WOW: OHL suspends 2 for 15 games...

[ckg927]

And it was for nothing that happened ON the ice. It was OFF the ice-specifically, via social media.

Victor Fernandes of the Erie Times News had a link on his Twitter feed(GoErieHockey if you want to follow his posts)that directs to a statement by the OHL stating that Peterborough's Greg Betzold and Belleville's Jake Marchment got that punishment due to social networking activity which came to the league's attention.

They deserve some punishment...but 15 games? A bit too much, based on first glance. (Having checked the Bulls' board, I THINK I get the reason behind that suspension.)

Click to read more...

 

[StormSurge9]

It was totally justified. You just can't be doing what they did. This sends a message to everyone else that it won't be tolerated.

 

[NHL Fanatic]

It amazes me that they thought they would get away with it just because it's Tinder. This is the technological era, one screenshot can ruin you.

 

[EON]

Ridiculous over the top suspension

 

[battfan888]

Ridiculous over the top suspension

Curious as to what you would have given them?

 

[buzzworthy]

I agree with the 15 game suspension. I do not want to see the beginnings of the sort of crap that happens in other sports, such as NCAA football. To me, hockey is one of the only untainted sports, mainly because of the quality of character of the players involved. This sends a very clear message to these boys that the CHL wants to be a league of character builders, not a bunch of dirt bags.

 

[CharlieGirl]

I'm surprised at the severity of the suspensions, but I don't have a problem with it at all. The OHL has now set the bar and every OHL'er now knows what not to do on social media. The only way a message like that gets across is to hit the players where it hurts - in playing time.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Well deserved. Tinder is just Ashley Madison for younger people.

 

[Gr8northscout]

suspension

Can't believe some of you seem to condone this type of behavior by indicating that the suspensions were too severe. Good God. Do you treat women this way too.?

If the kid from Saginaw can get kicked off the team for smoking pot, you think 15 games is too much for this.

Neanderthals !!

 

[EON]

Curious as to what you would have given them?

a few games at most, and even that is pushing it for me. I don't think this needed more than a more public, sincere apology to the fans and anyone this offended (especially the girls in question), and some sensitivity training.

I am by no means condoning the actions of these young men but it's a little disturbing to me someone can be suspended for 15 games, just about 1/4 of the entire season, for a private conversation. Yes I know pretty much everything is public now, especially when it comes to more public people like this and they should have known better. But 15 games for some bad words they said in a supposedly private conversation??? How is this not over the top. To much it's just the OHL saving face so as not to upset the PC crowd that is taking over society. It just sets a dangerous precendence to me. What else can you be suspended for? The hypersensitivity is crazy to me. I know that free speech does not equal consequence free speech, but this is going too far. Just my opinion though, I'm sure many people will disagree with me.

 

[CharlieGirl]

a few games at most, and even that is pushing it for me. I don't think this needed more than a more public, sincere apology to the fans and anyone this offended (especially the girls in question), and some sensitivity training.

I am by no means condoning the actions of these young men but it's a little disturbing to me someone can be suspended for 15 games, just about 1/4 of the entire season, for a private conversation. Yes I know pretty much everything is public now, especially when it comes to more public people like this and they should have known better. But 15 games for some bad words they said in a supposedly private conversation??? How is this not over the top. To much it's just the OHL saving face so as not to upset the PC crowd that is taking over society. It just sets a dangerous precendence to me. What else can you be suspended for? The hypersensitivity is crazy to me. I know that free speech does not equal consequence free speech, but this is going too far. Just my opinion though, I'm sure many people will disagree with me.

I disagree - I think a game or two suspension teaches players nothing. The apologies that were made felt more like "I'm sorry I got busted" than being genuinely sorry for being a jerk.

OHL players get a lot of advantages that regular teenagers don't. In exchange, they have some responsibilities that regular teenagers don't, and one of those responsibilities is to understand that they are representing their organization even when they're off the ice, and to behave accordingly. The fact that one of them used the league as a pickup line doesn't help his case. The entitlement attitude of players has to stop, and maybe this is a small step towards that goal.

The suspensions are significant and I do think these two are being made examples to the rest of the league. I don't have a problem with that.

 

[OTownApologist]

a few games at most, and even that is pushing it for me. I don't think this needed more than a more public, sincere apology to the fans and anyone this offended (especially the girls in question), and some sensitivity training.

I am by no means condoning the actions of these young men but it's a little disturbing to me someone can be suspended for 15 games, just about 1/4 of the entire season, for a private conversation. Yes I know pretty much everything is public now, especially when it comes to more public people like this and they should have known better. But 15 games for some bad words they said in a supposedly private conversation??? How is this not over the top. To much it's just the OHL saving face so as not to upset the PC crowd that is taking over society. It just sets a dangerous precendence to me. What else can you be suspended for? The hypersensitivity is crazy to me. I know that free speech does not equal consequence free speech, but this is going too far. Just my opinion though, I'm sure many people will disagree with me.

"Free Speech" isn't actually covered in our Charter like it is in the United States. In ours, hate speech or discriminatory speech isn't allowed.

That being said, all players are subject to a code of conduct that they agreed to when they signed their contracts. So whether it's private or not, they should still be acting in a professional way.

Donald Sterling said some awful things in a "private" conversation, and he lost his NBA team, millions in revenue, and is involved in lawsuits. I think these guys can sit 15 games.

 

[JSavoire]

Can't believe some of you seem to condone this type of behavior by indicating that the suspensions were too severe. Good God. Do you treat women this way too.?

If the kid from Saginaw can get kicked off the team for smoking pot, you think 15 games is too much for this.

Neanderthals !!

What's wrong with you?! Just because someone disagrees with the length of the suspension doesn't mean they condone that behaviour and 'treat women that way'! You're a tool! I think that punishing someone for nearly 1/4 of a hockey season is excessive given what actually happened...but to suggest that anything but total agreement with the suspension means that those people condone that behaviour is way off base.

 

[BenchedGuy]

The suspension may or may not be relevant or how some have said, justified. Depends on if the player has learn from the actions or not. Will the player think as mentioned above that I got busted, or will he actually be sorry for his actions. To me, I would like to see the combined approach method in a suspension of some sort (5 to 10 games) and mandatory community service hours in a related field. I would think this would also give those who are only sorry they got caught a first hand look at what happens to a victim in different situations. Maybe they can relate to this and better understand. The reduced suspension then also doesn't affect the rest of the team as much for their lose of that player as well. Just my 2 cents.

 

[TuckerFan1]

I cant believe it came to this, but the Petes/Betzold had to release another statement earlier today, urging people not to rip on the girl involved.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I disagree - I think a game or two suspension teaches players nothing. The apologies that were made felt more like "I'm sorry I got busted" than being genuinely sorry for being a jerk.

OHL players get a lot of advantages that regular teenagers don't. In exchange, they have some responsibilities that regular teenagers don't, and one of those responsibilities is to understand that they are representing their organization even when they're off the ice, and to behave accordingly. The fact that one of them used the league as a pickup line doesn't help his case. The entitlement attitude of players has to stop, and maybe this is a small step towards that goal.

The suspensions are significant and I do think these two are being made examples to the rest of the league. I don't have a problem with that.

This. I think for the most part fans that sit in the stands and have never been around these players away from the rink have very little idea about the social status and perks the players receive for being on an OHL team.

I was surprised when I saw 15 games, but I'm not bothered by it the way some people seem to be.

 

[ckg927]

I cant believe it came to this, but the Petes/Betzold had to release another statement earlier today, urging people not to rip on the girl involved.

Consider how much we as a society seem to give females grief(ESPECIALLY when it comes to very sensitive matters), does this really surprise anyone?

It doesn't surprise me at ALL that the Petes would have to send out a statement in this matter. Because, quite frankly, there are people on the net that live to do stuff like this...mostly because they can, they're anonymous and they'll get no blowback at all.

 

[jughead42*]

It was totally justified. You just can't be doing what they did. This sends a message to everyone else that it won't be tolerated.

Actually, you can do what they did. People do it every day all over the world. It may not be polite, or kind, or nice, or even right, but without question you are entitled to mouth off at people on social media. They are words, lets stop pretending that having somebody say something to you that you don't like is assault. It's an absolute insult to anybody who was actually assaulted, but nobody ever cares about that when tossing around the outrage. I'm not a big fan of employers disciplining their employees for moral reasons, but then again these aren't employees, right Davy Branch? Can't wait until the lawsuit and the years of back pay you owe your "student athletes" knocks you off your high horse.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Actually, you can do what they did. People do it every day all over the world. It may not be polite, or kind, or nice, or even right, but without question you are entitled to mouth off at people on social media. They are words, lets stop pretending that having somebody say something to you that you don't like is assault. I'm not a big fan of employers disciplining their employees for moral reasons, but then again these aren't employees, right Davy Branch? Can't wait until the lawsuit and the years of back pay you owe your "student athletes" knocks you off your high horse Branch.

This is an interesting point and I don't know if you did it intentionally but who's going to represent those players? Whoops there's no union for these players and in situations like this a union would be good for the opportunity of an appeal, filing a grievance. Instead it's Branch as judge, jury, and executioner. I did say it was well deserved but there are two sides to every coin.

 

[hockeylegend11]

This is an interesting point and I don't know if you did it intentionally but who's going to represent those players? Whoops there's no union for these players and in situations like this a union would be good for the opportunity of an appeal, filing a grievance. Instead it's Branch as judge, jury, and executioner. I did say it was well deserved but there are two sides to every coin.

Foe one of the few times we agree Rayzor,there should be some sort of appeal
process for these players and others,thats why sometimes unions unfortunately
get involved

 

[bobber]

Foe one of the few times we agree Rayzor,there should be some sort of appeal
process for these players and others,thats why sometimes unions unfortunately
get involved

Ho Sang had his suspension cut back deservedly so. That was a hockey related issue. I doubt these two players will see that with all the controversy attached to what they did. It's seems to be an issue not just in sports but in every avenue even up to the government of Canada. These kids are advised about this stuff constantly at school,home and at the rink. Guess it doesn't sink in sometimes. Just a line you don't cross because as we saw the consequences are great.

 

[jughead42*]

Ho Sang had his suspension cut back deservedly so. That was a hockey related issue. I doubt these two players will see that with all the controversy attached to what they did. It's seems to be an issue not just in sports but in every avenue even up to the government of Canada. These kids are advised about this stuff constantly at school,home and at the rink. Guess it doesn't sink in sometimes. Just a line you don't cross because as we saw the consequences are great.

Actually it's not an issue, social media has just decided that it should be one. That doesn't make it one however. There's important issues in the world, and in the league right now. The revelation that men will say and do stupid things in the persuit of sex is hardly an earth shattering one. At the risk of being called a victim blamer, I'm going to suggest that girls who use a dating application in the quest to date a hockey player should probably expect a crude response or two along the way because their ambitions are every bit as transparent as the hockey players they are speaking to.

 

[StormLifer]

Actually, you can do what they did. People do it every day all over the world. It may not be polite, or kind, or nice, or even right, but without question you are entitled to mouth off at people on social media. They are words, lets stop pretending that having somebody say something to you that you don't like is assault. It's an absolute insult to anybody who was actually assaulted, but nobody ever cares about that when tossing around the outrage. I'm not a big fan of employers disciplining their employees for moral reasons, but then again these aren't employees, right Davy Branch? Can't wait until the lawsuit and the years of back pay you owe your "student athletes" knocks you off your high horse.

Hold on.....no one is "entitled" to mouth off at anyone anywhere, it's a childish, base reaction that doesn't accomplish any good.

Actually it's not an issue, social media has just decided that it should be one. That doesn't make it one however. There's important issues in the world, and in the league right now. The revelation that men will say and do stupid things in the persuit of sex is hardly an earth shattering one. At the risk of being called a victim blamer, I'm going to suggest that girls who use a dating application in the quest to date a hockey player should probably expect a crude response or two along the way because their ambitions are every bit as transparent as the hockey players they are speaking to.

How do you know that they used it specifically to date hockey players? You don't.

As a female hockey fan I have never subscribed to the "puck bunny" thought that I would want to date a hockey player, even when I was the same age as them. I have also used other online dating sites and have had extremely crude questions and responses sent to me. I generally laughed them off because they were so sad and out of context and that is just my personality for the most part. It doesn't make them ok though.

If we never hold ourselves and others accountable for base actions/words we will never improve as a society and might as well go back to dragging our knuckles. These players need to understand that, in the pursuit of their dreams, they have put themselves into the public eye. They are held even more accountable for their actions because they are representing themselves, their family, their team, their city and their league. While I feel like 15 games is a lot and was surprised it was that much, I'm not upset over it. I do feel like they are being made an example of by the league but its probably a good thing.

 

[bobber]

Hi Jug, you are correct it is a social media issue. That is why the players are educated by the league regarding what not to do in certain situations when involved in certain Web sites. If they fail to uphold the league standard they know the consequences. They have excepted and apologized. Nothing can change that now.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Actually it's not an issue, social media has just decided that it should be one. That doesn't make it one however. There's important issues in the world, and in the league right now. The revelation that men will say and do stupid things in the persuit of sex is hardly an earth shattering one. At the risk of being called a victim blamer, I'm going to suggest that girls who use a dating application in the quest to date a hockey player should probably expect a crude response or two along the way because their ambitions are every bit as transparent as the hockey players they are speaking to.

You realize tinder isn't a hockey player specific dating site right? I'm not sure how you've made this huge leap assuming that the girls in question were on a 'quest' to hook up with hockey players. It sounds like you are a little bit out of touch with social media and are making huge assumptions based on your misconceptions.
It's pretty strange that you are giving all of the leeway to the players for making aggressive, unprovoked comments (unless you think a women denying a man sex is provocation); and heaping all of the judgement and wrongdoing on the girls for being a part of that website.