Brian,
   I totally agree with your entire post and that "this is not strictly about the presence (or absence) of fighting in hockey." I do think that the climate in the NHL is ripe for these types of things to happen and that fighting and the lack or real punishment for fighting are in part responsible for that climate.

   I also agree with you about Bertuzzi. I don't believe for a minute that his intent was to injure as severly as a broken neck. I suspect that his intent was to send a hard message and it backfired. I say that because of how it actually happened. As I said before, Moore turns his head and body into the punch at the last minute very much increasing the impact of the punch. If that doesn't happen, he probably doesn't get knocked out, therefore he probably doesn't hit the ice head first, therefore he doesn't break his neck and this thread doesn't even exist. So does that excuse Bertuzzi? Of course not. Does that make the whole thing Moore's fault? Of course not. It's a tragedy that happened in a sport that allows for the possibility of such tragedies in every game.

   And I guess that's my whole point. Situations like the Bertuzzi/Moore thing happen all the time in hockey, they just don't end up with a broken neck. We see them on sports center cause they want us to tune in and see the fight again, but other than that, no one pays attention. When someone gets a serious injury, all of a sudden the player who dealt the punch is villified and should be thrown in jail. It can't be assault for Bertuzzi and not for any other player who has gone on the attack in a hockey game. the sport allows for a good hard (sometimes blind-sided) check but if the player that gets checked has a career ending concussion, no one is willing to charge the player with a crime. Fighting is accepted and part of the game (with a five minute price tag) and should be treated no differently.

   Finally, Don, I hope there are no hard feelings with this discussion. I enjoy the back and forth of a heated debate and for the record, I do respect your opinions, the ones I agree with AND the ones I don't! Sometimes those feelings don't come through in type.

Take Care,
Frank

P.S. Playoff hockey, now THERE'S an opportunity to see some fun hockey. Very few fights, if any.