PSU's Andrew Sturtz Suspended one Game

The Big Ten has suspended PSU's Andrew Sturtz one-game for this nasty hit this on Michigan Wolverine forward Tyler Motte (video above).

For his efforts, Sturtz was given a five-minute major penalty for interference and a two-minute minor for roughing.  Sturtz hit Motte long after the puck was gone. (box score).

First, I believe the Big Ten blew it by not giving Sturtz a longer suspension. This hit eems worthy of a two-game suspension. In my opinion, this is a predatory hit and the kind of hit that hockey is trying eliminate from the game hockey.

If you watch the video, You will notice that Sturtz leaves his feet to make contact with Motte, you can't do that. The pucks is long gone when Sturtz makes contact with Motte. Obviously, if you're from PSU, you might see the hit differently.

You may also disagree with what PSU's head coach Guy Gadowsky has to say about the hit.

Penn State head coach Guy Gadowsky addressed the suspension during his weekly media interviews but noted that while the suspension was the correct application of the rules that the severity of the hit was unintentional.(Ben Jones, State College)

I am not sure how you can say that the severity of the hit was unintentional. This is the end of a game when the score is out of reach. You have a player taking a run at a star player, maybe to send a message. I think I can see the intent.  Right call or not? Should the suspension be longer?

Should Penn State suffer NCAA Sanctions because of Jerry Sandusky

While perusing the blog-sphere today I noticed my buddy from TYT was able to make a blog post without insulting a whole University of North Dakota fan base. Bravo… This isn’t really hockey related but it’s a topic that is worth discussing. Just for the record – I hold no ill feeling to the TYT blog's owner. All in good fun...

Tim Tolley , Victory Bell Rings --- What Jerry Sandusky has been accused of is much, much worse. Legally. He is facing over 50 charges and some 500 years of jail time. Nothing he is accused of will result in NCAA violations. At least, it shouldn’t. Nothing Sandusky did, however terrible the offenses are, affected the on-field product. No cheating or tampering of any kind is involved.

But what if he did it on Penn State property? That’s awful and disgusting. Is it an NCAA violation? If so, who is responsible for it? It’s not the football team. I repeat. It’s not the football team. The athletic director granted Sandusky entry to the facilities. Will the NCAA bring penalties on the entire athletic department because an ex-coach was allowed on campus? Doubtful. Regardless of what he was doing there.

What if the AD (Curley), Police Chief (Shultz) and the President (Spanier) knew about Sandusky’s crimes and even covered it up, as it appears may be the case? Now we might have something. I was asked last week by a hopeful Ohio State fan: “Isn’t that the definition of lack of institutional control?” Probably not, because they didn’t have THIS situation in mind when they wrote the rule, I assure you. Still, a cover-up from administrators is a big deal. Legally. I’m not sure that the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) has any real jurisdiction in the matter. It’s not a cover up of players breaking rules or skipping class or doing drugs. I’m not positive it’s athletically related.

Of course, the NCAA has proved to be difficult to predict with their rulings, but I’m not sure where they’d begin. There are sure to be charges doled out, following the Sandusky verdict. Curley and Shultz have already been charged and Spanier may face some of charges of his own. Is that something that the National Collegiate Athletic Association can/will concern themselves with?

First off, I think that Jerry Sandusky is a disgusting and vile P.O.S. and should rot in hell to what he has done to the victims – most of the victims of Sandusky will suffer the effects of their abuse for the rest of their lives. That being said, can the NCAA hold a whole university culpable for the sins of one of their football coaches? If PSU was given the death penalty would that be just? Or heavy handed?

Chime in with what you think?

EDIT: Just for the record I am all for the PSU Football team being put on NCAA sanctions – there needs to be some kind of a punishment for PSU – what the penalty is will be up to the NCAA to decide.

We Are - Penn State Hockey! Edit Why I am not impressed...

Yawn! If the hockey pundits think that Penn State University is just going to march into college hockey and start winning titles I think they are delusional. Minnesota is an established hockey program and they are having a hell of a time right now in the WCHA, they will be lucky if they get home ice and make the Final Five, they probably are going to miss the NCAA tourney again. Last time I checked Minnesota has all the advantages of a premiere hockey program. Big Ten School Michigan State is floundering this season and sitting in the bottom of the CCHA standings in 10th place. If some think they can just throw money at a big name coach and expect a winning program they are misinformed. I would be surprised if Barry Melrose would know where Penn State is located.

Edit: Some apparently have mistaken satire for hate. Forgive me if I am not colored impressed with the big announcement about PSU going division I in college hockey. While I don’t begrudge PSU wanting to add hockey more the merrier, I am sick and tired of this fawning over PSU the college hockey media and pundits the schools big announcement. They fawn over a school that isn’t division I yet but could give a "EF" about an established school looking for a conference so their program won't fold, they can't hang on forever as an independent.

Going forward, the WCHA is set up and will survive even without the Big Ten Schools Wisconsin and Minnesota. That theory was proven already with Minnesota missing the Final Five all together last season, however, the Big Ten Hockey Conference could have a very catastrophic affect on the not so stable CCHA who some schools are hanging on by a thread, cue BGSU. I am looking at the big picture for the rest of college hockey not just 6 schools that perceive themselves as being elite. Or I should say their athletic directors perceive their schools as being elite. Most of these teams aren’t even a power in BCS football anymore, except maybe OSU which has had trouble getting anyone to show up for their hockey games, even when they make the NCAA tourney.

Why am I not impressed; what pissed me off is how the CCHA wanted nothing to do with UAH a season ago and basically told them to go take a flying ____, however when PSU made their big announcement that they were going Division I in hockey, the commissioner of the CCHA Tom Anastos was all but falling all over himself all of a sudden to extend an invitation to PSU to join the CCHA. Why because he knows what is head for his conference minus MSU and Michigan.

I also think it’s funny that a conference commissioner would sacrifice an established school like UAH to invite a program that has no history other than being an ACHA club hockey school. Yeah that rubs me the wrong way and yeah I can see come college hockey fans might not be that happy. Does that make me a hater, absolutely not!