Weber's hit on Sobotka

[cprice12]

This was mentioned in the Trade Deadline Day thread, and thought I'd pull out a quote and bring it into it's own thread.
I wanted to talk about this the other day when it happened, but forgot.

Yeah, the story I read said that he felt great, but when he really pushed himself physically he started having vision problems.

Wanna read something crazy? For some concussions, someone might be perfectly capable of working out, but can't do basic school work without having vision problems or getting headaches. Concussions suck. Which is why I get ticked when players take head hits and there are zero consequences. See Weber hitting Sobotka as an example. Look it up on youtube. Weber even left his feet.

I was bitching about the same thing.

Weber left his feet and launched himself up and into Sabotka's head against the glass. And the head was the principle point of contact. It's like he was trying to hit his head as hard as possible.
Horrible looking hit, yet not even a (Franking) review.

(Frank) You Shanahan. The hit on Sobotka was 20 times more dangerous than Cole's hit on Abdelkader.

Here it is in case you missed it:

[youtube][/youtube]

[cardsfan04]

I think that's suspendable because he leaves his feet to hit him into the boards. But, it looks to me like he gets his chest before his head, at least from the first angle. The second angle looks like he gets both simultaneously.

[Mahoney]

Definitely a headshot - but this isn't the only hit that's gone undisciplined this season. Just glad he wasn't hurt!

[ohio BLUES]

Don't forget Clutterbuck's hit on Pietrangelo as well.

[fargoblues]

There were three big hits last night on Blues players that, had they been wearing the winged vagina of Detroit, would have resulted in suspensions for Calgary.

[goon attack]

If I were skilled at photoshop, I'd be turning that wheel into a vagina right about now. Just saying.

[SteveO]

I don't think Weber left his feet at all. He got up on his tiptoes as he drove through, but that didn't look as bad as you guys made it sound.

[kodos]

I also don't think it's as bad as some others.

It's borderline.

The Datsyuk hit on Jackman was worse and went unpunished.

That hit combined with the Cole suspension was all I had to see to forever shake my head at Shanahan.

[JPonder94]

I also don't think it's as bad as some others.

It's borderline.

The Datsyuk hit on Jackman was worse and went unpunished.

That hit combined with the Cole suspension was all I had to see to forever shake my head at Shanahan.

That is the hit I still find myself angry about... and it was in the SAME GAME as Cole's hit. Shanahan has been just as inconsistent as Campbell. I thought I liked the explanations, but I think they make him look worse than Campbell because his reasoning is so off the charts.

[theohall]

Outside of non-suspensions and fines against Red Wings players, I think the thing that bugs me most is the one-game suspension on Warren for cross-checking Backes in the head.

1) Warren admitted he was retaliating
2) He cross-checked a player engaged by two others in the head.
3) His supposed excuse was he was trying to hit Backes in the shoulder, but the stick rode up. He never came close to hitting the shoulder, the stick was way too high and Backes was not even close to being hunched over.
4) The supposed 1-game only thing was due to no prior fines or suspensions plus no injury. This aspect apparently did not apply to Cole and Stewart for some reason.
5) Cole and Stewart both had zero priors, both incidents were within the flow of play, yet both got two games. WTF??? An attempt to injure with admitted retaliation = 1 game, but flow of play = 2??

Methinks Mr. Shanahan is somewhat biased regarding how Blues players are treated due to his past association with the team and why he was traded.

[cardsfan04]

I don't think Shanahan is biased in his suspensions, but I don't think he has been very consistent either. And, his inconsistency seems to have worked against the Blues and for the Red Wings.

What I will never understand is why some of these hits don't even get reviewed.

[not_a_wings_fan]

That's not a suspendable hit by anymeans. He does not leave his feet, he just finishes his check and drives through hard. That's good hockey - Except that his primary point of contact is the head. If vlad wasn't 5'2" no one would have taken issue with that hit.

[theohall]

That's not a suspendable hit by anymeans. He does not leave his feet, he just finishes his check and drives through hard. That's good hockey - Except that his primary point of contact is the head. If vlad wasn't 5'2" no one would have taken issue with that hit.

So when Abdelkator lowers his head immediately before Cole is about to hit him and gets suspended for two games, why was Cole suspended?? Cole did not leap, he did not raise his elbows, he just skated through the Winged Vagina who had put himself in a vulnerable position immediately prior to getting hit. There was no way for Cole to avoid that contact.

Supposedly, primary contact being the head is the reason for suspensions. At least, that is what the safety videos on NHL.com explain.

[cprice12]

That's not a suspendable hit by anymeans. He does not leave his feet, he just finishes his check and drives through hard. That's good hockey - Except that his primary point of contact is the head. If vlad wasn't 5'2" no one would have taken issue with that hit.

His skates do indeed leave the ice, albeit barely. And he lunges up into Sobotka's head and drives it into the glass. Weber's right elbow makes contact with Sobotka's head before anything else. I fail to see how that entire hit the way it went down was necessary. Weber should have went shoulder to chest, but decided to lunge up, leaving his skates and go way high into his head for some reason.

If the goal is to protect players by punishing those who target the head, then I'm not sure why this wasn't reviewed.
I've seen far less dangerous hits get reviewed. Everyone has.

And as far as Detroit goes...
I don't think Shanahan is biased on purpose by any means. But there could be something in his mind that thinks Detroit isn't a dirty team since he knows first hand the attitude and leaders in that locker room and how they play...so subconsciously he doesn't see a dirty hit by a Wing as dirty because "oh...that's not how they play". And God forbid if someone takes liberties with a Wings player, then he thinks he has to protect those players that he thinks are stand up guys.

I'm not saying that's the way it is...it just seems like a plausible explanation because the Wings should have at least two suspensions this year, but instead they have zero.

I have no explanation why other teams are seemingly allowed to dish out suspendable hits to the Blues with barely a suspension or in most cases, not even a review. The intentional cross check to Backes' head, Weber's headhunting hit on Sobotka, Doughty's dirty boarding hit on Oshie, etc.

It's a joke. And when I watch the Shanahan explanation videos now, all I hear is him spinning the situation. He slows down the video so much and breaks it down in so much detail to the point where he can say anything is happening.

Shanahan used to be my favorite player....then he went to the Wings...and now this.
He has quickly become someone I can't stand.

[cardsfan04]

Brendan Smith was actually suspended for 8 games (3 preseason, 5 regular season I think) for a hit during the preseason.

But, yeah, in general, I totally agree that there seems to be inequality there. The big one for me is Cole getting 3 games while Datsyuk's hit didn't even get reviewed. 3 games was long for Cole, but I was fine with a suspension. Datsyuk should have gotten the same though.

I just don't understand why he doesn't even look at some of these. I have yet to think of a single legit reason not to.

[cprice12]

Brendan Smith was actually suspended for 8 games (3 preseason, 5 regular season I think) for a hit during the preseason.

But, yeah, in general, I totally agree that there seems to be inequality there. The big one for me is Cole getting 3 games while Datsyuk's hit didn't even get reviewed. 3 games was long for Cole, but I was fine with a suspension. Datsyuk should have gotten the same though.

I just don't understand why he doesn't even look at some of these. I have yet to think of a single legit reason not to.

A Red Wings minor leaguer suspended in the preseason?

Yeah...doesn't count.

[cardsfan04]

Brendan Smith was actually suspended for 8 games (3 preseason, 5 regular season I think) for a hit during the preseason.

But, yeah, in general, I totally agree that there seems to be inequality there. The big one for me is Cole getting 3 games while Datsyuk's hit didn't even get reviewed. 3 games was long for Cole, but I was fine with a suspension. Datsyuk should have gotten the same though.

I just don't understand why he doesn't even look at some of these. I have yet to think of a single legit reason not to.

A Red Wings minor leaguer suspended in the preseason?

Yeah...doesn't count.

Oh, I thought he was on their NHL roster. My mistake.

[cprice12]

Brendan Smith was actually suspended for 8 games (3 preseason, 5 regular season I think) for a hit during the preseason.

But, yeah, in general, I totally agree that there seems to be inequality there. The big one for me is Cole getting 3 games while Datsyuk's hit didn't even get reviewed. 3 games was long for Cole, but I was fine with a suspension. Datsyuk should have gotten the same though.

I just don't understand why he doesn't even look at some of these. I have yet to think of a single legit reason not to.

A Red Wings minor leaguer suspended in the preseason?

Yeah...doesn't count.

Oh, I thought he was on their NHL roster. My mistake.

Nope, he was called up and played 3 games in Nov...then sent back down. He was called up again on the 27th to replace Commodore after he was traded to Tampa Bay and he played last night.

[fargoblues]

Shanahan used to be my favorite player....then he went to the Wings...and now this.
He has quickly become someone I can't stand.

Craig Janney approves of this message.

[not_a_wings_fan]

I am sorry, I don't see him leave his feet on this hit. He drives through it off his back leg, then picks up the back leg after the first one is back down on the ice... but he doesn't leave his feet and launch himself at him.

@ Curt - you can't have "way up high" and "Sobotka's head" in the same sentence unless he's standing on a ladder. He's listed at 5'11 but looks about 5'8' to me.

And at the point of contact, weber's arms are at his chest. I don't know where else he should put them. If you want to argue that he shouldn't have finished his check because Sobotka was at the boards, I will listen, but that's just a hard hockey hit from a big guy on a little guy. 10 years ago it would have been on NHL tonight and we wouldn't be having this discussion.

Shanny treats the wings and hits against wings players differently. I don't assert that it is intentional bias, but I think players that he has a relationship with get a pass from him. Sorta, "I know him, he's not that guy" even when the video evidence contradicts his position.