Do you think it was a dirty play?
- Thread starter One Timer
- Start date
Hard to say if it was definitely dirty, but I'm leaning that way.
Was it careless? YES
Does Matt Cooke get the benefit of the doubt? NOOO!
Was it careless? YES
Does Matt Cooke get the benefit of the doubt? NOOO!
My only questions is this: Why is Cooke even lifting his leg to make the hit? It wasn't like he was taking additional strides - he was just gliding in. Weird!
Anyone who thinks it was intentional could have made the same judgement without seeing the replay. They are just judging based on Cooke's reputation.
LOL at this being intentional. At high speed, against a moving target it would take one hell of a shot to accurately get the blade of your skate over the back of another players skate and and cut through their achilles tendon like that.
Matt Cooke=skate sniper, I guess.
LOL at this being intentional. At high speed, against a moving target it would take one hell of a shot to accurately get the blade of your skate over the back of another players skate and and cut through their achilles tendon like that.
Matt Cooke=skate sniper, I guess.
Penguinfan: I, for one, never said that I thought it was intentional. BUT, watch the replay. What was his rationale for lifting his leg to make the hit? That's what I don't understand at all!!!
It happens all the time. If we agreed that I would pay you all the money in the world if I couldn't find 100 videos of guys skates leaving the ice during a hit and you would pay me one dollar for every video over 100 I could find, guess which one of us goes broke first?
If it were Stamkos who throws the hit this isn't even a story, but because it's Cooke this is gonna spiral out of control. I'm not saying Cooke hasn't earned that reputation, he certainly has. This is just a non story.
Sens fans being mad at Cooke for this is like Pens fans being mad at Steckel for the headshot on Crosby (which I believe as accidental as well).
LEAVE MATT COOKE ALONE.
Curiously, do you watch much hockey and watch it regularly?
What Cooke did on that play is no different than what every other player does every game, ever day, every season, year after year.
When going into the boards, you "jump" to drive the weight of your body into your opponent.
People are overreacting on this one. I brought up the video to watch it, and after viewing it all I can say is - "Okay, now show me the video that shows him doing something irresponsible to injure the guy"
Freak accident. Sort of like catching a blade to the face when there is a pile in front of the net - it is more suprising that this doesn't happen more often.
I literally just watched the video another dozen times and a couple key points worth noting.
Both players are moving the entire time, this is important for a couple reasons.
First it's not like Karlsson is pinned against the boards already and Cooke has a free shot to line up the perfect strike.
Second, from the point Cooke shoulders him (just outside the edge of the face off circle) he never looks back at Karlsson, he is focused on the puck for the last 3-4 feet of contact. Cooke's weight is on his right leg as they stride into the boards, he is eventually going to have to shift weight back to his left, or fall over.
I just see no angle at all where this could be intentional. He would have literally had to line up the exact placement of his skate to the back of Karlsson's ankle 5 feet before the boards and while NEVER LOOKING AT HIM AGAIN carry out that shot. Amazing accuracy and crazy plan to be carried out at high speed AND while playing the puck.
Again, I just don't see it.
Both players are moving the entire time, this is important for a couple reasons.
First it's not like Karlsson is pinned against the boards already and Cooke has a free shot to line up the perfect strike.
Second, from the point Cooke shoulders him (just outside the edge of the face off circle) he never looks back at Karlsson, he is focused on the puck for the last 3-4 feet of contact. Cooke's weight is on his right leg as they stride into the boards, he is eventually going to have to shift weight back to his left, or fall over.
I just see no angle at all where this could be intentional. He would have literally had to line up the exact placement of his skate to the back of Karlsson's ankle 5 feet before the boards and while NEVER LOOKING AT HIM AGAIN carry out that shot. Amazing accuracy and crazy plan to be carried out at high speed AND while playing the puck.
Again, I just don't see it.
I was amused that Ottawa's GM was referencing the fact that the achilles was cut "70%" as to the alleged intent to hurt and that it was a dirty play. Because if the achilles was only severed 25%, that would have been classified as an accident or fluke? What a schmuck.
Marine - I have and do watch a fair bit of hockey, although admittedly, not as much as I used to. I also play hockey and have so forever. However, men's leagues here are no bodychecking leagues, so I haven't played in a bodychecking league since my teens. But, I do think that I know what I'm talking about....
My problem with the Cooke hit is that he has his left leg up way before they even make contact with the boards. Maybe he lost his balance and was trying to regain it, but that seems highly unlikely. Also, if you watch the entire play, he's NOT driving his body into Karlsson at all for a solid hit - more like leaning against him. Here....watch the video in slow motion....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvoMpbdA-0A
Also, his left leg/skate are away from his body. The hits you speak of requires the player, in order to launch themselves into the opponent, to have their legs underneath them and thus lead with their body. Here are some examples....
Stevens jumps a bit but his legs are underneath him....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYQf9cxzJFg
Here's Afinogenov with a huge hit where he launches himself....he even loses balance, but his legs are under him before the hit and nowhere close to his opponent....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMMp72VcyRQ
Here's Neil on Boychuk....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOnXZpPwkoU
Here are a few....all hits led by the upper body and not the leg....where the legs go flying, the player is obviously off balance....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obxur79gFG4
And here are some examples showing how to hit....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgkxNLxLR0s
So I understand your point about "jumping into" the hit....we used to do that as well....but again, NEVER leading with a leg but always the upper body.
Now I'm NOT saying that Cooke deliberately attempted to injure him....but with that being said....I'm not entirely sure that there was no malice intended by Cooke's hit either....
Peace!
