Bertuzzi vs. Moore: Who's to Blame?

Four years and three teams after the infamous Todd Bertuzzi hit on Steve Moore, those two still haven't been able to work things out. Bertuzzi is continuously getting sued for increasingly ridiculous amounts of money. Moore first tried suing in Colorado, where his case got tossed out, as the judge decided it would be better if the hearing were held in British Columbia. He's now filing a law suit in...Ontario...umm?

The list of people who Moore is trying to sue is growing ever larger and now includes Brad May, ex Canuck coach Marc Crawford, ex Canuck GM Brian Burke, the Canucks and the partnership that owns them. Isn't that a bit much?

Maybe Marc Crawford pointed to some board in the dressing room and told his players to take out Moore. I'm sure that's not the first time a coach told his players to hit on a player. Star players get that kind of attention all the time, especially if they're weak or fragile in certain areas. Moore should be flattered to finally be spoken of like a true star.

And as for Bertuzzi, I mean poor guy. He had to switch teams three times because nobody wants him, everyone thinks he's a criminal, and he's never been able to elevate his game to what it once was. The name Bertuzzi now bears some sort of evil connotation.

Ya, that's right, I'm about to defend Bertuzzi, and I know I'm going to get bashed, but hear me out.

About a week before the game that ended Moore's career, a different game between the Canucks and Avalanche took place. A tight, chippy game that culminated with a cheap elbow to the head of Canuck captain Markus Naslund from who else? Steve Moore. Naslund suffered a concussion and never really was the same again. Now, I don't care who you are, but when you cheap shot a team's captain and give him a concussion, you will be wearing a dartboard, and with the next game between the two teams scheduled as early as next week, everyone knew there will be blood.

You must all agree Moore had it coming. Granted, what he received was a bit harsh, but he had something coming.

So, finally a week goes by, and the infamous game is played, during which, Bertuzzi (and many others) tried to engage Steve Moore in a fight numerous times. Every time, he shied away like a little girl, unwilling to face the consequences of his actions. Had he turned around and dropped the gloves, he'd be watching the game today on his TV because he'd probably be cut by every team by now. At least he'd have a full neck.

In life, obviously like in hockey, if you don't face the consequences of your actions, the penalties grow. Say you're speeding down the highway, a cop turns his lights on and chases you. If you don't pull over and accept a speeding ticket, but keep speeding away, the cop will eventually catch up and slap you with resisting arrest on top of the speeding ticket, which is all you were initially supposed to get. Moore ran away from Bertuzzi, who eventually caught up to him and knocked him cold, rather than just giving him a few punches in a fair fight.

What Bertuzzi did is definitely a terrible thing, but there have been many incidents that could be seen as more violent (Chris Simon, Steve Downie) that weren't as hyped because they didn't result in such a devastating injury, and no one tried to sue anybody. Doesn't anybody else think suing somebody for an on ice hit seem ridiculous? Also, Steve Moore's cheap shot and his unwillingness to fight are overlooked as he is victimized by everyone, including himself. At least a part of the blame should be attributed to him. You can give the rest to Bertuzzi, but Moore had it coming.

Not that, but something, and he wouldn't accept it.