Don't Dish It If You Can't Take It
Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins
Jan 24, 09:28 PM | Hype this story!
The rivalry between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers took yet another unusual twist this afternoon, though, at this point, Keystone State hockey fans shouldn’t be surprised by too much.
According to Chuck Gormly of the Courier-Post, Flyers forward Aaron Asham claimed he was bitten by Penguins agitator Matt Cooke during the third period of today’s 2-1 Penguin win.
“There was a scrum, I grabbed him,” Asham said. “There were two guys on Harts and my glove got tangled in his mouth and he bit me, so I lost it.”
Without a little context and history, such a claim would and should bring about some concern, both for fans of this heated rivalry and fans across the league.
But those with any semblance of a memory — something Asham clearly is lacking — will recall a similar incident at the conclusion of an October 8 matchup between these rivals.
The incident I’m referring to involved Kris Letang’s finger and Scott Hartnell’s mouth…and, of course, a chomping action.
“A lot of stuff happens on the bottom of the pile,” Hartnell said. “He had his hands in my face doing the face wash and we’re rolling around. I can’t say what happened.”
Make no mistake about it, Hartnell could say what happened, he simply refused to say it for fear of ramification — which he avoided following an NHL disciplinary hearing that concluded there was no video evidence.
Now, the roles are reversed and, you guessed it, the Flyers — more specifically Asham — aren’t too happy.
“It’s not bad, but he’s a gutless guy. I have no respect for him at all. I lined up against him and asked him to fight and he didn’t want to. If you go and bite someone … I just have no use for him.
“He does his job well. He’s an agitator. He’s garbage to me and I have no respect for him at all.”
If he has no respect for a player like Cooke, who plays a physical game, stirs things up, and apparently bites opponents, I wonder what Asham thinks of his teammate and fellow chomper, Mr. Hartnell?
Following the game, reporter Anothony SanFilippo of the Delaware County Times said chatter in the Penguins locker room was light regarding the situation.
“Afterwards, Cooke and teammate Craig Adams joked that if Scott Hartnell didn’t bite Kris Letang earlier this season (remember that?) than Cooke didn’t bite Asham,” SanFilippo summarized.
If such a situation took place this afternoon, I have a difficult time condoning it. It was wrong when Hartnell bit Letang and it is wrong if Cooke bit Asham.
But we’ve all heard of the saying, “what goes around comes around.”
The Flyers sure have no problem dishing it out, but when it comes to taking it, they complain with the best of them.
At this point, there is nothing written within the Pittsburgh media about the Cooke/Asham incident and there clearly is no word of a disciplinary hearing, though one seems likely.
What is for certain, though, is that these teams meet up one more time this season — March 27 — and it’s sure to be one to watch.
Comments
Doc Nagel
Jan 24, 10:19 PM
At some point, you gotta start to be concerned about rabies, or maybe food poisoning. Don’t these guys know the FDA has warned that people living in North America are unfit to eat?
Bobby
Jan 24, 10:46 PM
Hmm, is there a possibility that Hartnell bit his own teammate in the pile?
Pens1967
Jan 24, 11:05 PM
In case you haven’t noticed, Matt Cooke has at least two front teeth missing when he plays.
Casey
Jan 25, 08:12 AM
I normally don’t like dirty play, but I always find myself making an exception when the Pens play the Flyers. I smiled when Matt Cooke tripped/elbowed Daniel Carcillo and I smiled as I read this story.
Casey
Jan 25, 08:28 AM
Ok, for what it’s worth, Cooke claims that Asham was fishhooking him and he says he has the cuts in his mouth to prove it.
DaBich
Jan 25, 08:30 AM
ROFL, when I saw this headline, I said out loud “Are you friggin serious???” and I’m still sitting here laughing.
IF it is true (and that’s a big if, in my opinion) it’s karma. As you say, Matt, what goes around comes around. The big goons/whiners/morons on the Cryers team are really making themselves look bad. As I said, IF it happened, I’d be darned if I’d even admit it, how embarassing. Just shut up and take it, you asked for it.
Asham has no respect for Cooke? LMAO now that’s hilarious!
DaBich
Jan 25, 08:31 AM
Casey, please explain fishhooking?
Casey
Jan 25, 08:43 AM
Dabich – Fishhooking is when you put your finger in someone’s mouth, bend it like a hook, and pull on their cheek.
Ray aka WildcatRay
Jan 25, 08:55 AM
All I have to say on this subject is that if the league decides to suspend Cooke, they had better retroactively suspend Hartnell, too. As far as I am concerned, the league hid behind the “excuse” of not having any evidence to support the claim that he bit Letang.
Did anyone else catch Mike Milbury’s comment during the 1st Intermission? He said Chris Pronger “always” crosses the line. If that is so, then why did he not get any penalties yesterday?
FYI-He clearly cross-checked Sidney in the first period, yet the refs did not see fit to call the penalty, did they?
DaBich
Jan 25, 09:05 AM
Thanks Casey, I kinda thought that’s about what it was, but since I’m not familiar with the term, wanted to be sure. So, the lil wuss did that and when he supposedly got bitten, cried like a baby? Real tough bully huh? ;)
Ray, I knows the Pens got a break when the Flyers’ second goal was called off, but man, the officiating in the second and third periods were clearly in the Flyers’ favor…and it’s the non-calls I’m talking about. Holding the stick in particular…and right in front of the friggin referee!
nick
Jan 25, 09:20 AM
Screw the Flyers I hope Cooke did bite him. Flyers deserve way worse than that, I want to see Hartnell pay dearly. Lindros style dearly. Can we sign Kaspar to a one game contract??
DaBich
Jan 25, 09:24 AM
Nick, is he still around anywhere local?? I love that guy!
Pens1967
Jan 25, 09:47 AM
No doubt Pronger should have gotten 2 mins for cross-checking Sid while he was trying to get back up after another Flyer had already hit him and knocked him over.
The refs were pretty brutal all game. The actual penalties ended up just about even 13-12, Philly.
Matt Bodenschatz
Jan 25, 09:50 AM
@Casey, it’s one thing to bite someone in the midst of a facewash, which is a typical hockey agitation method that has been around for years. It’s another thing to bite a player who has his finger deliberately in your mouth.
Again, not to condone this, but if Asham put his finger in Cooke’s mouth, he was asking to be bitten.
@Ray, the sad thing is, a friend told me he saw the replay and, before the story came out, he had an idea that Cooke may have bitten Asham. That doesn’t mean evidence is conclusive, but it’s also not a good sign, either.
@Dabich, the Pens definitely got a break when the second Flyers goal was waived off, but it’s said when we say a team gets a break as a result of an official calling the correct penalty.
The Flyers have no one to blame for that loss other than themselves, as their stupidity — retaliating to a check — cost them what would have been the go-ahead goal at the time.
Natty Lite
Jan 25, 10:24 AM
@Casey,
The hit on Carcillo was great, loved it. Asham is nuts, he got exactly what he deserved.
@Ray,
I can’t stand watching games on NBComcast because of guys like Milbury. Their is clearly some unnatural love between the TV crew and the Flyers, particularly “The Great Leader”.
Sad thing is reading the Flyer boards last night, they are all over the fact that Pronger held Sid scoreless. Guess they’re finally going to win the cup with all that experience back there.
I was glad to see them put together a complete 60 minute game. Too bad we didn’t plat them more.
Pens1967
Jan 25, 10:34 AM
I would say the goal posts did a better job keeping Sid scoreless and than anything the Flyers themselves did.
Natty Lite
Jan 25, 10:37 AM
Wow, I gotta proof read.
...There is clearly…
...Too bad we don’t play…
Sorry, way too early. Dang overtime football!
Moq
Jan 25, 10:45 AM
If Cooke had been accused of biting a class act player, it might have been cause for concern and I would argue suspension if the evidence was there. Fortunately, I can’t think of classy Flyers players with a credability level much above zero and Asham certainly isn’t one of them. So my response is mostly “So?” and a shrug.
As for the game, I was worried about the control gained in the second period that was partially lost in the third. But the effort was there and the two points a very pleasing result in a hostile environment where the early smugness of the crowd was turned around so delightfully.
DaBich
Jan 25, 11:30 AM
Moq ~ agreed, “classy” and “Flyers” definitely do NOT go together…
Natty ~ You make me feel better, at times my typing/grammar is atrocious and I know better. We need to slow down a bit, I’d say.
Pens, you’re so right on the posts!
Ray aka WildcatRay
Jan 25, 01:13 PM
For those saying the officiating was tilted in favor of the Flyers, I agree. The question is, “Is this because of the a “cozy” business relationship between the league and Comcast/VS./NBC?
Perhaps, in the past, such a relationship would have meant holding the Flyers to a stricter standard to insure that there would be no reason to question the close business relationship equating to more favorable treatment, but that ship has pretty much sailed, AFAIAC.
DaBich
Jan 25, 01:35 PM
AFAIAC you are right! =)
Natty Lite
Jan 25, 04:32 PM
@Ray,
Like I said, NBComcast. In any other sport they would say it’s a conflict of interest to own a team and have a TV contract with the league, but we are talking about the NHL here.
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