For those complaining about WJC showboating...

[Matt13]

I never thought Id say this.....

Go Canada

 

[espo*]

I never thought Id say this.....

Go Canada

LOL :lol Showboating can do that to a person

 

[Roughneck]

Didn't Memorial Cup players do the same 'leap' when they scored?

 

[hockeyfan33]

I can't wait until these Russians get to the NHL, Hatchet and co, will straighten their showboating out really quick

you mean like they straightened out Kovalchuk right?

 

[Habs4Life]

It's a little bit different.. They are not taunting the fans directly

 

[RorschachWJK]

comes out looking to hurt you after the fact. It has always been against the basic ethics of the game and has been dealt with accordingly by the players.

Looking to hurt someone in a situation like that is definitely against ANY basic ethics. That's frontier justice of the worst kind, goons on the loose.

Based on what I read (couldn't watch the game), the Russians acted real stupid. However, that is nowhere close to a good enough reason to try and deliberately injure someone. At least in the civilized world...

 

[hockeyfan33]

Looking to hurt someone in a situation like that is definitely against ANY basic ethics. That's frontier justice of the worst kind, goons on the loose.

Based on what I read (couldn't watch the game), the Russians acted real stupid. However, that is nowhere close to a good enough reason to try and deliberately injure someone. At least in the civilized world...

I thought that was good ole Bob Clarke Canadien hockey

 

[Nielson81]

The way I see it...the crowd can taunght the players...why can't the players taunt back ????

Anyone got an explanation??

 

[rt]

most of these kids will meet again in the NHL or some other league and I would love to see the day that AO and Ryan Suter take the ice again against each other.

I was thinking the same thing when at the end of the game the camera zoomed in on Suter staring nails at the Russians. Unfortunately, while memories are long in hockey, I don't know if they are THAT long.

Did anyone else read lips when Fritsche and that Russian coach were jawing at each other? That was hilarious! The Russian pointed at the scoreboard and then appeared to say "truck you". Fritsche said something back, then the Russian started making kissing faces at him to which it appeared Fritsche called him a "Saggot" (possibly a "Full House" reference). :lol

Too bad Glazachev wasn't playing, he would have fit right in.

 

[rt]

The way I see it...the crowd can taunght the players...why can't the players taunt back ????

Anyone got an explanation??

I think the players should focus on playing hockey, not on the fans.

 

[Street Hawk]

Sportsmanship...

Although I understand what you're saying, I think theres a difference between doing a celebration dance and directly taunting the crowd or opposing team. As a hockey fan, I take pride in the fact that most hockey players know how to conduct themselves and show a certain sense of sportsmanship. Just because athletes in other sports often showboat doesn't mean I want hockey players to stoop down to their level.

Sportsmanship goes beyond how you celebrate a HR, Goal, TD, dunk. It also is the way your play the game.

Sure, for the most part hockey players are respectable after they score a goal. However, that same sportsmanship is gone with things such as face washes and head locks during scrums after the whistle, using your stick to whack another player, shoving players after the whistle, etc.

In football, you see defensive players helping up the offensive player after a routine tackle. In cases where the tackle prevents a first down, or is a really big hit, the defender will get up and be pumped up about it. I don't have a problem with that. The one thing about football that I do like is that even if a game is out of hand, there really isn't any liberties taken in respect to a DL or a LB taking an obvious late hit on the QB. There's no "Sending a Message" involved.

Again, in terms of what Malkin did, I think it's also important to take into account that he was slashed pretty good by Suter when he fired the puck into the EN. Suter did get a penalty for that and with 1:10 left in the game down 3 goals, it was a slash that really wasn't necessary to dish out.

 

[Jacob]

The way I see it...the crowd can taunght the players...why can't the players taunt back ????

Anyone got an explanation??

That's okay reasoning, I guess. The issue most have is that the players should put themselves a notch or two above the drunks in the stands.

 

[Hemsky4PM]

As for the NFL, some endzone celebrations have been fined. Owens was fined last year for the Sharpee thing and the cell-phone guys was fined too. I think those were primarily for bringing objects onto the field.

Taunting is another story. If the referees in an NFL game see a player taunt an opposing player or the opposing bench the offending team is given an automatic 15 yard penalty, which anyone who knows football would say is a stiff penalty, probably on par with a double minor in hockey. In the NBA the refs can slap a player who taunts with a technical foul that contributes to their total fouls and can end up taking them out of a game alltogether.

So really the premise of this post makes no sense to me. Don't try to justify taunting by using fake examples. Football and basketball DO NOT tolerate taunting because they want to maintain some semblence of class and sportsmanship.

I think what Ovechkin did was tacky, but I can understand. His goal probably sealed the victory for the Russians and he was excited and celebrated with his teammates.

Malkin on the other hand was a complete embarrassment. That kind of crap has no place in any sport. The NFL and NBA recognize that taunting is bush league and classless. I guess the IIHF doesn't have a problem with it? Maybe they don't think an amature competition needs to have the same standards as professional sports. Hockey in general (including the NHL) should probably put a rule in place that severely punishes taunting. Maybe a double minor would suffice.

 

[paxtang]

Have you ever seen an NFL or NBA game? Now that's showboating and is completely tolerable in those sports. The difference is those sports actually have viewers. Maybe hockey needs more showboating.

Showboating is tolerable in hockey as well (though to a point). Taunting, however, is NOT tolerated in the NFL or NBA, and it sure as hell isn't tolerated in hockey, so I really don't know what your point is.

 

[Blueshirt13]

I was thinking the same thing when at the end of the game the camera zoomed in on Suter staring nails at the Russians. Unfortunately, while memories are long in hockey, I don't know if they are THAT long.

All I can say is Jack Johnson. Just wait till he has a chance to skate against the Russians. He plays hard and hits even harder. I have no doubt in my mind that next year, whoever the coach of the team is, will bring up this game.

 

[Mountain Dude]

The Ovechkin thing wasn't really showboating, but really just celebrating with his team, nothing wrong with that.

The Malking thing was completely classless

 

[Camshaft77]

so show me where it says that a player can't taunt after scoring a goal, because I can show you where it says that it's against the rules to hit the player from behind or high stick him in the face

Its called unsportsmanlike conduct, you can receive a two minute minor or a ten minute misconduct.

 

[TBJF]

The way I see it...the crowd can taunght the players...why can't the players taunt back ????

Anyone got an explanation??

Yes. The fans pay money to go to games. We shell out their cash, we pay the salaries for the players (either directly, or through media revenues).

The fan has bought the right the yell, scream, support their team, whatever. The player is there to do a job, and should take a professional attitude.

Yes, there are some things a fan should know enough to leave alone - racial epithets, for one. Wasn't there a basketball player a few years ago who went into the crowd when some fans started taunting him about his recently-deceased daughter? (I'm working from memory here.) I can't fault a guy for losing control with something like that.

And of course a player has a right to defend himself if a fan is stupid enough to get physical. Throwing beer on people is begging to be hit.

But other than that, the athlete's a performer, he's there to do a job. He doesn't have to be emotionless and robotic, but antagonizing the paying customers is, to my mind, just childish. It's big-time wrestling crap. There's a little of it in almost every sport, but that doesn' mean we have to like it. Apparently some people do. But some of us don't. DIffr'nt stokes for diffr'nt folks .....

 

[MaV]

Yes. The fans pay money to go to games. We shell out their cash, we pay the salaries for the players (either directly, or through media revenues).

And for that cash the fans receive the right to hate the teams and the players. The kids are just giving something back for the fans for their money here. Everyone's happy.

 

[Til the End of Time]

Can anyone tell me, as unbiasedly as possible, what exactly Malkin did? I wasn't paying attention to yet another empty net goal.

 

[RorschachWJK]

Can anyone tell me, as unbiasedly as possible, what exactly Malkin did? I wasn't paying attention to yet another empty net goal.

http://www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?t=121720

Some unbiased stuff, some biased stuff there.

 

[BCCHL inactive]

Its called unsportsmanlike conduct, you can receive a two minute minor or a ten minute misconduct.

Or if you make an obscene enough gesture, you could recieve a Game Misconduct or a Gross Misconduct, which will have you sitting more than the game you got kicked out of.

As mentioned in this thread, showboating is acceptable in certain situations in hockey. Taunting is accepted nowhere, unless you consider the WWE a sport.

 

[User571]

I like the showboating at the WJs Thats why hockey has fighting!

 

[BCCHL inactive]

I like the showboating at the WJs Thats why hockey has fighting!

Forgive me if I'm missing something here, but you do know that players get suspended for Fighting at this tournament.

 

[Burberry Manning]

I am a big fan of player individuality and I love creative celebrations. However, I wanted the Russian team to be pounded into the ice after what they did. There is a big differance between celebration and taunting and mocking. If Ovechkin jumped on the ice and started swimming motions I would have laughed, but he aimed at taunting Team USA and mocking the crowd. That is disrespecting someone's pride and dignity and that can't go unpunished.

Alot of you folks are bringing up the NFL and NBA but I'm sure none of you actually have analyzed their celebrations and recognized the differance between showboating and mockery.

Here's an example: In a Thanksgiving NFL game between the 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys, in Dallas four years ago, Terrell Owens dominated the Cowboys. I believe he scored three touchdowns that game. After the first touchdown he did a nice little dance in the end zone. After the second touchdown he ran the ball back to the Dallas Star on the 50 yard line and spike the ball to MOCK the crowd and taunt the Cowboys. This infuriated Dallas and wasn't going unpunished. Emmitt Smith finally scored a touchdown and immediately went to the Dallas Star, placed the ball on it and pointed out Terrell Owens. For the remainder of the game the Cowboy players pounded Terrell on the line and took every shot at him possible. Terrell got one final touchdown towards the end of the game. Again he ran the ball back to the Dallas Star and was preparing to spike it but he was greeted by George Teague of the Cowboys who crushed him onto the turf. Teague was followed by other Cowboys before Owens ran back to his sideline. THAT shows that these types of actions are not tolerated in any sport.

Ovechkin and Malkin can do whatever they want. Like you said, it's their right because America is a free country. But that doesn't mean that they wont get their ass kicked for it. I would love to see Ovechkin, or any other Russian have the balls to take that visor off and go toe to toe with Stafford or Callahan.