The unseemly haste with which Hockey Canada invited Todd Bertuzzi to participate in the recent Team Canada Olympic orientation camp in Western Canada struck many observers as at best ironic and, at worst, crass.
At that camp, how ironic was it to see Canadian players wearing Team Canada practice jerseys with the “STOP” patch on the back of their jerseys? (The STOP patch was designed to remind youth-level hockey players never to hit an opposing player from behind, because of the high risk of injury.)
Ironic, in that Hockey Canada administrators have been preaching to young players and coaches for years (and rightly so) about the very real dangers of hitting opposing players from behind.
Yet Todd Bertuzzi, the perpetrator of one of the most blatant and dangerous “hits from behind” in hockey history, was invited to play for Team Canada within minutes of his suspension being lifted.
With this as a backdrop, there are some basic questions that either have not been asked as people debate this issue, or have not been adequately answered.
- If Todd Bertuzzi was not an NHL “superstar”, would his suspension have been more severe?
- Why are some ‘fans’ actually applauding Todd Bertuzzi? (Because he is back playing? Because he said he was sorry? Because he is a star player?)
- Yes, Todd Bertuzzi has said he is “sorry” for his actions. Did we expect him to say he wasn’t sorry?
- Bertuzzi says he has had sleepless nights. How many sleepless nights has Steve Moore likely experienced?
- How much, if any, subtle or not so subtle persuasion — or outright lobbying — occurred involving Team Canada officials and the NHL?
- Bertuzzi has said he believes in forgiveness and second chances. Is it easier to “believe” in those things when you are the one who caused harm to someone else?
- What would Bertuzzi be saying now if he was the individual who was physically handicapped because of the cowardly actions of another player?
- Bertuzzi has said he just wants to “get back to playing”, essentially ignoring Steve Moore’s current reality. (Moore is unable to play hockey.) But how would Bertuzzi feel if he lost his livelihood not just for 17 months, but for the rest of his life, as is likely the case with Steve Moore, if someone had jumped him from behind?
- Even if Steve Moore were to somehow regain the physical and emotional strength required to play at the NHL level, what NHL club would sign him, given the obvious politics involved?
- How many people have noticed how NHL stars, including Avalanche players who were teammates of Steve Moore, have fallen into line publicly, stating their support of and for Bertuzzi?
- Why are some of these star players talking as though Steve Moore is “doing better”, when in fact Moore and his representatives are saying he still faces a monumental struggle ahead? Where is the evidence he is doing better? Or is that just a line some players are using in public to try to make this go away?
- If any of us were in Steve Moore’s shoes, how would we feel watching Todd Bertuzzi play and earn millions of dollars, while our career was likely over and we still couldn’t do ‘normal’ daily tasks comfortably?
- Why is the hockey community seeming to shun Steve Moore?
- How are young Canadian children now supposed to react to those “It’s just a game” ads from Hockey Canada that have been appearing for so long? Is the message that the values supported in those public service announcements should apply to parents and youth, but not to NHL superstars?
