I'm sure this passage that ran on ESPN.com earlier today will have a lot of hockey fans nodding in agreement:
Once upon a time, these guys had a code of honor. They played hard, respected the game, defended their teammates, and if anyone stepped out of line, there was always someone that would take care of them -- whether it was another player, a referee, a coach or whatever. When fights or altercations happened, they were considered natural side effects of a physical sport. When two players talked smack, it was considered a good thing, a sign that the game was heating up, that we were potentially headed for a more competitive place.
Too bad that was Bill Simmons talking about the NBA.
Good call on that: it does echo a lot of my thoughts on how Bettman’s tried to create the Sunshine and Rainbows Hockey League. The instigator rule is the worst thing to happen to the game outside possibly the crease rule. (And they say there’s no fighting in the playoffs — wonder why?) Also interesting to note that the NBA’s also suffering from an epidemic of weak knees of late.
At least the similar bench-leaving rule in hockey — actually implemented by Ziegler in ’87 — makes sense because you have to put a degree of effort into leaving the bench. In basketball, three steps and you’re up shit creek. Also, I wonder why no one seems to say anything about bench-emptying being a problem in MLB. They see more of that than any other sport in the world, now that the NHL’s done away with it.