Mark Recchi – The People’s Words
March 28, 2011, by Homme de Sept-Îles
You know all this:
Item A
Zdeno Chara nearly kills Max Pacioretty, thrusting the Canadiens forward into an arena stanchion.
Item B
The NHL fails to suspend or fine Chara with league rep Mike Murphy stating that it was “just a hockey play“. League commissioner Gary Bettman follows with “the league is extremely comfortable with its decision”.
Item C
A firestorm of controversy follows including NHL sponsors Air Canada and VIA Rail threatening to pull out if the NHL doesn’t change. The NHL response? Go right ahead.
Item D
Max Pacioretty, showing signs of recovery, visits his team. He has been diagnosed as having suffered (1) A fractured fourth cervical vertebra (2) A concussion
Pacioretty is asked by the team to return home and continue rest.
Item E
Either out of ignorance or resentment or some other inexplicable reason (hang on, tiger), Mark Recchi, the former Montreal Canadien forward, now a regular in the Bruin lineup, decided it was worth making the following unfortunate statement: “I believe they were trying to get Zdeno suspended and they embellished (Pacioretty’s concussion) a little bit.”
Item F
Another firestorm.
Item G
Either on insistence from Bruin management (as Reseau Des Sports’ Francois Gagnon had suggested might happen) or of his own volition, Recchi recanted his statement, choosing to reframe it as a way to take the pressure off Chara:
“Well, I have to be honest with you guys; I wanted to take the heat off Zee [Chara] for a day and I’m a big boy,” Recchi told the media after the Bruins’ convincing win. “And I think anyone who knows me knows that I have great respect for the Montreal organization; I played five years there. I have great respect for Doctor [David] Mulder, the medical staff there. I had a great five years there. I took the pressure off of Zee.
“In 22 years, I’ve respected all my teammates, all the players I play against. My record has shown that for 22 years, and I took the pressure off of Zee for one day. I’m a big boy; I can handle it. I have nothing but great things to say about the Montreal organization; I had five great years there. And it’s still an unfortunate situation it all happened. We all hope Max gets a full recovery here soon and we know he’s well on his way. And like I said, this is something that I believe in 22 years I’ve been very respectful to players and opponents throughout. So that should be the end of it, really.”
The video and article are here.
HDS’ thoughts:
Unfortunately, Recchi’s words ring hollow. Not only should the league suspend the forward (won’t happen) but he should be forced to issue an apology and retraction to Max Pacioretty, the doctors and hospital that cared for him and to the Canadiens and their organization.
In addition, perhaps the once-respected forward’s status as a future Hall of Famer should be called into question.
Mark Recchi is no doctor. And for him to make pronouncements on what is or what isn’t a concussion is a mistake. In fact, concussions are of different types and of different consequences. A concussion, in fact, is a bruising of the brain.
Here are some of the reader responses (unedited) from around the web (including from the embedded ESPN article):
DickBev
I love when players give their “body of work” as well as the typical, “people who really know me…” BS as a means to cover their stupidity.
First of all, why the need to take pressure of Zdeno? You think he can’t handle it? It’s a pretty stupid argument to me. Add I don’t get the “I’m a big boy” comment either. So…you’re a big boy…great. What’s that have to do with your comments? It’s as arbitrary as saying something like “I like peanut butter.”
FelixSeto
Recchi, you are full of it. Stop putting out a fire by saying you were taking it for the team. You’re an idiot. I’ve lost respect for you and your “22 years” in the NHL.
CDNForestCity
Historically speaking, concussions have been diagnosed based on time rendered unconscious, amnesia and confusion. However, new research suggests a more simplified way of diagnosing concussions – Simple versus Complex. Max Pacioretty obviously suffered a simple concussion and has become symptom free. This is in direct contrast to Marc Savard, Sidney Crosby, et al…who have suffered complex concussions. Enough of the finger pointing and bad talking between teams. Let’s hope for more understanding of the devastating impacts of concussions and that the players, the league and the fans learn that player safety and respect is more paramount to the success of the game than anything at this moment. When a player almost dies on the ice, it forces you to rethink what is and is not part of the game. Look up the name Don Sanderson and hockey fighting and ask yourself if this is really needed in the game when the potential for harm is so great. Hockey is the best game in the world but it is being diluted down to pander to the lowest common denominator, the casual fan who tunes in for the violence rather than the mastery of skill. I am a Montreal fan but I feel a lot better this morning after a 7-0 beatdown in a straight up hockey game that after the 8-6 loss in March where I watched condoned assault on the ice during the last minute of the game without any reprehension. And I love the UFC because at least the fighters respect eachother and the potential for injury. Not in the NHL
swim_ny
how does Marchand not get suspended ?
Oh yeah forgot Colin Campbell’s son is a Bruin.
NHL is complete joke, WWE is more real than this crap, completely unbelievable that anyone will even give a damn who wins this year – given how the league conducts itself.
osubucksfan0167
a bruins player says something stupid… gives a stupid excuse for saying it, and the bruins fans blame the canadiens – funny stuff
i’m not a canadiens fan either.. just think it’s funny how bruins fans are reacting to this
mckayg11
Actually, as a Bruins fan… I mostly agree with garnolfini. Recchi should have stuck to his original explanation, his second choice should have been “I apologize, even though I believed he’s faking his injury, I shouldn’t have said that publicly.” The third option, that he said it to take the heat off of Chara, was just lame. It kind of implies that Chara is feeling the heat, and that is never something you want to tell the public about a teammate.
.
Maybe it’s because Recchi is old enough to be half of his teammates parents, he’s just feeling paternal and protective of them. Poorly considered decision by Recchi to go with that excuse.
rhl6788
I have absolutely lost all respect for Mark Recchi.The fact that he played 5 years in Montreal makes his comments even worse.
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3 comments
I think Dr. Recchi’s prescription might have been a bit over-the-top, as well: “Take seven goals and call me in the mourning.”
Brilliant. Love it. I do like Recchi but I’m sorry that he drifted in this direction. I wonder if it’s Bruin influence. Or shall we agree it’s Flier.
[...] why I call him Doctor Recchi. He used to be one of my favourite Montreal players. And I always [...]