I once loved Hockey.

When I was 6, I remember throwing a tantrum when my sister wouldn't let me watch a Maple Leafs / Bruins preseason game (I promised her half of my allowance and I got my way, in case you were wondering). In the many years that have followed, my love for the sport has faded, because of the constipated play that was the hallmark of the dead puck era, and because of the overexpansion into cities that had never seen ice, except in their cocktails.

But I am Canadian where, NHL is in our DNA, and I do want the sport to thrive for many decades to come. That being said, what has most disappointed me is how the NHL has allowed every opportunity to establish itself as a League to be taken seriously, slip through its fingers. So here is yet another chance to draw a line in the sand and although it is a difficult decision, it is one that has to be made. The NHL must suspend Scott Nichol for life.

Nichol's disgusting cheap shot on Sabres Defenceman Jaroslav Spacek was utterly reprehensible and a 9 game suspension is an absolute joke. What is it going to take for Hockey's powers that be to yank their collective heads out of the sand? For Nichol to miss his intended target by 3 inches, connecting with Spacek's temple and possibly maiming or killing him? Perhaps I am exagerating to convey my point but is a situation like that so unfathomable.

Their will be those that see such an action as making Nichol a scapegoat whereas former Canuck Todd Bertuzzi was reinstated the next season for a similar attack on Colorado's Steve Moore and that the NHL wasn't brave enough to give a 'star' player like bertuzzi a more severe penalty. Examine the Bertuzzi situation more closely. The Canucks were a talented team poised to make a serious Stanley Cup run. The suspension took away one of their most important contributors and the media distractions that followed, ultimately crippled Vancouver's shot at a championship. The Canucks have been a mediocore, also ran ever since. Bertuzzi on the other hand, has since been traded to the panthers and has yet to recapture the all around game that once made him one of the most dominating power forwards in the League. Was Bertuzzi's punishment severe and effective? Yes. But did it prove to be a deterrant? Absolutely not.

So regardless of who the next offender is, the NHL must increase the severity of the penalty. By no means is this an easy verdict to deliver, but it must be delivered in order that the NHL sever itself from its reputation for thuggery and so that the sport of Hockey can be appreciated for its speed, skill, and clean physical play.

Like it or not, the cliche that is synonomous with the sport is, 'I went to a fight and a hockey game broke out'. Until the League takes a hard line on this issue it will always act as red headed stepchild to the other 3 major sports.

The buck, or in this case the puck, must stop here.

Gotta go, 'The Ringer' is on.

It's good to be back!

Allow me to sincerely apologize for depriving my loyal minions access to my opinions over the last several days. I had been stricken by the flu and am just now, feeling like my old self. That being said, let me just say that I am very tired. No, not from the headaches, runny nose, coughing, fever, or chills. I am tired of idiots constantly leaving their black marks on the sports that I love.

Idiot #1 - Carmelo Anthony.

I'm reading these fluff pieces on Anthony, like the one in the Sports Illustrated Basketball preview praising Anthony's maturity and declaring him worthy of, and ready to, take his rightful place next to Lebron James and Dwyane Wade in forming Basketball's next holy trinity. All the while, I am having trouble buying it. Isn't this the guy who appeared in a DVD with known crack dealers? And then it happened. Move over 'Malice at the Palace', make room for 'Mayhem at MSG'.

I understand that Anthony is not the first superstar to exercise bad judgement on the court, and he most likely, will not be the last, but that's not the point. Anthony gets himself into situations that are unacceptable if you are a player relied upon to carry your League for the next decade. Look at Anthony's Draft Classmates. Wade has already won a championship while garnering MVP honours in the process, and while James hasn't reached such lofty heights yet, the words 'Lebron James' and the words, 'youngest player ever to (fill in amazing accomplishment here)' are quickly becoming inseperable. I have grown so frustrated with Anthony that this latest incident has left me with such a bad taste in my mouth that I would not cross the street to spit on Anthony's feet if his Nikes were on fire.

And speaking of spitting - Idiot # 2

I have always defended Terrell Owens because to me, just about the only thing that was unquestionable about Owens was his ability and work ethic on the football field. What he did, spitting on Falcons Cornerback D'angelo Hall, outside of intentionally injuring another player with a cheap shot, is the lowest thing that Owens could have done. Football players share a bond or brotherhood that is stronger than that between any other athletes. At the end of a game, it is not uncommon to see players from both teams kneeling in prayer, giving thanks in unison to their creator. There is a respect that football players have toward one another because only a football player can truly understand the physical sacrifices made in order to compete at the sport's highest level.

That being said, Owens might has well have spit on every player in the NFL, including his own team mates. What's even more baffling is his reasons for spitting at Hall, taking offense at Hall's continuous trash talk over their last head to head meeting and at how Hall was planning to dominate Owens again. So Owens was offended by Hall's trash talking? Has Owens not been listening to the self-aggrandizing garbage that has been coming from his mouth over the last several years? So I suppose that it's, 'Don't do as I say, but let me do as I do' in Owens world.

So I'll continue to love sports. I'll continue to root for some guys who turn out to be jerks, and I'll root for some guys who turn out to be great guys. That's just the way it goes.

But when it comes to these two, I guess I'm saying that I've had enough of the T.O. / Melo sideshow.

Gotta go, 'Sleeper Cell' is on.

Well, it looks as if Allen Iverson's days as a 76er are over and I for one, say good riddence - to the Sixers.

Let me begin by stating that I am not, what you would call, an Iverson fan. I'm fairly neutral when it comes to A.I., so call me crazy but I just don't see why Iverson's scarlet letter is brighter than that of other NBA players. Keeping in mind that opinion's about Iverson, my own included, stem from hearsay and conjecture, what did Iverson do that was so wrong? Or more importantly, what did he do that is worse than what other NBA'ers have done?

Charged with 'Maiming by Mob' - Iverson was later granted Clemency - during the infamous Bowling Alley Brawl in his late teens, and 2 other arrests, one that resulted in a Community Service sentence, and one that resulted in dropped charges, are the major blemishes on Iverson's record. You'll notice that, by design, I omitted the 'Practice' incident. I find that entire situation more comic relief than anything to get upset about. So it's a common, unwritten rule that Veterans aren't especially fond of practice, yet for some reason, Iverson was called out about it. You would think that you're franchise player, who also happens to be your hardest working player, might earn the right to decide for himself how much of a necessity practice is. What is especially gratifying is witnessing, through hindsight, the gradual transition of Larry Brown, from hard working Coach trying to inject a work ethic into his team, to untrustworthy Coaching vagabond with a propensity for pulling the cord on his golden parachute when times get tough.

I'm not attempting to justify Iverson's behavior. I'm just wondering out loud that, in a League where this type of behavior seems common place, why does it seem that Iverson is stigmatized in a matter that other NBA bad boys are not. Strip away the tatoos, the jewellry, the corn rows, and what is left is a player who plays with heart and passion, through sickness and injury. And that's just the intangibles. Iverson's accomplishments speak for themselves; Rookie of The Year; 7 time NBA All-Star; 7 time ALL-NBA 1st, 2nd or 3rd Team; 4 time NBA Scoring Champ; 3 time NBA Steals Champ and 2001 League MVP. All the while playing for an organization so inept at building a true contender that over Iverson's 10 year career, Only one other Sixer has played along side of Iverson at the All-Star Game, and that was defensive specialist Dikembe Mutombo.

In all honesty, this divorce has been long overdue but there is plenty of blame to go around and plenty of blame should deservingly be placed with the 76ers francise.

Where Iverson is concerned, the Question for one team will be, 'How did we get so lucky?'. In regards to the Sixers, the Answer will be 'Lottery' for seasons to come.

Gotta go, 'Hardcastle & McCormick' is on.