It Isn't A "Code", It Is A "Crock"

Once again the Ultimate Fighting on Ice (UFOI) fans are playing defense again. This time they have to rise up in response to Jordan Tootoo (yes, that's his real name) on Stephane Robidas. (I was distracted this weekend by Maryland in the NCAA and a take-home exam for class.)

And why are they doing this? Well you see Jordan Tootoo is one of those "tough" and "gritty" hockey players. He does not discriminate when it comes to hitting players on the other team. Here in this clip, he hits Mike Modano of the Dallas Stars and apparently Stephane Robidas takes exception to that and Tootoo greets him with what some are calling a "sucker punch."

Was the hit late?

Nope.

Was the hit dirty?

Nope.

Was Modano hurt by the hit?

Clearly not because Modano got right back up and tried to grab Tootoo himself.

Now the UFOI fans continually accuse the likes me of trying to remove all hitting and all passion and all emotion from the game of hockey. (Hey, the red herring works when you don't want to answer the tough questions about UFOI's failure to sustain the league.) However, it is nonsense like this that takes the hitting, the passion, and the emotion out of the game. "The Crock"...er..."The Code" says that you don't hit the star players. Well, I'm sorry, if the star players on the ice and if hockey is a tough game played by tough men, then the stars are going to be and should be hit. I’ve got no problem with that along as it is clean.

It is one thing to respond to cheapshots but another to go crazy over clean and legal play. We're even now seeing this type reaction to hits on "non stars" like Chris Simon.

If you aren't happy with the lack of hitting in hockey today, don't blame Bettman, don't blame me, blame your almighty "Crock"...er..."Code."