Thursday, December 06, 2007

THE GAME ON TRIAL...

The latest Todd Bertuzzi-Steve Moore revelations (as chronicled over by James Mirtle's post) seem likely to spur some discussion.

What's new is that during examination discovery, both Bertuzzi and current Canucks GM Dave Nonis said "(Marc) Crawford (then coaching Vancouver) demanded that revenge be exacted upon Mr. Moore." (As you know, what's said during discovery are unproven allegations.)

If that's something close to the truthit's small wonder that Gary Bettman and Bill Daly were so eager to settle this months ago -- as Jim Kelley details.

(Much obliged to Tyler Dellow, who many months ago explained what examination for discovery means.)

Related:
'He must pay the price' (David Shoalts, globesports.com)
Tough times (Jim Kelley, SI.com)

1 comment:

Dennis Prouse said...

This is all just part of a dance that will go on for a while yet. The battle isn't over whether Moore will get money, but how much.

While everyone is titillated by Crawford's alleged comments, the fact is that this is common in sports. Hell, in baseball, they throw 100 mph fastballs at the head of a guy whose only crime is wearing the same uniform as the guy who just did his home run trot a tad slow. Crawford's words will horrify those who didn't grow up playing or following sports, but to those who know the game, there was nothing even slightly shocking about it.

Really, though, this is all just a sideshow. Bertuzzi has admitted liability, and his criminal proceedings are done. All that is left to do now is for the lawyers to hammer out a number that both sides can live with. Typically, that will be done on the courthouse steps just before the trial gets underway. Everything else is just fodder for fans to carry on a debate that has become increasingly tiresome.