Way to take the class out of hockey, San Jose.

To act as if the Sharks are unintentionally snowing Jimmy Howard, diving, or embellishing situations would be completely naive. It seems to happen nearly every time we play the San Jose Sharks. Following questions and prodding by the media regarding the snowing of Jimmy Howard, San Jose Sharks Head Coach Todd McLellan had this to say-

I have no time for gimmicks and that type of crap. If our players are doing that [intentionally], they’re going to hear from me first

Yesterday was not the first game in which Jimmy was snowed by Sharks players. In fact, this is not the first year in which this has continuously happened. That leads me to believe one of two things. Either Todd McLellan has absolutely no control over his players or that he is lying. If the Red Wings started behaving as the Sharks are there would be serious consequences. Not only from inside our own organization but from the league. I'm sure you've heard the old riddle "If a goalie falls and there's no one around him... send Tomas Holmstrom to the box". In addition to the pathetic display of the snowing, there has been a rash of diving and embellishing (selling if you will) calls. Diving takes the integrity out of the sport. In my mind, diving is much akin to cheating. "Oh someone is within two feet of me. ANNNNNND fall" It is beyond disgraceful. If the players on this team cannot play the game without resorting to such low class actions, than perhaps they should quit hockey and make the six hour or so drive to Hollywood to work on their acting careers. After practically every call on the Red Wings you hear "He really sold that one to the referees". In the game of hockey, you shouldn't have to sell anything. You either got interfered with or you didn't. You either got tripped or you didn't. The referees should be competent enough to be able to call the games fair or as close to fair as they are possible of doing without these low class moves being performed. With diving and embellishing in this series, there is no way to judge legit calls from successful acting calls. Maintaining the dignity of this sport seems to mean nothing to a franchise that is younger than the average age of the hockey fans that I know. Many Sharks fans have claimed that this is just their team stirring up a rivalry. The Sharks, as a team, don't have to behave objectionably for us to dislike them. It comes naturally in the battles of a war that one does not enjoy the sight of their competition.




And to address the Sharks fans themselves--

Sorry to shatter your hopes and dreams, but there is only one Hockeytown and it is NOT in California.