Image from: http://nesn.com

Welcome to Hockey in Society’s Weekly Links post. This feature highlights articles or blog entries that are related to Hockey in Society’s areas of interest and that may be of interest to the site’s readers.

Hockey Links

• Ryan Kennedy a bizarre plea for more frontier justice in the NHL. Read on for gems such as “[if] you can’t get at the perp, why not just beat the crap out of the guy nearest to you?” and “athletes often use war as a metaphor to pump themselves up for competition, so why shouldn’t they go all Sun-Tzu once in a while?” I am at a loss for words. [The Hockey News]
• Fortunately THN employs some voices of reason to counter the buffoonery of articles such as that by Kennedy. Adam Proteau reports on the NHL General Managers’ Meetings, at which Milan Lucic’s hit that concussed Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller was a topic of discussion. Proteau’s critique of the efforts by GMs to address player safety: a little less conversation, a little more action. [The Hockey News]
• Sometimes I think The Onion may be the most insightful news source out there. Lampooning tough-on-crime policies, hockey culture, and the NHL’s inability to safely police itself all in one article? Fantastic. [The Onion Sports Network; h/t to Hockey in Society reader Matt for the link]
• Are today’s NHL players meaner? Ex NHLer Edgar Laprade, who played for the New York Rangers between 1945-1955, thinks so. [Globe and Mail]
• The Vancouver Police Department issues a massive WANTED poster of 104 suspects from the June 15 riots. While the justice system works through the process of identifying and charging individuals, the court of public opinion has already condemned many people through social media. [Puck Daddy]
• The NHL adds former player Stephane Quintal to its Department of Player Safety. [Kukla’s Corner]
• A couple of discussions about risk in sport, in reaction to the tragic death of Alberta teenager Kyle Fundytus from a puck that struck his neck. The balance between risk and injury is something that this blog will discuss more in the future. [Globe and Mail and Puck Daddy]

General Sport Links

• Sepp Blatter, the President of FIFA, shocked the sports world by announcing that racism does not exist in soccer and that it can be settled by a handshake: “There is no racism [on the field], but maybe there is a word or gesture that is not correct. . . . The one affected by this should say this is a game and shake hands. [BBC Sport]
• Blatter rightly got slammed by prominent sportpeople for his shocking comments… [The Independent]
• … forcing the embattled President to issue an apology. Blatter also brushed off calls for him to resign, which have come from many quarters. [ESPN]