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Lou Pickney's Online Commentary

Malone The Menace

Wednesday
June 2, 2004

So far this month, my top search engine string name is, surprisingly, Karl Malone. I went to Google to try and find if one of my commentaries referencing him (such as this one from last summer) might have been leading the way, but the hits don't seem to be coming from Google (at least not from the first couple of pages). However, I did find this most fascinating page about the future NBA Hall of Famer:

Karl Malone is a Menace

The site has quite a dossier on Malone's dangerous fouls, including how he literally broke the face of Rice center Dave Ramer in 1984. Ramer needed reconstructive surgery and never played again. As the Dallas Observer put it, "The site lists at least half a dozen more incidents, many of them focusing on Malone's lesser-known tactic: kicking people in the junk." The fact that the paper wrote the word junk in bold made me laugh. But, any way you slice it, Karl Malone is a punk.

I do a pretty good job of keeping my emotions in check, but if you want to see me, completely sober, turn into a raving, livid lunatic, watch me play NCAA Football 2004 online. I just lost a total BS game as Miami against Oklahoma, 14-13. It really should've been 15-14, as D.J. Williams had Jason White sacked for a safety, but they marked it at the one yard line. And don't get me started on Frank Gore's fumble on the subsequent drive as he was about to score a TD that would've made it 17-0 me. Such is life though, eh?

Ville Nieminen
Ville Nieminen is suspended from Game 5 of the NHL Finals.

Here's a thumbs up to the NHL for suspending Calgary Flames forward Ville Nieminen for his cheap shot hit on Tampa Bay Lightning standout Vincent Lecavalier in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Finals. Nieminen will be an observer for Game 5 tomorrow night from the Forum in Tampa.

I wish I had a picture of the hit (and believe me, I've scoured the internet for it), but NHL VP of Operations Colin Campbell described it like this: "Nieminen used his forearm to deliver a forceful hit from behind to the head of his opponent. This hit was more severe than any of the other plays that were brought to our attention during the Final. This was a hit that clearly crossed the line and was directed at the head. Even if Lecavalier is able to play in Game 5, this type of hit must be subject to supplemental discipline."

It's worth noting that this is the second suspension this post-season for Nieminen, who received a one-gamer in the Western Conference semifinals for running into Red Wings goalie Curtis Joseph. Nieminen is lucky that he didn't receive a two game suspension.

But what did Flames coach Darryl Sutter say about this? Apologize for his roughhouse forward and his dirty play? Nope, he instead intimated in a press conference today that the NHL suspended Nieminen because it wants to protect its image in the United States. What a crybaby. Let's hope the Bolts can take advantage of Nieminen's absence and win tomorrow night -- being up 3-2 versus down 3-2 going back to Calgary will make all the difference in the world.


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