- Feb 10, 2010
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The issue though is that DoPs and the league have set rules to "reduce" injury. If Wilson follows the rules (which the league has effectively acknowledged here) and someone gets injured, is it Wilson's fault or a failure of the rules? Is it appropriate to treat Wilson differently, despite the rules, simply because the rules aren't effective in the context of someone as big, fast, and strong as Willy? Or do you decide to create a separate rulebook just for him? The league, and per Friedman, a lot of insiders have said this hit is commonplace. Sometimes it ends in an injury. Sometimes not.
And Willy has gone nearly 2 years without a problem, modifying his game to fit the league's demands. In this particular case, the factor everyone keeps ignoring is that Wilson was coming in clean, totally in keeping with the modifications he's made since his last suspension. But he got a butt-end to the face just prior to making contact with Carlo, which changed the geometry of the hit. Otherwise, Carlo probably doesn't even get hurt and no one cares.
I seriously doubt anyone could possibly make a better case that this.^^^
And yet, it is simply common sense that Wilson's penchant for injuring guys cannot go unpunished. The rules are written for the league to have latitude. That is so they can protect the players. They are going to deploy it against him because he is doing real damage.
Lots of people argued that Matt Cooke couldn't possibly have injured Erik Karlsson on purpose. A lawyer could win that case. I don't believe it for a second. And I don't believe in Wilson's innocence because he does not deserve the benefit of any doubt. He was running around in that game looking for a huge hit, and he found one, and in the process he concussed an opposing player against the boards while he was already engaged with Vrana.