12/21/24
December 01, 2009
Angry NHL Defenseman Clobbers Own Goalie: After the Atlanta Thrashers scored a goal against the Florida Panthers last night, Panthers defenseman Keith Ballard tried to slam his stick in anger against the goal -- but hit goalie Tomas Vokoun in the head instead (video). Vokoun lay on the ice for minutes and was taken off and hospitalized, but suffered only a lacerated ear.
Glad Vokoun's relatively OK. That said....
ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha...
Sorry...
posted by MeatSaber at 06:58 PM on December 01, 2009
Wow. Moron.
posted by dusted at 07:22 PM on December 01, 2009
oops.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 10:49 PM on December 01, 2009
I'm not completely certain why he isn't being suspended.
I'm guessing the reasoning is that suspending him will actually hurt the team of the player he injured, so rather than dish out any kind of justice, it might just make things worse for the Panthers and, by extension, the injured player.
I hope he buys Vokoun something really pretty.
posted by fabulon7 at 11:44 PM on December 01, 2009
Kiddies, herein lies a lesson about being a spoiled little shit when things don't go your way during a game. Dumbass.
posted by tahoemoj at 01:38 AM on December 02, 2009
I think they should take his stick away until he learns to control his temper a bit better.
posted by Folkways at 09:19 AM on December 02, 2009
Whacking your own goalie on the head = the ultimate penalty. I'm thinking Keith Ballard will never break his stick on a goalpost again.
posted by BoKnows at 10:22 AM on December 02, 2009
If this had happened in either basketball or football, there would be a lot of 'thug' name calling. Anywho, good to hear that Tomas Vokoun is going to be ok.
posted by BornIcon at 11:18 AM on December 02, 2009
If this had happened in either basketball or football, there would be a lot of 'thug' name calling.
I can't imagine a scenario in either basketball or football that would include a player trying to destroy their own equipment and in turn accidentally injuring a teammate. Apples and oranges.
posted by BoKnows at 11:32 AM on December 02, 2009
I can't imagine a scenario in either basketball or football that would include a player trying to destroy their own equipment and in turn accidentally injuring a teammate.
How about if a player throws a helmet in the NFL or a basketball in the NBA and it hits a teammate? It could happen considering this was an accident where one player lost his cool and accidentally hit another player.
posted by BornIcon at 11:41 AM on December 02, 2009
Apples and oranges
The forest for the trees. And you've never seen a football player blow up the sidelines or a basketball player throw towels & Gatorade cups around?
posted by yerfatma at 11:41 AM on December 02, 2009
And you've never seen a football player blow up the sidelines or a basketball player throw towels & Gatorade cups around?
I certainly have seen those things. I have not seen any injury reports listing towels or cups as cause.
posted by BoKnows at 11:48 AM on December 02, 2009
But it can happen, that's why it's called an accident. I'm sure that Ballard didn't mean to hit Vokoun but he still did. It can't even be considered a freak accident since Ballard violently swung his hockey stick with full force in Vokoun's direction and then just skated off the ice as if nothing happened.
If something like this happened in the NFL or the NBA, the player that did it would be called a 'thug' and people would be screaming for the guy to be suspended...even if it were an accident.
posted by BornIcon at 11:55 AM on December 02, 2009
If something like this happened in the NFL or the NBA, the player that did it would be called a 'thug' and people would be screaming for the guy to be suspended...even if it were an accident.
You mean people here, or people everywhere or what? Which people? I would not be - especially if it were an accident. I guess I'm picking up the idea that you think the 'preferential' treatment given to Ballard is because of race, not sport. (Thug = African-American, right?)
posted by BoKnows at 12:20 PM on December 02, 2009
People here, people there, people everywhere. When there's a situation that occurs in the NBA or NFL and a player is involved, they are automatically labeled a 'thug'. Wouldn't this act be classified as being 'thuggish'? It is to me regardless if the person is black or white.
posted by BornIcon at 12:27 PM on December 02, 2009
I don't think what Ballard did was 'thuggish'. I grew up around hockey and have seen this a hundred times. I've never heard it described as 'thuggish'. Big baby, yes. Spoiled brat, yes. Breaking a stick over the goalpost doesn't qualify as thuggish. Whacking another player on the head absolutely does. That said, this was an accident - temper tantrum or not. If there was intent to injure, then my opinion changes to match yours.
(I'm glad you weren't implying race as an issue, I was hoping not.)
posted by BoKnows at 12:35 PM on December 02, 2009
I've never heard it described as 'thuggish'. Big baby, yes. Spoiled brat, yes.
But that's what (I think) BI is getting at-- you'd never consider a hockey player's actions "thuggish" (except in the most violet Marty McSorley edge cases). Why is that?
posted by yerfatma at 02:42 PM on December 02, 2009
But that's what (I think) BI is getting at-- you'd never consider a hockey player's actions "thuggish" (except in the most violet Marty McSorley edge cases). Why is that?
Well, initially, I thought he was claiming race was the divide, but he said otherwise as it pertains to his opinion.
If it is race that determines who is and who is not a thug, then I question the ignorance of the people (whoever they are) using that label. Unless, of course they are calling him a true hero under god. I'm just not sure as to which of the 35 definitions for thug is being used.
posted by BoKnows at 02:53 PM on December 02, 2009
But that's what (I think) BI is getting at-- you'd never consider a hockey player's actions "thuggish" (except in the most violet Marty McSorley edge cases). Why is that?
You're absolutely right, that's exactly what I was trying to say fatty.
Well, initially, I thought he was claiming race was the divide, but he said otherwise as it pertains to his opinion.
Not to make it an issue but you assumed that I was speaking about race when I was not. I just don't get why when a hockey player exhibit this type of unruly behaviour, it's not considered "thuggish".
posted by BornIcon at 03:14 PM on December 02, 2009
Not to make it an issue but you assumed that I was speaking about race when I was not.
So okay, catch me up. If you were not using the word thug in the racial sense, in what way were you using it? Because by definition, it doesn't apply to this situation.
Thug, a person, often a criminal, who treats others violently and roughly.
I just don't get why when a hockey player exhibit this type of unruly behaviour, it's not considered "thuggish".
This situation was an accident. He meant to clobber his stick on the goal post, he didn't intend to whack Vokoun. This hardly qualifies as thug, at least by definition.
posted by BoKnows at 03:37 PM on December 02, 2009
Again, if a similiar situation were to transpire in the NBA or NFL, the player would be called a "thug". It's not about race as you keep trying to imply that I meant. It might be because of the sport or whathaveyou but when a player does something that may resemble what Ballard did, they would be called a "thug" but when it's done in hockey, no one says a word about the player or calls for him to be suspended, accident or not.
He meant to clobber his stick on the goal post, he didn't intend to whack Vokoun.
I know what he meant to do but it's what he did. It was accidental but it still caused his teammate to be take off on a stretcher and he showed no concern for his teammate and just skated off the ice.
posted by BornIcon at 03:49 PM on December 02, 2009
Again, if a similiar situation were to transpire in the NBA or NFL, the player would be called a "thug". It's not about race as you keep trying to imply that I meant.
So then just tell me what you meant. In what way are you using the word 'thug'. Because I just don't see any problem (in any league) with that word when it is used properly. However, when thug is used with racial connotations involved, I absolutely see your point and agree with you.
posted by BoKnows at 04:00 PM on December 02, 2009
That's kind of silly, BI. People are called thugs when they intentionally go out of their way to try to hurt someone. I've never seen anything like this anywhere else, but my clear answer would be no. No, if a basketball player kicked the ball and it hit a teammate in the face, knocking his teeth out, he'd be called a dumbass, not a thug. If an NFL player threw his helmet down to the ground, it bounced, and it hit a teammate, giving him a concussion, he would not be called a thug. He'd be called a primadonna dickhead who did something dumb and hurt his teammate. If Ballard had swung his stick in anger at an opposing player with the intent to hurt him, he would indeed be eligible for the thug moniker.
posted by tahoemoj at 04:42 PM on December 02, 2009
I know what he meant to do but it's what he did. It was accidental but it still caused his teammate to be take off on a stretcher and he showed no concern for his teammate and just skated off the ice.
Huh?
They guy was inconsolable in the dressing room. They had to drag him out to play the rest of the game.
posted by grum@work at 05:31 PM on December 02, 2009
A sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Free Keith Ballard!
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:26 PM on December 03, 2009
I'm not completely certain why he isn't being suspended. Yes, it was an accident, but they suspend people for accidents all the time. He was ridiculously careless with his stick and another player paid the price. If it happened to be, say, the opposing goalie, and it was still an accident, he'd get 20+ games.