Operation Slapshot: Observations and musings and on the Puckbuck Imbroglio

So much has happened in the last three days that HockeyDirt doesn't even know where to start. But we gotta start somewhere so.....

We're going to wade into the waters of Operation Slapshot, or what we have dubbed the Puckbuck Imbroglio. (It sounds so much more....something)  Before we go any further, before you read what HockeyDirt has to say, we have to say that we have absolutely no opinion on who is guilty, who isn't, what has happened, what hasn't. There's a lot of speculation and innuendo in this story so far so we just want to give you our take on that speculation and innuendo.

To begin with, let's get it straight that the whole Operation Slapshot, no matter how much the New Jersey State Police, the sports media and everyone else has to say about it, has nothing to do with hockey.

Are NHL personalities implicated?  Yes. But the NHL is not hockey.

Just like when during the lockout many pundits said, "The lockout will be bad for hockey," the argument was misguided. As I said, the NHL is not hockey. The NHL is hockey offered as entertainment. During the lockout, participation in hockey in both the U.S. and Canada continued to grow. Beer leagues expanded. More women started playing. Kid's house leagues became more numerous. And town after town built more and more rinks to play on. Hockey grew...NHL or not.

So, hockey shouldn't worry. But the NHL should.

The NHL sure has fallen into one significantly large pile of manure this week. And they're going to have a hard time extricating themselves from it.

For too long, the NHL has suffered from having a reputation as a league of choir boys.

While the NBA gets press from the actions of Latrell Sprewell,the NFL is on the front pages because of Ray Lewis and Major League Baseball has the supposed  doping escapades of Sammy Sosa, Mark McGuire and Jason Giambi, the NHL still had its arguably best player of all time, Wayne Gretzky, referring to the Commissioner of the league as "Mr. Bettman."

He's scored more points than anyone else, his jersey number has been retired from the entire league, he is now a coach and a part owner, he is a father of five, and he is probably the most dominant player in his own sport in the history of sport (with the exception of perhaps cycling's Eddie Merckx), yet he still refers to the Commissioner as "Mr."

Gretzky has been too polite. Choir boys, indeed.

And now, it has all changed. For the NHL. For Canadians who have put him on a pedestal. For the Gretzky family...Walter? In the eyes of Canadians who, upon Gretzky's death sometime in the next 60 years would have given him a place in the nation's history along with John A. McDonald, Billy Bishop, Terry Fox, and others on the short list of Canadian iconography, he is now tainted.

And for what?

As of this writing, we have not read a single word which implicates the Great One in any wrongdoing besides trying to protect his wife. He is simply guilty by association.....on three counts, those three counts being Tocchet, Janet and Barnett....the three people closest to him besides his children.

But let's back up a bit, and put the whole "Operation Slapshot" media frenzy into perspective.

Step back for a second and ask yourself...if it was L.A. Kings coach Andy Murray's wife and assistant coach (or the wife and assistant of any other NHL coach) who were originally implicated by the New Jersey State Police, do you think this story would be such a big deal. Do you think the New Jersey State Police would have had a news conference if it was a bunch of no-names who were the alleged organizers of this $1.7 milliion gambling ring?

No. It wouldn't be. But the fact is, it is Wayne Gretzky's assistant coach, and Wayne Gretzky's wife. And that is why this story has made it into the national media and will stay in the national media until their is a conviction.

And the New Jersey State Police know it. And they are milking it for all that it is worth.

But that is another story.

Come back Saturday night to read HockeyDirt's take on how the New Jersey State Police have exploited the Gretzky name and this investigation's association with professional athletes for publicity.

Because if there wasn't a Gretzky connection, this wouldn't be a story.

Comments

[Randy Charles Morin]

Right on! BTW, my wife also bet on the SuperBowl. I'll be handing my resignation to my boss today. Stupid me!