HI-Larious Ruff

I was watching the Hockey Night in Canada Pre-Game show on NHL Center Ice when I learned that the NHL fined Buffaslugs Head Whiner Lindy Ruff $10,000 for his role in the brouhaha last Thursday night.

Because the Ottawa-Buffaslugs game is the alternate Hockey Night in Canada game, there was a CBC reporter at the arena to interview Ruff. The interview was rather good because Ruff started off sounding contrite, humble, and even a little sorrowful for what happened. But like John Erskine Bowles of the Caps who can't help to suck, Ruff let his true colors fly when he started recounting a transgression committed against the poor, put-upon Buffaslugs by that known Ottawa Senator Thug Danny Heatley (he did kill a guy you know...).

What a joke Ruff is and apparently the Buffaslug owner has shot off a letter to Gary Bettman as well. You know, from the coach, to the players, to the God-Awful play-by-play guy (the reason why I am NOT watching the Buffaslugs-Senators game), to the Loserville city the team inhabits the NHL should seriously consider contracting that franchise. Nothing Washington or any of the "Sun/Bible Belt" team has ever done is as embarrassing as what these guys pull. In light of the update below, I think the Buffaslugs should stay in the NHL simply so we can watch them comically whine time and time again.

UDPATE: After watching Don Cherry's Coach's Corner, I went over to the Buffaslug broadcast. I missed the dramatic reading of Buffaslug owner Tom Golisano to Gary Bettman, but I did see a downright HIGH-LARIOUS interview with Ottawa Sun columnist Bruce Garrioch on MSG.

Outright Kudos to Garrioch for calling Golisano's letter ridiculous and "taking whining to a new level." The Buffaslug broadcasters were beside themselves. Rob Ray even went to the point of asking a "what if" about Mair on Heatley (and speaking of Mair, Don Cherry was all over him for not "answering the call" in the first period). Garrioch brought up the hit on R.J. Umberger that Tim Connolly Brian Campbell laid on him in the playoffs last year but the Buffaslug announcers still wouldn't have any of it.

It was also mentioned that Colin Campbell is in the building tonight in Ottawa and that he met with both sets of coaches and GMs this morning. The Todd Bertuzzi-Steve Moore incident was raised. So sorry Ultimate Fighting on Ice fans, there won't be much for you to enjoy tonight.

Hopefully this MSG interview of Bruce Garrioch will land on YouTube so I can link to it and those who missed out can enjoy it. I can't connect to the Buffaslugs website right now. But you can get snippets of the letter on TSN.ca. I particularly love this gem:

There is nothing manly about hitting a player that you can't see. .. There is nothing good to come of a policy that allows exciting, skilled players to be targets for what I believe to be a predatory play.

I for one agree that predatory play against the skilled players should be outlawed and strictly disciplined; I however would suggest that the NHL start with players who deliver spears to the gonads of other players.

Finally, Neil saw Drury, that's how he lined up the hit. So what is wrong with the hit Mr. Golisano?

Oh, and the player with the puck cannot be offside...