The police are involved in two incidents surrounding the 2012 NHL Winter Classic. Neither are related to the game itself, but things outside the stadium.
The first involves illegal goods. $350,000 worth.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations office says it intercepted 150 international mail parcels and seized merchandise from vendors outside Citizens Bank Park, where the Philadelphia Flyers met the New York Rangers on Monday.
Investigators seized more than 1,600 items in all, including counterfeit MLB, NFL, NBA and NCAA merchandise.
Authorities say the investigation is continuing and no arrests have been made.
In other news, police in Philadelphia are seeking the public’s help identifying three men involved in a fight between Flyers and Rangers fans outside a cheesesteak shop following Monday’s Winter Classic hockey game.
Philadelphia police on Wednesday released an edited version of a YouTube video of the altercation, which ends with a Rangers fan lying stunned on the street.
Investigators say a man in a Flyers jersey is the main aggressor, throwing the first punch after a verbal dispute. Two other men join in the fight, which also involves a second Rangers fan. Authorities say one victim needed stitches for his injuries.
The Flyers, through a team spokesman, had no comment.
I also have no comment. It's past my bedtime.
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Barsh Suspended One Game
The first suspension of the 2012 year NOT issued by Shanahan came down today against Florida's Krystofer Barch. He will not play in tonight's game against the New York Rangers.
Barch made an inappropriate comment directed at P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens at the end of the first period on New Year's Eve, 2011. Subban, who's black, didn't hear the comment. But the officials did. The comment essentially asserted that Barch thought Subban looked like he slipped on a banana peel, only with a lot more profanity used on top of that.
Barch said he spoke with Subban the day after the verbal exchange to explain what happened and that Subban was understanding. Barch said he also received support from ex-teammate Trevor Daley and assistant coach Paul Jerrard, both of whom are black and members of the Dallas Stars organization.
Barch said during his phone hearing Thursday morning with Campbell that he was told if the League believed his statement was racially charged, he would have received a 5-to-10-game suspension.
"Mr. Barch has admitted making the remark, but denies that the comment was racially motivated," said Colin Campbell, Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. "While we accept Mr. Barch's assertion, as a player in the National Hockey League, he must be held accountable for making a comment that, in the context in which it was made, and in light of the entirety of the circumstances, was offensive and unacceptable."
Shanahan is in charge of player safety and this was not an issue of safety which is why Campbell and not Shanahan issued the suspension.
"I know myself and what I said, it may have been inappropriate, but it was nowhere along the lines of racial slur," Barch said. "The things I said were pretty explicit, maybe not for kids' ears. That's why I really can't repeat what I said, because it wouldn't come across…my grandma wouldn't want to hear it. Put it that way."
At the time, Barch was given a 10-minute misconduct penalty and ejected from the game.
It appears, by all accounts, that everyone will move forward from this negative incident. Barch used several examples in his apology to show examples of his non-bias stance and appeared sincerely apologenic for his unexcusable remarks. He hopes to move forward.
"For my sake, my friend's sake, my family's sake, I never said anything that was racially driven. There wasn't a slur. It's nice that it's over with now with everything coming out. At the same time, I feel bad for the team with what the guys have been through with the cloud hanging over it."
Barch made an inappropriate comment directed at P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens at the end of the first period on New Year's Eve, 2011. Subban, who's black, didn't hear the comment. But the officials did. The comment essentially asserted that Barch thought Subban looked like he slipped on a banana peel, only with a lot more profanity used on top of that.
Barch said he spoke with Subban the day after the verbal exchange to explain what happened and that Subban was understanding. Barch said he also received support from ex-teammate Trevor Daley and assistant coach Paul Jerrard, both of whom are black and members of the Dallas Stars organization.
Barch said during his phone hearing Thursday morning with Campbell that he was told if the League believed his statement was racially charged, he would have received a 5-to-10-game suspension.
"Mr. Barch has admitted making the remark, but denies that the comment was racially motivated," said Colin Campbell, Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations. "While we accept Mr. Barch's assertion, as a player in the National Hockey League, he must be held accountable for making a comment that, in the context in which it was made, and in light of the entirety of the circumstances, was offensive and unacceptable."
Shanahan is in charge of player safety and this was not an issue of safety which is why Campbell and not Shanahan issued the suspension.
"I know myself and what I said, it may have been inappropriate, but it was nowhere along the lines of racial slur," Barch said. "The things I said were pretty explicit, maybe not for kids' ears. That's why I really can't repeat what I said, because it wouldn't come across…my grandma wouldn't want to hear it. Put it that way."
At the time, Barch was given a 10-minute misconduct penalty and ejected from the game.
It appears, by all accounts, that everyone will move forward from this negative incident. Barch used several examples in his apology to show examples of his non-bias stance and appeared sincerely apologenic for his unexcusable remarks. He hopes to move forward.
"For my sake, my friend's sake, my family's sake, I never said anything that was racially driven. There wasn't a slur. It's nice that it's over with now with everything coming out. At the same time, I feel bad for the team with what the guys have been through with the cloud hanging over it."
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Rangers Coach Fined For Comments
Okay, so the NHL doesn't want me to work on anything else because they keep releasing stories that grab my interest. This is the third breaking news story involving discipline within the hour.
New York Rangers Coach John Tortorella was fined $30,000 by NHL VP Colin Campbell. This comes hours after Coach Tort issued an apology for proposing a conspiracy theory about the officiating during the NHL Winter Classic in Philadelphia.
Apparently, Campbell doesn't like for the NHL to be critized during such an important event.
As a reminder: In the press conference room at Citizens Bank Stadium in Philadelphia, after the Rangers' Winter Classic victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, Tortorella blasted the officiating in the third period with hyperbolic aplomb, wondering if referees Ian Walsh and Dennis LaRue were working in concert with NBC to orchestrate an overtime while calling their work in the game "disgusting."
I personally do not feel the officials nor the NHL are involved in a conspiracy to make for better TV. First of all, I agree that the penalty shot should have happened. If NBC was in-cohoots (spelling?) with the League to have a penalty shot, maybe they should have informed their announcers. The announcers kept saying they couldn't see the puck being covered by a hand when the rules clearly state they don't HAVE to be covered by a hand. The announcers surely would have explained that better if they know needed it to happen to fit the grand script of an overtime.
Second, I will admit the officiating was rotten there towards the end of the game. Especially the hook/hold call. Many are claiming that because the official that made the call, Ian Walsh, was from Philadelphia that he called it to benefit the Flyers. That would mean that the NHL had selected Walsh well before the game to make sure the Flyers benefitted throughout the game therefore giving the home team the advantage. Have they ever done that before? Do they "plant" officials from the home region?
Why yes. Almost every year in fact.
It's a common practice to assign officials from an area the opportunity to officiate in their home town for big events. Tim Nowak was a linesman in 2008, born in Buffalo. 2009- Linesman Andy McElfman was from Chicago. 2010- Referee Chris Rooney was born in Boston while Linesman Brian Murphy was from New Hampshire. 2011 was the only year that the officiating crew didn't have at least one member from the area for a Winter Classic game.
But the reason is because it is a reward for the officials so they can officiate near their families, where their roots are. It does not have to do with some overriding conspiracy to benefit one particular side.
The NHL likes to reward good referees with unique experiences, like the Winter Classic or All Star Games. Veterans, absolute cream of the crop are choosen for the playoffs. But other games are a chance for their families to see them in a special moment as well. After all, if one has decided to become an official, one of the most unique and possibly awesome experiences they could have would be officiating a Winter Classic and the best venue to do it in would be one's hometown or where they grew up.
Let me put it to you this way: If the NHL is planting officials from the home region to intentionally sway the game in favor of that team, they are screwing up big time. The home team has a 1-3-1 record in the Winter Classic.
Let me get back to the penalty shot for a second. I believe that if the penalty shot was not a good call and somehow shows examples of corruption, they would have removed it from the NHL.com homepage by now. I just checked and there is a picture and a link to the penalty shot right there for all to see.
If they believe it was really giving evidence to conspiracy theorists, they would have removed it by now.
I could be wrong on all this, but I really don't see a cover-up conspiracy here. That being said, I cannot explain the hook/hold call. A hook/dive maybe MAYBE, but even that's a stretch. The way I saw it, the Rangers should have been awarded a goal making the final score 4-2. I cannot explain the rationale behind that call. That was a horrible call anyway you slice it. Still, I don't think it shows signs of an underlying plot to force the game into overtime.
If I wanted to give Philadelphia an advantage, I would have called Callahan for diving or holding stick claiming that it was Callahan's action of holding the stick that restrained him, not the hook. It was going to be a poke-check except that Callahan embellished the actions and held the stick. That would have given Philadelphia a powerplay.
Hell, you could have made a really questionable call in favor of the Flyers and claimed later that, "after reviewing the tape of the game upon returning to the locker room, you missed the call on the ice and there should have been a hook called as well." The cold weather effected you. The wind was in your face. The stadium lights played tricks on your eyes as it got darker. The reflections in a ballpark are different than a hockey arena. Whatever. One shouldn't also issue a coincidental penalty to the team you are trying to help. That's Rigging-The-Game 101.
Do you see my point? A lot more could have been done by the officials if they wanted to help Philadelphia. I don't believe they were trying to deviously effect the game and a hooking penalty was certainly committed, but I'm just pointing out some reasons against the conspiracy theories. Sometimes Referees make mistakes because they are human and just screw up.
Not that I'm saying there has never been attempts to influence before...
I'll have to give my take on those old Colin Campbell emails later.
For now, I'm trying to go to bed. Unless something else breaks about discipline. Let me check.
Hold on a minute...
...I think I'm good.
New York Rangers Coach John Tortorella was fined $30,000 by NHL VP Colin Campbell. This comes hours after Coach Tort issued an apology for proposing a conspiracy theory about the officiating during the NHL Winter Classic in Philadelphia.
Apparently, Campbell doesn't like for the NHL to be critized during such an important event.
As a reminder: In the press conference room at Citizens Bank Stadium in Philadelphia, after the Rangers' Winter Classic victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, Tortorella blasted the officiating in the third period with hyperbolic aplomb, wondering if referees Ian Walsh and Dennis LaRue were working in concert with NBC to orchestrate an overtime while calling their work in the game "disgusting."
I personally do not feel the officials nor the NHL are involved in a conspiracy to make for better TV. First of all, I agree that the penalty shot should have happened. If NBC was in-cohoots (spelling?) with the League to have a penalty shot, maybe they should have informed their announcers. The announcers kept saying they couldn't see the puck being covered by a hand when the rules clearly state they don't HAVE to be covered by a hand. The announcers surely would have explained that better if they know needed it to happen to fit the grand script of an overtime.
Second, I will admit the officiating was rotten there towards the end of the game. Especially the hook/hold call. Many are claiming that because the official that made the call, Ian Walsh, was from Philadelphia that he called it to benefit the Flyers. That would mean that the NHL had selected Walsh well before the game to make sure the Flyers benefitted throughout the game therefore giving the home team the advantage. Have they ever done that before? Do they "plant" officials from the home region?
Why yes. Almost every year in fact.
It's a common practice to assign officials from an area the opportunity to officiate in their home town for big events. Tim Nowak was a linesman in 2008, born in Buffalo. 2009- Linesman Andy McElfman was from Chicago. 2010- Referee Chris Rooney was born in Boston while Linesman Brian Murphy was from New Hampshire. 2011 was the only year that the officiating crew didn't have at least one member from the area for a Winter Classic game.
But the reason is because it is a reward for the officials so they can officiate near their families, where their roots are. It does not have to do with some overriding conspiracy to benefit one particular side.
The NHL likes to reward good referees with unique experiences, like the Winter Classic or All Star Games. Veterans, absolute cream of the crop are choosen for the playoffs. But other games are a chance for their families to see them in a special moment as well. After all, if one has decided to become an official, one of the most unique and possibly awesome experiences they could have would be officiating a Winter Classic and the best venue to do it in would be one's hometown or where they grew up.
Let me put it to you this way: If the NHL is planting officials from the home region to intentionally sway the game in favor of that team, they are screwing up big time. The home team has a 1-3-1 record in the Winter Classic.
Let me get back to the penalty shot for a second. I believe that if the penalty shot was not a good call and somehow shows examples of corruption, they would have removed it from the NHL.com homepage by now. I just checked and there is a picture and a link to the penalty shot right there for all to see.
If they believe it was really giving evidence to conspiracy theorists, they would have removed it by now.
I could be wrong on all this, but I really don't see a cover-up conspiracy here. That being said, I cannot explain the hook/hold call. A hook/dive maybe MAYBE, but even that's a stretch. The way I saw it, the Rangers should have been awarded a goal making the final score 4-2. I cannot explain the rationale behind that call. That was a horrible call anyway you slice it. Still, I don't think it shows signs of an underlying plot to force the game into overtime.
If I wanted to give Philadelphia an advantage, I would have called Callahan for diving or holding stick claiming that it was Callahan's action of holding the stick that restrained him, not the hook. It was going to be a poke-check except that Callahan embellished the actions and held the stick. That would have given Philadelphia a powerplay.
Hell, you could have made a really questionable call in favor of the Flyers and claimed later that, "after reviewing the tape of the game upon returning to the locker room, you missed the call on the ice and there should have been a hook called as well." The cold weather effected you. The wind was in your face. The stadium lights played tricks on your eyes as it got darker. The reflections in a ballpark are different than a hockey arena. Whatever. One shouldn't also issue a coincidental penalty to the team you are trying to help. That's Rigging-The-Game 101.
Do you see my point? A lot more could have been done by the officials if they wanted to help Philadelphia. I don't believe they were trying to deviously effect the game and a hooking penalty was certainly committed, but I'm just pointing out some reasons against the conspiracy theories. Sometimes Referees make mistakes because they are human and just screw up.
Not that I'm saying there has never been attempts to influence before...
I'll have to give my take on those old Colin Campbell emails later.
For now, I'm trying to go to bed. Unless something else breaks about discipline. Let me check.
Hold on a minute...
...I think I'm good.
Carcillo Gets 7 Game Suspension
I was just about to work on something else when this announcement came out from the NHL.
Link to Video
Carcillo will forfeit $66,158.54 in salary for boarding Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert.
I do not like the use of the word "explodes" in the video, but agree that there was a lot of things Carcillo did wrong (slowing up, checking high, using the boards). Carcillo's hit did not attempt to put himself in a better position to get the puck, but rather to take his opponent out of the play. I know using the boards is a stradegy in hockey, but this is not the way to do it. Hitting the numbers as a player is skating towards the boards? That's not right as it leaves little options but for the victim to have a violent impact with the boards.
Okay. Enough of that. Off to Empire Sports. More Ice Crew updates.
Link to Video
Carcillo will forfeit $66,158.54 in salary for boarding Edmonton Oilers defenseman Tom Gilbert.
I do not like the use of the word "explodes" in the video, but agree that there was a lot of things Carcillo did wrong (slowing up, checking high, using the boards). Carcillo's hit did not attempt to put himself in a better position to get the puck, but rather to take his opponent out of the play. I know using the boards is a stradegy in hockey, but this is not the way to do it. Hitting the numbers as a player is skating towards the boards? That's not right as it leaves little options but for the victim to have a violent impact with the boards.
Okay. Enough of that. Off to Empire Sports. More Ice Crew updates.
Bourque Gets 5 Game Suspension
Link to video
The video explains pretty much everything about the reasoning behind the suspension, but one thing the videos do not ever mention are the finacial penalties associated with a suspenion. I don't have a lot of time for analysis (I'll be working on the Empire Sports Blog for a bit), but I generally agree with the ruling. I was perhaps expecting maybe a little more considering the recent suspension along with the way Bourque really seems to go out of his way to make contact with the head.
Since he is a repeat offender (defined by the CBA as a suspension within the last 18 months of the incident), then he forfeits more money. I've explained this before, but perhaps not in the new Hockey Cop blog, so I'll explain again how the forfeited money is calculated when it comes to suspensions for those that don't know.
It is all layed out there in Article 18 of the CBA (which is 475 pages long, so feel free to just trust me on this unless you want to go through all that yourself).
The season is 82 games which lasts over 185 calendar days (in 2010-11 season). It will not be less than 184 by the agreement by the way. Your average salary is divided by one of those numbers depending on which type of offender you are. I'm not going to get into how one determines average salary, but for the sake of argument, it's how much money you make in a season (or divided out per season if you have a multi-year term). This doesn't include signing bonuses and stuff like that. Oh, and the offender status is on a rolling basis meaning that if it has been 18 months since a player's last offense, the new offense will be treated as his "first". Last note: suspension days are only counted towards the fines for regular season games, not preseason games. All moneys go towards the NHL Players Emergency Assistance Fund.
Still with me?
Okay, so what's the coin one has to pony up? Well, the repeat offender has his salary divided by 82 (the number of games in a season) and then multiplied by how many games he was suspended. The first time offender has his salary divided by 185 (the number of calendar days in a season).
Repeat: (Salary/82) x #GamesSuspended
First Time: (Salary/185) x #GamesSuspended
Or, with real numbers. Let's say two players both make 1 million dollars and are both suspended 5 regular season games (we'll keep things simple). What will they pay?
Repeat: ($1,000,000.00 / 82) x 5 = $60,975.61.
First Time: ($1,000,000.00 / 185) x 5 = $27,027.03.
You pay roughly 56% more per suspension if you are a repeat offender.
That's you brief explanation on suspension money surrendered.
Bourque will forfeit $203,252.05 in salary for delivering an elbow to the head of Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom.
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