Why Should I Care?

Another week and another ugly incident in the NHL.  Two players showing zero regard for their fellow man, going out of their way to harm another.

Why should I care?

It's become obvious that there's no respect among players.  Why should I care?

I'm all for cleaning up the game of hockey and making it safer for everyone involved.  The players don't seem to feel the same way.  Why should I care?

The NHL sees these things happen and just shrugs its shoulders, waiting for the next gruesome incident to paint the league in a bad light.  Why should I care?

A high ranking NHL official actually placed the blame for this on Brooks Orpik, saying he needed to answer the bell for a clean and legal hit.  Why should I care?

A player dying on the ice one day, from a fall without a helmet, from a cheap shot, from a shot from behind is the only thing that will change this sport.  Why should I care?

"The Code" is what makes players treat other players as a-moral for doing things within the lines and regulations actually set by the league's governing bodies.  Why should I care?

The players have zero regard for the others.  They spout platitudes like "I didn't meant this." "I shouldn't have done this." "I went too far." yet it happens again and again.  Why should I care?

If this is going to keep happening I'll no longer care.

My goal is to not see people injured.  My goal is to not see people carted off on stretchers.  My goal is to be entertained.  Nothing, not one thing, about Saturday's game was entertaining.  From James Neal's knee to Shawn Thornton's pathetic act of savagery was close to entertainment.  As a man was sent off on a stretcher both team's should have had to forfeit the "game."  It no longer became entertaining.  It was not depressing and pathetic.

Something needs to be done.  Punishments need to be more severe.  Offender's careers need to be ended before lives are ended.  If the NHL continues their course of inaction people will die.  Then blood will be on everyone's hands for letting it continue.

Thankfully I'll have stopped watching by then.  I'll have stopped caring.

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