Why should I care about this guy? Well, he managed to achieve the ULTIMATE Penalty: A LIFETIME ban. Why? He sucker punched a linesman. Watch the video below. I mean, the linesman wasn't even in the middle of a scrum. It's just the linesman and Cook! I'd be a bit more sympathetic if the linesman jumped into the middle of a fight and blocked a fist with his face but oh my GOD! It was a straight up Uppercut right to the mouth/nose. I'm surprised he didn't lose any teeth and it appears as though he's not bleeding (but there's no way to tell either).
I felt compelled to bring this up because I'm one of the most outspoken critics of officials out there and I want to say the following: I'd love to say that I'd love to do the same thing but that's not right. Refs may at times be awful, inconsistent, and seemingly biased, but they are NOT punching bags. You want to punch a ref? Punch him in the pocket book by registering a complaint with the league and get him suspended without pay or worse.
What Cook did was WRONG and he knew it. Here is the news article.
Here's the Video (it happens near the bench. The scrum nearest the camera is the wrap up of a different scrum):
With fighting on the ropes being pushed out of the game, I think instances like this will only make things worse. I hope he's done with hockey in any league anywhere (the ban is only for CIS hockey for which he apparently voided himself 4 years of eligibility). The last time a guy couldn't skate, couldn't defend, and couldn't do anything other than fight, he made the NHL. His name? John Scott (there was another but I do not speak ill of the dead).
In the end, Brett Cook will be remembered. And his reputation will be sullied for it. I hope he's proud.
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