tomorrow they will still be clutching and grabbing and
if you don't change your attitude you will still be hurting the team.


"There's no question," Thornton said. "At the start of the year
[a season ago], at least they were calling something. This year,
it's grab a rope and go to work. It's unfortunate that hockey is
going this way."

(mine) Quad.

Thornton said what makes him the most furious is that other
players don't get called for riding him like a horse but he is
whistled off for his reactions to it.

(mine) In the cluth and grab borefest of today, cluthing
and grabbing is not as obvious as turning
around and clobbering someone.


"As far as I'm concerned, I should be able to get away with
anything,"

(mine) Capone thought that too. Make sure you pay your
taxes Joe ;-)

"I don't think all year I should be called for a penalty. I should
get the Lady Byng every year.

(mine) First you must "get" the meaning of the word
discipline. Easy for me to say from the comfort of my
own desk, I know.

"I don't even know what's a hold in this league anymore. I really
don't know."

(mine) Neither do the officials. Still, his coach hit the nail on the head
when he said Joe just cannot take those penalties. No matter
how unjust things are out there the bottom line is that he's hurting
his team. Does Joe know that other teams are doing that to him
as part of a strategy, to get late PPs against Boston, because the
book on him is that he can be goaded?


--
Sphynx

brtsd

I don't know - as much as I hate seeing him in the box and costing games, I
like it when the star players shit on the refs. You nailed when you labeled
hockey as a borefest, and I don't know what else to do about it. If he (and
others) sit there and take it, they may help their respective teams, but the
game is almost unwatchable as is. If they retaliate and bitch, they get 2
minutes and a whiner label.

Either way, hockey has really ****ed itself up over the last 10 years or so...

damon

How about skating a little harder and using that 240lbs to knock some people
on their ass.

tboglarski

From: "Damon"

Thank you, well said.

tboglarski

So what the hell are you watching it for?

thalador dufosnee

So what you are saying is that Joe doesnt skate hard enough? Please... The
last game he had people d****d over him ALL night with no calls, and as
soon as he touched anyone he was called. Now granted the little punch to
the face was out of line, but the refs need to call a two way game. I know
it was bad because for the first time all season the NESN announcer
(sounded like Dale Arnold) actually yelled about a couple of non calls.

I know it is easy to blame refs, but they do need to take some
responsibility in these matters, don't they?

damon

First, let me say that I am as big a Bruins fan as you can get. Because of
this I can appreciate you wanting to defend the Bruin players, but if you
think Joe Thornton has been skating hard lately then you're either not
watching the games, not paying attention to them, or just in denial. In the
situation that you're talking about, Joe was just "dipsy doodling" around (a
quote from the Pitsburgh announcers). The Pitsburgh announcers were bagging
on him, and as mad as they were making me, they were exactly right. It was a
clean hit and good hustle by the Pitsburgh player. Then Joe turns around and
decks him. I wouldn't have had a problem with it if he would have dropped
the gloves and beat the crap out of the guy. Instead he takes a cheap shot
at him and then turns away. ***** move if you ask me. This, as you know,
caused a penalty which resulted in Pitsburgh scoring and eventually winning
what should have been an easy game for us.

I'm not arguing that there were some missed calls in that game, but if you
think it's the refs fault that Joe did all that then that's crazy. Besides,
the players cannot control what the refs will or will not call. The only
things they can control are the way they react and the way they play.
Instead of retaliating by punching someone he should have just lined the
person up the next time he had the chance and drilled him. Start sending a
message that it's not ok, and that if the refs don't call it then he will
retaliate (but not in a way that will draw a penalty). This is hockey, not
women's softball!!!

-Damon-