Clayton's pissed enough.............

Posted on Thu, Dec. 29, 2005
Clayton wanting action
BY KOLLEN LONGThe Wichita Eagle

Wichita Thunder forward Travis Clayton, a four-time all-star and the third-leading scorer in Central Hockey League history, said he will retire if the league doesn't severely punish Oklahoma City's Tyler Fleck, who delivered an illegal hit that left Clayton with a concussion on Tuesday night.
Clayton, who said he received 10 stitches to the side of his head and forehead, is expected to miss at least two weeks, including tonight's home game against Youngstown.
Fleck, who applied the blow with the Thunder leading 4-1 in the third period, received a match penalty for intent to injure. After the incident, Oklahoma City rallied for a 5-4 shootout victory in a game that included 210 penalty minutes and six player ejections.
On Wednesday, the teams engaged in a battle of words while CHL director of operations Duane Lewis, admittedly baffled by the dramatically different accounts he heard during interviews, tried to sort out exactly what happened.
Thunder coach Mark French accused Oklahoma City of "goon" tactics and described Fleck's hit as "a severe blow to the head" and a "classless act."
Oklahoma City coach Doug Sauter said Fleck hit Clayton in the shoulder and that the resulting fall to the ice caused the cuts.
Sauter's comments caused Clayton, normally quiet and reserved, to become uncharacteristically emotional.
"Are you kidding me?" Clayton said when told of Sauter's opinion. "That's a joke. I have no respect for that organization. They're a joke; Sauter is a joke. If the league doesn't take action, I'm gonna retire. I've got a family. I don't need this (expletive) anymore."
Asked what discipline for Fleck would be appropriate, Clayton said, "I think he should be done (for the season). The league says there's going to be a crackdown on blows to the head, and this was clearly a blow to the head. They're (the league) the bosses, but if I don't think it's the right thing, you might not see me in a Thunder uniform again."
Lewis, the CHL official, said he expected to receive the videotape this morning and issue a ruling by mid-afternoon. Fleck is suspended indefinitely pending the league's decision.
"This is an odd one because the stories are so varied from each side," Lewis said. "I've heard everything from 'It was a great hockey hit' to 'It was a blow with the butt end (of the stick) and a deserved match penalty.' I have no idea what I'm going to see on the tape."
Sauter was firm in his opinion.
"It was a check, without a doubt, but it wasn't a blow to the head," Sauter said. "I've seen it about twice, without slow motion, and he (Fleck) hits him (Clayton) in the shoulder. The head injury came when he fell to the ice.
"You hate to see anybody get hurt. Tyler doesn't feel very good about it. He wasn't out there trying to hurt anybody."
The Thunder is equally adamant about its position.
"The Oklahoma City player comes up and delivers a severe blow to Travis' face and to his head," French said. "He uses his hand area, the top hand, to knock out Travis. You can see a clear jabbing motion. The level of cuts on Travis' face lead me to believe the stick was part of the blow as well."
French showed several replays of the incident in his office Wednesday afternoon. The VCR didn't have slow motion and Fleck was moving quickly, but the review seemed to support the Thunder's position.
On the play, Clayton, second in the league with 44 points, takes a pass in the neutral zone and is beginning to turn up ice. Fleck, considered one of the league's hardest hitters, comes into view from Clayton's left and appears to deliver the blow with his right forearm or hand. The blow seems to land on the left side of Clayton's head. It's impossible to tell if the stick was used.
Clayton's body goes immediately limp and he falls to the ice. French said Clayton, whose face was bloodied by the collision, was unconscious for a short period of time.
"One of the few positives is that it wasn't more serious than it was," French said.
French said he doesn't doubt that Clayton, a nine-year pro who has played in Wichita his entire career, is serious about retiring.
"And I don't blame him," French said. "I know Travis and his wife were both very shaken by what happened. As a marquee player in this league, he has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection.
"It's in the league's hands now. We trust they'll make the right decision."
Notes -- French said rookie Kris Wiebe will move up to the top line and play with Joe Blaznek and Jason Duda. Blaznek will occupy the center position.

Re: Clayton's pissed enough.............

BoysInBlue wrote:

Posted on Thu, Dec. 29, 2005 Clayton wanting action BY KOLLEN LONGThe Wichita Eagle Wichita Thunder forward Travis Clayton, a four-time all-star and the third-leading scorer in Central Hockey League history, said he will retire if the league doesn't severely punish Oklahoma City's Tyler Fleck, who delivered an illegal hit that left Clayton with a concussion on Tuesday night. Clayton, who said he received 10 stitches to the side of his head and forehead, is expected to miss at least two weeks, including tonight's home game against Youngstown. Fleck, who applied the blow with the Thunder leading 4-1 in the third period, received a match penalty for intent to injure. After the incident, Oklahoma City rallied for a 5-4 shootout victory in a game that included 210 penalty minutes and six player ejections. On Wednesday, the teams engaged in a battle of words while CHL director of operations Duane Lewis, admittedly baffled by the dramatically different accounts he heard during interviews, tried to sort out exactly what happened. Thunder coach Mark French accused Oklahoma City of "goon" tactics and described Fleck's hit as "a severe blow to the head" and a "classless act." Oklahoma City coach Doug Sauter said Fleck hit Clayton in the shoulder and that the resulting fall to the ice caused the cuts. Sauter's comments caused Clayton, normally quiet and reserved, to become uncharacteristically emotional. "Are you kidding me?" Clayton said when told of Sauter's opinion. "That's a joke. I have no respect for that organization. They're a joke; Sauter is a joke. If the league doesn't take action, I'm gonna retire. I've got a family. I don't need this (expletive) anymore." Asked what discipline for Fleck would be appropriate, Clayton said, "I think he should be done (for the season). The league says there's going to be a crackdown on blows to the head, and this was clearly a blow to the head. They're (the league) the bosses, but if I don't think it's the right thing, you might not see me in a Thunder uniform again." Lewis, the CHL official, said he expected to receive the videotape this morning and issue a ruling by mid-afternoon. Fleck is suspended indefinitely pending the league's decision. "This is an odd one because the stories are so varied from each side," Lewis said. "I've heard everything from 'It was a great hockey hit' to 'It was a blow with the butt end (of the stick) and a deserved match penalty.' I have no idea what I'm going to see on the tape." Sauter was firm in his opinion. "It was a check, without a doubt, but it wasn't a blow to the head," Sauter said. "I've seen it about twice, without slow motion, and he (Fleck) hits him (Clayton) in the shoulder. The head injury came when he fell to the ice. "You hate to see anybody get hurt. Tyler doesn't feel very good about it. He wasn't out there trying to hurt anybody." The Thunder is equally adamant about its position. "The Oklahoma City player comes up and delivers a severe blow to Travis' face and to his head," French said. "He uses his hand area, the top hand, to knock out Travis. You can see a clear jabbing motion. The level of cuts on Travis' face lead me to believe the stick was part of the blow as well." French showed several replays of the incident in his office Wednesday afternoon. The VCR didn't have slow motion and Fleck was moving quickly, but the review seemed to support the Thunder's position. On the play, Clayton, second in the league with 44 points, takes a pass in the neutral zone and is beginning to turn up ice. Fleck, considered one of the league's hardest hitters, comes into view from Clayton's left and appears to deliver the blow with his right forearm or hand. The blow seems to land on the left side of Clayton's head. It's impossible to tell if the stick was used. Clayton's body goes immediately limp and he falls to the ice. French said Clayton, whose face was bloodied by the collision, was unconscious for a short period of time. "One of the few positives is that it wasn't more serious than it was," French said. French said he doesn't doubt that Clayton, a nine-year pro who has played in Wichita his entire career, is serious about retiring. "And I don't blame him," French said. "I know Travis and his wife were both very shaken by what happened. As a marquee player in this league, he has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection. "It's in the league's hands now. We trust they'll make the right decision." Notes -- French said rookie Kris Wiebe will move up to the top line and play with Joe Blaznek and Jason Duda. Blaznek will occupy the center position.

Sauter is a complete idiot.. there is no way that falling on the ice could result in 20+ stitches.. i hope that the league severely punishes Fleck and makes a statement out of him.

if its a either or deal with clayton Im afraid we just lost one of our star players
I dont have any confidence that the league will do what travis is asking for

Worst case I'd say 15 games no more. And I think that's a way high estimate.

we wont see fleck against us on anymore games this year
thats probably the best they can do

if a guy hits his head or face on the ice yes it could probably make a pretty good gash. but thats not the point here...... THE VIDEO sounds like it CLEARLY shows a blow to the face/head. and for Sauter to sit back and stand by his B.S claim of a "clean hit" is MORONIC!

i would absolutely hate to see clayton retire because of such and incident and wouldnt blame him if he did. all things considered how many "cheap shots" does one player (fleck) get to hand out before the league deals with him appropriately?

i can assure you this... if this incident results in the retirement of clayton..... they sure as hell will have a DEVELOPEMENTAL LEAGUE on their hands... cause they will probably have a real tough time finding any "high caliber" players to come here when they hear that crap like this goes on.

Quote:

Sauter is a complete idiot.

I'm with you, he's a shithead that needs to retire already. His ass-like statement of a "clean hit" already proves he's in his pissy old man stage. You should see that crap that he pulls in Tulsa.

I'd say Fleck gets a 10 game suspension.

Quote:

As a marquee player in this league, he has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection.

That's what most of us have said for several years.

rovot wrote:

Quote: As a marquee player in this league, he has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection. That's what most of us have said for several years.

ANY player has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection. This would be no different if it was Murphy or Hansen. That type of conduct from any player should be delt with the same as if it was a 50 goal scorer or a 3rd line grinder.

brian-27 wrote:

rovot wrote: Quote: As a marquee player in this league, he has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection. That's what most of us have said for several years. ANY player has the right to expect a reasonable amount of protection. This would be no different if it was Murphy or Hansen. That type of conduct from any player should be delt with the same as if it was a 50 goal scorer or a 3rd line grinder.

Very true.Nobodies career is any less important or any more important then the next guy.

I think the most telling part of the video would have to be that Claytons body immediately goes limp when he gets hit.....now, I am not a doctor but I have played a few sports in my day and I sure dont remember anyone ever being instantly knocked out from a blow to the shoulder....an elbow or fist to his head, now that could cause a guy to be knocked out before he hits the ground or ice or whatever surface he is playing on. Sauter's comments are typical coming from him and Fleck should feel bad about it.....Clayton's comments about retirement trouble me somewhat....I only hope the league takes a long look at teh video and hands down just punishment.

I wonder if he is saying it to put pressure on the league. Who knows.Just heard on the radio that is was 25 stitches. The paper says ten the news said 20. Man nobody knows.I also saw on the news last nite that they said it made a half circle around his left eye.If that is true it sounds like it would be the size of a butt end of a hockey stick.

s.p wrote:

if its a either or deal with clayton Im afraid we just lost one of our star players I dont have any confidence that the league will do what travis is asking for

I am afraid you are probably right. But I don't blame him for wanting to retire either. The league just won't give out that amount of a suspension, I say 15 games tops.

Quote:

I am afraid you are probably right. But I don't blame him for wanting to retire either. The league just won't give out that amount of a suspension, I say 15 games tops.

you are probably right on that one. my guess is it depends on how the league wants to look at it. if they look at it as 1 incident, i say 10 games. if they look at it as i believe they should, taking into account flecks history with this kind of cheap/dirty play that has resulted in numerous injuries, he might get the rest of the season. only time will tell.

im sure the league is torn.... they are in jeopardy of losing one of the all time chl greats, but im sure they dont want to come down to hard on their little poster child team okc.

just a quick question--I have seen people claim it was an elbow and others claim it was the butt-end of the stick. Which was it? I took my kid out in the garage and tried to see how it could be both at the same time, but it just don't work. Had to be one or the other.

chief said it was an elbow from reviewing the tape. and that they cannot say it was a stick from the angle of the footage.

dang...... you elbowed and used a stick on your kid in the garage? brutal!

C'mon folks. This is HOCKEY...the most physical sport of all. I absolutely agree that Fleck should be severely punished IF his hit on Clayton was indeed a head shot. However, with this league's history on these types of matters, I wouldn't expect too much.

kingsman1 wrote:

C'mon folks. This is HOCKEY...the most physical sport of all. I absolutely agree that Fleck should be severely punished IF his hit on Clayton was indeed a head shot. However, with this league's history on these types of matters, I wouldn't expect too much.

It was a clean hit to Clayton's shoulder!!! That's why his body immediately went limp and he knocked out....SOMETHING hit the man in the head......an elbow, a fist or a stick. And yes, Hockey is the most physical sport of all and clean hard hits are more than welcome within the confines of the rules....but I prefer not to watch players take shots at other players heads, that my friend is not Hockey.

thunderdan wrote:

kingsman1 wrote: C'mon folks. This is HOCKEY...the most physical sport of all. I absolutely agree that Fleck should be severely punished IF his hit on Clayton was indeed a head shot. However, with this league's history on these types of matters, I wouldn't expect too much. It was a clean hit to Clayton's shoulder!!! That's why his body immediately went limp and he knocked out....SOMETHING hit the man in the head......an elbow, a fist or a stick. And yes, Hockey is the most physical sport of all and clean hard hits are more than welcome within the confines of the rules....but I prefer not to watch players take shots at other players heads, that my friend is not Hockey.

Thunderdan, I'm not the enemy here. We agree on this and I said IF the hit was cheap, then Fleck deserves everything he gets plus some.

kingsman1 wrote:

thunderdan wrote: kingsman1 wrote: C'mon folks. This is HOCKEY...the most physical sport of all. I absolutely agree that Fleck should be severely punished IF his hit on Clayton was indeed a head shot. However, with this league's history on these types of matters, I wouldn't expect too much. It was a clean hit to Clayton's shoulder!!! That's why his body immediately went limp and he knocked out....SOMETHING hit the man in the head......an elbow, a fist or a stick. And yes, Hockey is the most physical sport of all and clean hard hits are more than welcome within the confines of the rules....but I prefer not to watch players take shots at other players heads, that my friend is not Hockey. Thunderdan, I'm not the enemy here. We agree on this and I said IF the hit was cheap, then Fleck deserves everything he gets plus some.

I am not calling you the enemy........I am saying you have no idea what you are commenting on because you didnt see the hit....I have been a big hockey fan for many years and have witnessed some pretty disgusting incidents on the ice....this one ranks right up there with Bertruzzi and the rest. This hit could have ended Claytons career 9and I am not talking about him retiring if the league doesn't punish Fleck)