You Had Me At Red, White And Blue.

This may be old news, but I first read it in today's Washington Post: The Caps will be returning to red, white and blue uniforms starting next season. Reebok was in town fitting players for unis yesterday. As far as I can tell no logo or scheme has been announced. Although they weren't as ugly as I feared, the Reebok all-star uniforms didn't do it for me. If it gets us some stars and stripes back, however, I can put up with the Jersey of the Future.

Simon Says: Try To Behead Opponent

I waited to post about Chris Simon's classless slash until the NHL handed down its punishment. A twenty-five game suspension may be the biggest ever delivered, but I think it is still too small. This is Simon's sixth career suspension so there is certainly a pattern here. The blow he delivered to Hollweg's mush would have been prosecution-worthy had it happened on a street corner. (This does not mean, however, that I think Simon should be charged criminally for his on-ice action as has been suggested by some.) I find it laughable that the NHL weighed the extent of Hollweg's injuries during its decision making. Hollweg (and Simon) was lucky that the blow caught mostly chin, not throat or eyes and nose. Intent, not the severity of resulting injury, should be the determining factor. Sit Simon down for an entire season if you really want to send the correct message, which is that there is no place in the game for using your stick in such a manner. It shows a total lack of respect for your opponent and the game of hockey. Then I heard this tidbit on Sportscenter this morning (though I have not seen the actual quote so maybe what Simon actually said isn't this bad)- Simon said he was concussed (by Hollweg's hit) in the moments preceding his stick swinging and didn't really know what he was doing when he cracked Hollweg in the face. Whatever.

BUT...
My feelings on this issue make me feel like a hypocrite for two reasons. First, like almost everyone who has played hockey on any level, I have lashed out in anger or frustration at an opponent. I have never whacked anybody severely with my stick, but I do understand that moment when you fly hot about a hit or dirty play.

Secondly, I have always felt that fighting has a positive role in NHL hockey. I don't condone fighting for the sake of fighting, but I have long believed that is better to have players police themselves with fists so that dangerous stick infractions don't occur. Then a lunkhead like Simon goes and crosses that threshold of respect for an opponent. The original hit on Simon may have been dirty, but he cannot respond in the way he did. If Simon wanted to fight Hollweg, fine. Anything more than dropping the gloves is unacceptable.

Misc.

Things I was thinking about while printing up my "Free Scooter" T-shirts...

Marvel Comics, in a not-so-subtle metaphor for today's USA, killed off Captain America. The hero who battled the Nazi's and even Watergate era corruption was killed as he headed to court to testify against diminshed civil liberties. Let's hope that, like many popular comic characters that have preceded him into death, Captain America and our civil liberties will soon be reborn.

I'm okay with the right to bear arms, but do NJ residents really have to fight the proposed ban on .50 caliber rifles? Oh, wait, I guess there are times when I just have to nail an elk from 1.5 miles away. My mistake.

The big boys of the credit card industry were grilled on Capitol Hill today for charging excessive fees and penalties. Whatever happened to people taking personal responsibilty for mistakes such as too much debt? Just because lenders will give you that money doesn't mean you have to use it. How about not spending beyond your means.

Even though I think it's a stretch, I'm rooting for the proposed sitcom based on the Geico Cavemen. Bravo to the writers that can make that funny week after week.

And as far Scooter Libby-I don't really think he should go free, but I think he's a bigger fall guy than Lee Majors. Darth Cheney escapes another one.

Context-free Quote of the Week.

"Whenever you've got a story that includes pretty women, cocaine and recreational bisexuality, people want to know more. Don't you?"- Tucker Carlson