“Kiz, you missed it. How can you blame Avalanche fans for wanting retaliation against L.A. Kings defenseman Jack Johnson for an intentional hit clearly made at the precise time to awkwardly throw Ryan Smyth into a side of exposed glass during a recent game at the Pepsi Center? Personally, I can’t think of a better way to clear the air than a man-to-man fight.”
Ed, Broomfield
Kiz: C’mon. Get real. To deliberately time his check to send Smyth crashing into that turnbuckle, Johnson would need the skating ability of Peggy Fleming, the rasslin’ skills of Hulk Hogan and the mathematical genius of Albert Einstein to compute the angles and trajectory. If every clean, violent hit in the NHL justified a fight, boxing gloves would be standard issue as part of the uniform.
Let Lappy loose. “Please excuse my spelling. Neanderthals find it hard to use tiny keyboard! Because of the Steve Moore incident, I believe Ian Laperriere was right in taking on Johnson. Smyth had scored two goals against the Kings. It stands to reason L.A.’s Marc Crawford, the same coach who might have egged Todd Bertuzzi to take out Moore, could also encourage Johnson to take out Smyth. Sorry, I’m not as enlightened as you. I don’t know the words to “Kumbaya,” and patchouli incense makes me nauseous.”
Georgia, Aurora
Kiz: Actually, there has always been a warm spot in my heart for cavemen. Every Saturday morning as a kid, after some yummy quiche for breakfast, I watched the Flintstones. That Barney Rubble! What an actor!
Sequins, anyone?. “Fighting is part of hockey. So why change it now? Maybe you should start covering nicer, more gentle sports. Ice dancing, anyone?”
Brian, putting on the foil
Kiz: Only if you’re my skating partner, big guy. And I call dibs on the Chazz Michael Michaels costume.
Goons must go. “I’m a huge hockey fan, and have watched or played well over 10,000 games in my life, so I’ve seen a fair amount of goonery, going back to the days of the Filthadelphia Flyers. I could not agree with you more about the NHL and goons. While Johnson’s hit on Smyth almost caused very serious injury, it was nothing more than a clean hit on an odd part of the ice. Bottom line: It’s high time the NHL gets rid of fighting and used penalties, fines or suspensions instead of goons to deal with unsavory plays, the same as other major sports leagues.”
Kevin, Evergreen
Kiz: As long as the NHL refuses to grow up, the game will never be taken seriously as a major league. But I suspect some hockey traditionalists like it better as a secret society of mullets banging heads to the beat of Aerosmith.
Karl-bashing. “Tell me, why do the Nuggets retain coach George Karl? He could not energize the Energizer Bunny. Karl is a dud. Owner Stan Kroenke is a businessman who I would think recognizes the difference between good and bad leadership, but he seems to be hoodwinked on the coach issue. Everyone calls for the head of Broncos coach Mike Shanahan; how come no one has stepped to the plate to say it is time for Karl to go? Please, do not confuse me with facts and the number of W’s on his résumé.”
Jay, Dillon
Kiz: Karl’s contract runs through 2010, and Kroenke doesn’t like to pay a coach for nothing. So the fate of Karl will be as much about dollars and sense as wins and losses.
Melo, take charge!
And today’s parting shot dares me to light a fire under a Denver basketball star that one disgruntled fan regards as a too Melo fellow.
“Perhaps you need the guts to call out Carmelo Anthony. The Nuggets are his team. He should be calling out teammates and demanding more. Does Kobe Bryant put up with poor play from the Los Angeles Lakers? Would Michael Jordan have said nothing to teammates who failed? Magic? Bird? Melo has not reached the next level of leadership and put the fear in teammates of letting him down.”
Mike, Portland
