Respect. Where is it and what does it mean?

We all can agree that Tootoo’s hit was cowardly. So was Simon’s from last week. But is this just part of the game? Is it the adrenaline rush of the sport? Is it lack of skill from the perpetrator? Or is it total lack of respect of another human and just plain cowardice?
Now sure the game has always been a violent one. Look back to the days of the Philadelphia Flyers and their Broadstreet Bullies! Regardless this is not a justifiable reason for some of these acts. There have been a lot worse incidents in our history; for example Maurice “The Rocket” Richard using his stick to club an opponent over the head or his suspension for punching a linesman in the face. Or Dale Hunter’s brutal crosscheck on New York Islanders forward Pierre Turgeon. It goes on and on. Now I am not a big fan of the fighting but there is a time and a place to stand up for your team mates. It used to be that if you were going to continually try to injure and pester a Gretzky, the coach would send out the enforcer (in this case Dave Semenko) to teach you a lesson. Now, if an enforcer is to go out and protect the star player he gets a penalty. So as a result the finesse players now are continually slashed, speared and subjected to all the dirty moves that anyone can think of. Now I know that I am starting to digress a bit but my point is that if we are to allow violence in the game…at least let the teams protect their star players! If you want to take cheap shots on the Crosby’s, Modano’s and Ovechkins of the league, be prepared to pay the price. What Robidas was trying to do is honourable. Tootoo was simply being disrespectful to the players and the game. Crosschecking a player in the face, using your stick as a weapon shows what an untalented and immature player you are. And what does it say about you as a person?!
On another point: Modano’s 500th. There have been posts that the crowds booed him. Is this disrespectful? Well simply stated, yes it is. But what are we to do? I feel this shows the true culture of the home team fans. I have seen many Stanley Cups won in the losing team’s arena. And sadly some of the fans will boo even an event like that. Myself being from Vancouver, Canada I was witness to many of Wayne Gretzky’s record breaking achievements on our ice. Did we boo? No! Respectfully we would either cheer him or if you were not a fan of his, you remained silent. That is a respectful fan. You don’t have to cheer all the monumental events that happen on your ice but booing is childish. And on a final note; the most disrespectful act any fan can do…booing another person’s national anthem!!! Words cannot describe my disgust when I hear a fan do this. We may not always like another country or their politics but to boo during a national anthem is beyond human dignity.
Respect each other, respect your team and theirs and above all show your true character by being an example of dignity…and respect yourself.

Darren Morley