Post #100 Means More Random Ramblings

First, am I the only one who is surprised by the fallout of the Jonathan Roy pummeling/subsequent suspension? Roy get 8 games for beating the daylights out of an unwilling participant, and the outrage sparks a debate on whether or not fighting in junior hockey should be banned.

While I think it should, as a long proponent of banning fighting at all levels of hockey - including the NHL - fighting generally involves two people who are, you know, interested in fighting each other. What Roy did was above and beyond cruel, and his famous father encouraging to do so was just as bad.

Roy Jr. should have been thrown out of the league, for good, and his daddy should have had his bags packed. But don't tell me that a ban on junior fighting would have saved this situation from happening. After all, when you watch the video (which I specifically will not link from here), you can't see a referee in sight.

When something of this magnitude occurs, it is only natural to discuss the ramifications for the rest of the league, and the sporting world in general. In this case, the Q sent a message to the hockey world that bullying is permitted in their game.

Second, a huge thumbs-up to Raptors point guard Jose Calderon. In a sporting world filled with narcissistic, selfish dolts, Calderon is a breath of fresh air. Before Wednesday's game against the Pistons, Calderon suggested to his coach, Sam Mitchell, that T.J. Ford take his place in the starting line-up. Calderon said it was the best move for the team, and he was dead-on. Toronto beat the far superior Pistons by 7. If more players acted like Jose, sports fans would be far less cynical.

Third, on the same topic, Calderon makes less than one million dollars this season, and is up for free agency. If Bryan Colangelo and his team don't resign the guard, the fallout will be epic for years to come.

Fourth, it has finally come to a head for the Leafs. Last night, Toronto lost 4-2 to the Bruins, taking any remote chance of playoff hockey away from the Buds. The best thing the Leafs can do for the rest of the season is to start Andrew Raycroft in net, so one of two things can happen: either lose more to get a better draft spot, or show him off as trade bait this summer. Either way, Vesa Toskala deserves a break after 26 straight starts for the blue and white.