You don’t have to follow NHL hockey to know that Todd Bertuzzi attacked and crippled another player (Steve Moore) during a game. Criminal assault chargers have now been filed against Bertuzzi.

The NHL thinks this is overkill. So do many players, coaches and fans.

To start with, I don't understand why anyone, anywhere thinks that a suspension by the NHL is all that should be required. The NHL has no legal authority, it's rulings and actions have no legal weight. The NHL SHOULD have taken action against Jerktuzzi. But that in no way alters the fact that he committed a criminal act and should therefore face criminal charges.

I feel exactly the same way about any pitcher who throws at a batter's head -- then hides behind his teammates as they rush onto the field to save his chickenshit ass.

Takes a real manly man to land a Jerktuzzi style sucker punch, or to throw a hardball at someone's head from a nice safe distance.

Some of you say, “But did you ever watch a football game? Football is nothing but organized assault!”

Come on, people, let’s at least pretend that we’re grownups, living in a grownup world. Ok?

"Yeah, but look what THEY do!" was an immature, pathetic argument in grade school. It didn’t hold water then. It doesn’t hold water, here. It’s just a sad, childish, politically correct attempt to absolve Jerktuzzi of his actions, to prevent him from having to suffer the consequences that he has earned. No one did this to him. No one set him up. He committed a crime, all on his own, with premeditation and with malice. Now he has to deal with the very real, very grownup repercussions of what he has done.

Jerkuzzi doesn't play football, so that point is irrelevant. But if he wants to hit like football players hit, let him pad up. If he has the guts.

If a football player DID attack another player in a Jerktuzzi like manner, that player would undoubtedly be considered a thug, probably kicked out of that game, definitely fined heavily by the league and most likely suspended. And he'd still deserve to have legal action taken against him.

Fans would not put up with it. Coaches would not put up with it. His teammates would not put up with it. The NFL damn sure would not put up with it.

Football has rules in place specifically intended to protect helpless players from injury. Jerktuzzi's sole intent was to cause injury to an unprepared, unprotected player.

Both football and hockey are violent, contact sports. They also wear special equipment to protect them from the types violence specific to each sport. The intent is not to cause harm, but there is a possibility of harm inherent to each game. Within the rules of the game, and legally, that is acceptable. Both players and fans expect it. Jerktuzzi went well outside of the rules, as well as what is legal.

Any player in any sport who attacks another player (or coach or ref or fan), not as a part of the game but with intent to cause harm – as Jerktuzzi did --, should not only be fined by and suspended from his sport, but should suffer legal actions.

(also see The Post Game)