Mark Bell suspended 15 games?

Question

Harsh. Has Goddell taken over the NHL? Do you think more suspensions will follow? For instance, Jay Bouwmeester recently plead guilty to DUI. Do you think he might get a few games?

Erica-news is now out that the NHLPA is fighting this tooth and nail. Rightfully so, IMO.

Come on. You people are OK with 15 games? YES. Drinking and driving and hit and run ARE SERIOUS. That is why is is going to do 6 months in prison (possible he misses another 15), that is why he is in the rehab program. IMO, that IS paying the price. This ISN'T the NFL. Bettman is out on a power trip because he sees how Goddell acts with the personal conduct policy. Yes. Drinking has always been a problem with NHL players. Bettman was commissioner during Heatley's incident causing DEATH-how long was his suspension? 0. Maybe he now decides to suspend the Staals for 3 or 4 games each. What? Precedence has been set. It is a privelidge to play in this league and they broke the law, if DUI and hit and run gets you up to 30 games, 6 months, programs then underage drinking and noise infractions should get you a couple of games. Bettman cites the bad press so there you go.
He was dealt with in court and this is Bettman being BUTTMAN, KING OF THE WORLD and it PEEVES ME OFF.

Copas-Once again, this is not the NFL and it did happen in the U.S.

OK-Some people would indeed lose their job for a DUI and many others, including myself, would not. The UNION DUES I pay protects me from that. Plenty of other people would not lose their job either, guys I know in the military had DUI's and are still in the forces so you can't paint it all with the same brush.
To the poster that said Bell should have to serve his sentence now but is not because he is famous. Wrong. People serve week-ends to keep their jobs-that wasn't an option for Bell.

Adam- The next TWO off-seasons? I don't think so and as I said, the justice system often let's people serve their time on week-ends to keep their jobs- THAT is what would happen for a teacher since they don't WORK week-ends. Not an option for Bell.

Wow. I am amazed at how many people are OK with Buttman playing God.

Copas- Pac Man and Vick are gangstas though. LOL. Didn't think I was harsh.

Answer 1

This happened over a year ago now. Why was there no immediate suspension when it happened? Mark Bell just went right on playing until the issue was finally resolved in court with Bell pleading guilty and receiving a 6 months suspended sentence. THEN, the NHL followed up with an indefinite suspension and mandatory rehabilitaion (guilty plea allowed the NHL to do this, as per the CBA). Now, they have upgraded the suspension to 15 games.

I have two big issues with this. First of all, this was an off ice incident. It should be dealt with by the court only. If it's an on ice incident, I feel that only the NHL should deal with it, unless it crosses beyond both the rules of the game as well as the law, especially if it affects people not employed by the NHL. Anyways, in the case of an off ice issue, I think it's best to let the court bring the felon to justice. The NHL has absolutely nothing to do with it unless there is a chance of further damage.

Which brings me to my second point. Bell has been sober for over an year, ever since the night of the accident. He made the biggest mistake of his life and he lives everyday regretting what he did. It was a one time incident, unlike something like taking steroids or making a dog fighting ring. Bell was drunk, he made a bad choice in starting his car and a bad choice in leaving the accident scene. We have all made mistakes in our life, Bell is clearly sorry for what he did, and the court has brought him to justice; it is time to move on. The only reason I see for this suspension is to make an example out of him. Personally, I see no reason for that. NHL players are model citizens compared to other athletes and there are bound to be some incidents in a league of 700 players. Maybe the NHL should start a DUI awareness program, but other than that, I doubt anything else is needed.

Answer 2

Mark Bell deserved the suspension. Everyone keeps forgetting to mention (no offense to ya, Bob) that this wasn't just a case of DUI, but also a hit-and-run. That's horrible.

But alarms should have been going off even before Mark Bell; these vehicular accidents/incidents involving hockey players and often alcohol are occuring WAY too frequently.

While the NHL (Goodell---er, Bettman) handed out the suspension to Bell, the NHLPA actually has him on "Stage 2" of their "Substance Abuse Program" too. I'm all for Mark Bell being made into an example, because I believe he deserved what he got (if not more...), and because I hope his suspension will make some players think twice. That might be wishful thinking if I had said "ALL players" but some might...

Answer 3

there are couple factors going into this, but first i would like to say if i get a DUI i get demoted cant have a DUI and be in the position I'm in at work, felony hit and run i lose my job, cant be lic by the state w a felony. so a month suspension (basically, yeah little over a month but about the same) don't sound to bad. This is going to be one of the few things i ever agree with bettman over. with the other major sports getting so much bad press for under reacting to non sport issues i agree the NHL has to appear different. that's point one , point two. bettman markets hockey as family friendly. he wants the players to be exemplary citizens in the community.
my main fear is this will be him making an example of a player instead of showing this to be the standard for all players,rather named Crosby or (insert unknown name).

Answer 4

The Bell situation was a hit and run, not just a DUI, right? Anyway, I agree with this in some ways, but in other ways I dont. If it was a hit and run, 15 games seems like a reasonable punishment. The reason this bothers me though is because of their lack of action for bad conduct on the ice. I dont know if last year was just the first year I was paying close attention to the amount of head shots that are being dished out or if the number of those incidents are just rapidly increasing, but they dont take the appropriate measures to stop that stuff. They show no backbone when it comes to punishing those things when they are actually happening on the NHLs dime, but then they turn around and start dishing out harsh punishment for the mistakes these guys make on their own time. That just seems kind of messed up to me. Start taking care of whats happening on the ice before you start worrying about whats happening in the players free time.

Answer 5

I didn't read all the answers, so this has probably already been said. The only difference I can see between Bell and Bouwmeester is that Bell was already in the Substance Abuse program and was accelerated to stage 2 where the league can suspend him. Bouwmeester was not. Could he be in there now because of his DUI? Maybe, but I haven't heard anything.

Bob, I don't see it as Bettman playing god, but what he can legally do within the CBA.

Answer 6

Which ever way you look at it Bob, The NHL HAD to suspend him, they cant just do nothing about it, the guys has to serve jail time at the end of the season, so the NHL cant just throw it behind them they need to do something to make themselves look good. Actually i think it's kinda light.. but the reason hes ONLY getting 15 games is because he has been clean and (More or less) a role model in the past year, Oh and they didnt wanna give him TOOOO much of a suspension cause like i said, hes already sentenced to serve jail time.

Answer 7

I think they need to punish as they see fit. Pro sports are a privilege, not a right. And, as far as the comment that other employers wouldn't suspend a person who did this, I know that many employers would fire a person over this....having them miss this much work and have something on their record. In fact, in many of the jobs I have worked, you need to be able to get clearances to hold a job. A criminal record makes that impossible, thus you can no longer work in that field. DUI is one thing, but coupled with a hit and run......and yes, I think Heatley should have been nailed too.

Answer 8

I don't know-if other players wise up because of this it may be saving their lives. Guys like Tim Horton and Pelle Lindbergh would likely be with us today if it wasn't for drunk driving. It's not as if NHL players can't afford cab fare.

I would lose my job if I had a criminal record, so the argument that a conviction should have nothing to do with his hockey career doesn't wash with me. Bell is getting a huge break that ordinary people wouldn't-he will still be allowed to cross the border.

Answer 9

Bettman seems to be on a power trip and following the lead of the NFL. Bell has already received his punishment from the justice system, yet Bettman further disciplines him? What other employer, outside of sports, discipline their employees for improper behaviour that occurs outside of work? Ridiculous!!

Answer 10

As much as I abhor drinking and driving, having been hit by a drunk driver, think of this incident this way:
If you were drunk, hit someone and fled the scene of an accident, would your boss at work suspend you from your job for 15 days? The NHL's players are being paid for their skills, therefore are employees. I would expect my boss to offer some help, maybe put me on a monitored probation period to watch for relapse or a repeat offense, hence the rehab program the NHL/PA put Bell in.