Lawsuits & Legal Matters

was thinking the same thing WIll.

good point and great post Will.


that Masterson story is tough to read because it's so sad how easily it could've all been avoided.

 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-35201511

Now trending

 

It's the subsequent subconcussive hits that are the biggest problem, not the big one-time hits from my understanding. That's why soccer is on the radar right now.

Wiping out fighting and tightening up on allowable contact eliminates the majority of subconcussive hits without changing the fundamental aspects of play.

 

Bill Cosby is funny.

 

with all of that money at his age, you would think cosby would have crack whores lining up at his door. damn, frank has influenced me.

 

bigger ice surface will weed out the slow and fat and dirty. the nhl will then have to deal with the small and slimy weasels like torres and big-nosed kate. conundrum.

 

I think TEH COZ gets his kick from applying the drug to the victim and then molesting her in his own personal fashion. It's like "getting away with something really terrible" is his goal and that gets him hard. It's a strange and screwy kink, but that one in particular cannot be resolved in any other way but the way it actually is. You can't "pretend" that one to get its maximum value. Consent kills the entire thing for some (like TEH COZ). Sure there are "rape fantasies" and "rape scenarios" by consenting adults, but like I said, the psychology behind it makes it safe and just doesn't do it for everyone. For most, its good and it serves its purpose, but not for all. It's too bad for him that his kink is illegal, since it definitely falls under the category of rape.

p.s. I just threw my 30-year old Coogi sweater in the garbage.

 

The NHL expects the female professional hockey player who suffered a severe spinal injury on Dec. 31 at the NHL?s Winter Classic to sue the league, a source briefed on the matter told The Post.

Denna Laing crashed into the boards during an outdoor game between the National Women?s Hockey League?s Boston Pride and the Canadian Women?s Hockey League?s Les Canadiennes at Gillette Stadium.

There were reports that the ice surface was soft at the time of the accident.

Players signed a liability waiver before playing ? but that was based on the ice being in playable condition, a source said.

Laing also is expected to sue the NFL New England Patriots team, which owns the stadium, and the two women?s leagues.

The family did not return calls, and the NHL declined comment.

 

ouch - that sucks! wow. feel bad for her,

 

http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/...for-his-many-concussions/stories/201601280013

 

Thanks for that, Bob. That is a sad read.

 

very sad, much like the opening article on this thread of bernie nicholls, but why do only some have these issues when so many played before them? where is gretzky, dave schultz, bobby clarke, phil esposito, bobby orr, bossy, trottier, lafleur, messier and so many more?

like the NFL - why is it only a select few and not more of them? christ the NFL has more people coming out now than every before. many including recent HOF'er Junior Seau committed suicide due to his brain injuries etc. Ex - Eagle Andre "Dirty" Waters committed suicide, they did a test on his brain and discovered he was 45 but living with a brain of an 85 yr old with Parkinson's! I'm 44 now and can't imagine that.

Antwaan Randle El - exNFL player says he has trouble remembering things his wife told him 5 min bf and he's only 36! He regrets ever playing football and should've stuck with baseball.

All these awful medical cases and suicides! Sad.

 

Is the Dennis Wideman situation an indictment of the NHL's concussion policies?

@Real_ESPNLeBrun: As we await the appeal process for Dennis Wideman's 20-game suspension to run its course, it is troubling that what many of us had speculated since the moment the incident occurred is now a matter of public record courtesy of the NHL's video explaining it's decision regarding the Flames defenseman: the league accepts that Wideman suffered a concussion on the play preceding his hit from behind on linesman Don Henderson. It is my understanding that the NHL's concussion spotter dis his job in that game by flagging the potential concussion, but that Wideman refused to leave the game after being approached a team trainer. I don't blame the player here whatsoever. If Wideman was concussed, he's the last guy who should make that judgment. This is where the league's concussion policy needs more teeth. If the spotter flags it, the players needs to leave the bench, no questions asked, right? Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly on Thursday morning declined to comment when asked about Wideman's refusal to leave the game, saying he couldn't comment on facts or underlying circumstances until the matter is resolved. There's a lot at play here. I mean, there's an ongoing concussion-related lawsuit involving former players, and while the two aren't directly connected this matter certainly makes you shake your head and potentially provides more fodder for that lawsuit. On the other hand, perhaps this very public example of a player not following protocol can be used by the league and NHL Players' Association strengthen the current policy.
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@ESPN_Burnside: Pierre, I couldn't agree more. The league did the right thing in suspending Wideman for 20 games, but also revealed that it's not really making good on the widely-repeated stance that player safety is the top priority. I was in Arizona just before Christmas when the Coyotes' Max Domi flattened Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Curtis McElhinney, sending McElhinney's mask flying and his causing his head to strike the ice. He was prone for a few minutes then continued. Um, spotters? Concussion policy? If I'm the lawyers behind the ever-growing concussion lawsuit -- on Wednesday, 12 more former players joined the group that believes the NHL should have done more to protect and/or educate its players about brain trauma -- I'm paying pretty close attention to what appear to be significant gaps in the scope and implementation of current policies.
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@ESPNJoeyMac: If any player exhibits symptoms of a concussion he should immediately be removed from the game. After this latest incident involving Wideman, maybe referees should be allowed to stop play if it's evident a player is concussed. I know there are a lot of variables involved in deciding whether a player is dazed and confused, but with increased knowledge and awareness these days it seems to be easier to detect. In Wideman's case, he was obviously stumbling to the bench, but that's still no excuse for hitting the linesman. The rule on making contact with on-ice officials is black and white, and that's why the league gave him 20 games. The league probably expected Wideman to appeal. The end result on this situation, not only for the suspension, but also the league's decision on how to handle concussed players going forward, will be interesting.
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@CraigCustance: Yeah, based on what I saw from Wideman as he plowed over Henderson, his decision-making capabilities weren't top-notch at that moment. And yes, he probably isn't the right guy to be making the call as to whether he should have kept playing. It shouldn't be optional: if the spotter spots a potential concussion, get the guy out of there. Still, as bad as the optics are when a player remains on the ice while concusses, it may help Wideman's case in the appeal. If he had no idea where he was while he was skating to the bench, he probably had no idea who he was steamrolling on the way there. It's not a defense, Wideman still needs to be accountable for his actions, but it may remove the idea that his intent was malicious in some way. (ESPN)
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A can of worms has been opened.

 

Yep, the PA has to tread carefully too.
They could really do some damage if this carries over into something around head injuries and the league's inability to take them seriously.
You have the officials' union ready to jump into the fray depending how this plays out too.

Could be quite the show

 

i saw that spritely old SOB this morning @ Planet Fitness.

 

NHL reviewing whether Flames followed proper concussion protocol with Wideman

The NHL is reviewing whether or not the Calgary Flames properly followed the league?s concussion protocol with defenceman Dennis Wideman during the Jan. 27 game in which he cross-checked linesman Don Henderson.

The NHL regularly reviews every instance when a concussion is diagnosed, much in the same way any questionable hit or incident is reviewed by the league?s Department of Player Safety.

Teams have previously been fined by the NHL for not following the protocol, though that information is not made public.

In a video explaining Wideman?s 20-game suspension on Wednesday, the NHL acknowledged Wideman was later diagnosed with a concussion. Whether the Flames properly followed the protocol is viewed by the NHL as a separate issue from Wideman?s discipline. The NHLPA has filed an appeal of the suspension on Wideman?s behalf.

?Even assuming the player?s claim that he was disoriented as a result of a [previous Miikka] Salomaki check, Wideman cannot be excused from the nature and severity of the offence he committed on the ice,? the NHL?s explanatory video said. ?Wideman must remain accountable for his own actions.?
There is no video evidence available to suggest that the Flames and their medical staff violated protocol.

The NHL said Wideman skated ?steadily and purposely toward his bench,? and demonstrated his ?continued awareness of his circumstances and surroundings when approaching the Calgary blueline? by raising his stick and tapping it on the ice to ?alert his teammates that he is coming off for a line change.? (TSN)

 

Flames' Wideman issues statement on suspension
Defenseman says he 'did not have any intent to hit the official'

Calgary Flames forward Dennis Wideman issued a statement Thursday apologizing for his incident with a linesman during a game Jan. 27 against the Nashville Predators.

The NHL suspended Wideman for 20 games Wednesday for conduct violative of Rule 40 (Physical Abuse of Officials).

"Firstly I want to apologize to [linesman] Donny Henderson," Wideman said. "I feel awful about what happened. Hopefully he's recovering and is going to be back on the ice soon. I feel really bad about the whole situation. The last seven days has been tough. Never in my career have I ever disrespected or done anything like this to an official. I think I've prided myself on having a great working relationship with the officials and I hope to continue that when I get out there.

"I'm really disappointed with the decision in the length of the suspension. I did not have any intent at any time to hit the official or hurt him or anything like that. I would never do something like that. I'm pretty disappointed with the decision."

The National Hockey League Players' Association said in a statement Wednesday that it planned to file an appeal of the suspension.

"We strongly disagree with the League's decision to suspend Dennis Wideman," the NHLPA said. "Dennis has played in 11 NHL seasons and almost 800 games without incident. The facts, including the medical evidence presented at the hearing, clearly demonstrate that Dennis had no intention to make contact with the linesman. An appeal has been filed on the player's behalf."

Flames president of hockey operations Brian Burke also issued a statement Wednesday after the suspension was announced:

"We were informed earlier today that our player, Dennis Wideman, was suspended for contact with an official in last Wednesday's game against Nashville. We disagree with the severity of today's suspension ruling and maintain that Dennis' collision with the linesman was unintentional and accidental. We agree that our officials' safety and well-being is of extreme importance in order to allow them to perform their duties. They perform an invaluable but underappreciated role in our game. We support sanctions against players who make deliberate contact with any official. However unintentional and accidental contact does occur at times in our game. (NHL.com)

 

Is that the way he turns around when he sees you in your spandex shorts?

 

I'm usually right up on him so he feels me before he has the chance to turn round.