Novak to Hill - The Elbow

Submitted by Shock G on

Any thoughts on the punishment that should be doled out to Novak for the cheap shot elbow he delivered to PJ Hill's dome with 1:27 left in last night's game?

I know I am going to get troll remarks for posting this but considering the round and round argument I had in the UV thread on the Tropp/Conboy/Kampfer powder keg incident I found this incident too much to not bring up.

Obviously the situations are VASTLY different but at the same time I didn't hear the Buckeyes chanting FYM or anything to that effect and the police blotter doesn't suggest there were any assaults last night at the Schottenstein Center. I'm not here to advocate a position that Buckeye fans are pure of heart and don't cause their fair share of issues amongst their own and opposing players and fans but it was nice to not hear any chanting towards Novak, towards the Wolverines, or really towards the incident itself. Considering the athletic department let students in for free to this game it certainly had the proper environment to become that powder keg considering the rivalry and hard fought nature that comes with any Ohio State - Michigan contest.

Clearly I am not thinking a season ending suspension is in order but seems to me that Novak ought to be sitting a while for an unprovoked attack on an unsuspecting player.

So what is it? Buckeye blog, 11W, suggests a one-game suspension .. that doesn't seem like enough to me .. I would go with 2+ games for the cheap shot. Will Beilein take the action or will it be required of Delaney to handle the punishment?

And FWIW man is Michigan going to be tough in another season or so.

Comments

Kolesar40

January 29th, 2009 at 11:11 AM ^

with you. I am as blue-blood as they get too. I think he deserves a 3 game suspension. There is no place for that crap in the game, and it was a clear sign that frustration had reached its tipping point, but that is no excuse.

What is equally bothersome is that this team came out of the gates with zero intensity, and pretty much maintained it for the whole game. I didnt think we would see a repeat of PSU, but this just as bad from an energy perspective and it was our rivals. Coach B needs to light a fire under these guys. I know they are young, but this is unacceptable. Then they dont have the mental discipline to keep their cool at tht end. Again, this falls on the coach.

Overall, I like what he is doing, and program is heading in the right direction, but this is a rough stretch here, and they seem to be regressing a bit.

chitownblue (not verified)

January 29th, 2009 at 11:13 AM ^

I'm not going to address the fan behavior point, as it's mind-numbingly stupid, but I'll say that a 2 game suspension feels about right.

Shock G

January 29th, 2009 at 11:18 AM ^

It is stupid but it was a rare ocassion in my life where I have seen the Buckeye faithful not take a potentially poor situation and make it worse.

Ever since the game with Texas 2005 I think they've calmed down a mite in Cbus ... its just good to see examples of that.

His Dudeness

January 29th, 2009 at 11:26 AM ^

I was in Grand Rapids for "The Game" two years ago when an o$u fan challenged nearly every patron in the bar we were at to a fight. He walked up to me and my girlfriend unprovoked and told us he would "beat our asses" so, I guess it depends on which one you come in contact with.

Yinka Double Dare

January 29th, 2009 at 11:47 AM ^

Deserves a suspension, probably two games, but I think more than that would be surprising. And considering that guy who intentionally stepped on Chase Budinger's face only got one, I won't be surprised if that's what Novak gets.

Total dick move though and obviously uncalled for. I get that they're frustrated. So throw something against the wall in the locker room or something, don't take a cheap shot at an opposing player, that's bush league crap.

marco dane

January 29th, 2009 at 11:53 AM ^

For some odd reason this doesn't strike me as Novak's persona to act out this way. However,from this point out...I'm curious to see how the team respond. Will they regain that kick butt mentality...we shall see.

MaizeSombrero

January 29th, 2009 at 12:38 PM ^

My experiences with Zach have all been off the court, so I can't speak for his in game demeanor, but I can tell you what I have come to know.

Zach is very reserved when you first meet him, but after about 10 minutes or so, he comes out of his shell. He's a genuinely nice guy, and very funny. He usually has a big smile on his face, and likes to make fun of people and things around him. I guess the most relevant part of all this is that he can take it just as well as he can give it out. In my interactions with him, we would make fun of each other just the same. Or everyone would just make fun of Corey Person and his sausage neck.

Magnus

January 29th, 2009 at 12:21 PM ^

disclaimer: I have not seen the elbowing incident. I'm at work and therefore can't view the video.

However, elbowing incidents happen frequently in basketball. Somebody gets annoyed or feels like they're getting muscled around and then they throw an elbow at someone. It is poor sportsmanship. It is not a good thing. An ejection and a short suspension are usually warranted.

However, elbows in basketball are not akin to hunting someone down and punching them from behind in hockey. They're akin to hitting someone in the stomach or tripping them in hockey. Or just starting a flat-out fistfight.

Like I said, I haven't seen the incident. But unless Novak climbed on top of the scorer's table and launched a flying elbow at Hill, I think anything more than a suspension of a couple games is unwarranted and overkill.

InterM

January 29th, 2009 at 12:45 PM ^

Are we going to have to play out this little game whenever any player in any sport commits anything beyond the run-of-the-mill foul? (Quick -- who's signed up to cover the volleyball games?) In no time at all, we'll be able to empirically conclude that tOSU fan > M fan. Once you've acknowledged that "the situations are VASTLY different," why not put down your pen and walk away?

Shock G

January 29th, 2009 at 1:41 PM ^

The reason I bring it up at all is the difference in crowd reaction ... has nothing to do with the assault on Kampfer other than that being the basis for the M fan reaction at Yost.

Strike that from the conversation all together if you like ... the real question of the matter is what does novak deserve? I think 2+ games due to its deliberate delivery.

It was clearly an event that Novak decided he was going to do at that time and followed through with it. It was very deliberate and easily could have ended PJ Hill's season had say it broken his nose, an occipital bone, or caused any other damage.

Elbows happen in basketball yes. Deliberate elbows to the face during a 'dead ball' period however do not.

InterM

January 29th, 2009 at 2:10 PM ^

"I know I am going to get troll remarks" -- but "I found this incident too much to not bring up"

"Obviously the situations are VASTLY different" -- but "at the same time" you feel compelled to point out that tOUSU fans didn't react like M barbarians

"Strike that from the conversation all together if you like" -- but the "reason I bring it up" (again) is to point out "the difference in crowd reaction"

Maybe "I should have left the Kampfer FYS thing out of it because they're not necessarily [sic] comparative" -- but of course you DID bring it up (and again, and again)

Next time Mr. Hyde grabs the keyboard from you, maybe you can quickly shut down your computer.

Shock G

January 30th, 2009 at 1:09 PM ^

Hindsight being 20-20 I could have handled my first diary entry a little bit better. Being a Buckeye fan and a Spartan alum its hard enough even coming on here and discussing anything. Only reason I do is having grown up in Michigan being a Buckeye. This is natural for me. I really just want to attempt to get in a dig against our rival and ask a pertinent question.

Novak suspension came out today. It is what it is. I disagree with a one-game suspension but considering precedent its to be expected.

Also, an article in the Freep today containing an interview with Tropp. IMO he seems a bit disingenuous.

ColoradoBlue

January 29th, 2009 at 1:35 PM ^

Had Hall been laying face-down and motionless for 5 minutes after a double team smackdown, I promise the bucknuts would have come up with something along those lines.

How much perspective does one need to lack to see these incidents in the same light?

Shock G

January 29th, 2009 at 1:43 PM ^

Perhaps.

But again, I should have left the Kampfer FYS thing out of it because they're not necessarily comparative.

To the relevancy of the question a deliberate elbow to the face of an opposing player during a 'dead ball' period justifies what type of suspension?

chitownblue (not verified)

January 29th, 2009 at 2:10 PM ^

Look, the answer to your question is this:

Yost is a loud, nasty, profane place on the best of days (I don't really mean this as an insult). When the crowd gets fired up about something, I'd expect the reaction to be proportionately worse.

And even so, they said "Fuck you State". If I had a dime every time I heard the "Bullshit" chant after a bad call, etc., etc., et. I'd have billions of dollars. If your opinion is that the use of the word "Fuck" is the determining factor in the "class" of the venue, you win. But fucking stop making us have the fucking conver-fucking-sation.

InterM

January 29th, 2009 at 2:20 PM ^

The equation can be solved in three simple steps:

(1)5 = Minutes Kampfer remained motionless on the ice

(2) 10+ = Games of suspension handed out to 2 MSU players by their own coach

(3) .0000001 = Increased vulgarity of FYS over M student chants heard dozens of times per game at Yost

QED.

desmondcharles

January 29th, 2009 at 9:25 PM ^

for stepping on another players face the ejection should be punishment enough in my book. That player had been tugging and bumping ZN all game and I think frustration got the best of him. He's not a dirty player by a long shot so no further punishment needed.