Tom Sestito: “Hobo on skates”

By now, you know that Keith Olbermann doesn’t like goons. But if you’ve missed it…have a look-see.

Sigh.

Some comments after the jump.

OK, for clarity’s sake – I also don’t think much of fighting in hockey. But I’m not here to revisit the ban fighting debate. I’m here to talk about Olbermann’s cherry picking of Sestito’s actions. To be blunt, I expect more of you, Mr. Olbermann.

You’ve been a leading opinionated-socially-conscious-sports-journo for a long time. I’ve always appreciated your willingness to voice your opinion on matters beyond the rah-rah arena, be they sporting or political. People who follow me on Twitter know I’ve got a similar bent, so this probably isn’t surprising.

But what I’m not a fan of is taking a lazy, simplistic pot shot. On Tom Sestito’s status as an NHLer, Olbermann’s mostly right. The big New Yorker is there for one main reason – his fists. Of course, we’ve seen the story get more interesting this year, as the team has given the big guy an opportunity to be more than a one-dimensional pugilist. For most of his career -again, as Olbermann correctly noted – Sestito hasn’t been up to much scoring. Now, there’s been a touch of it. (And of course, go further back, we find out that he scored 42 goals his final year in the OHL.)

But that is somewhat beside the point. Olbermann’s commentary is stunted. He talks about the act, which was pretty hilarious. Jordan Nolan, as we know, was an unwilling combatant. Whether he should have been willing is a different argument.

But what Olbermann really should be talking about is not really Sestito – he should be talking about the culture of the NHL, a culture which still tolerates lesser players taking runs at star players. Jordan Nolan tried to take out Henrik Sedin. Dale Weise actually took out both Drew Doughty and Jonathan Quick.

If Keith Olbermann wants to rage about stupid acts in hockey – maybe he should be talking about that. What Sestito did was merely a symptom of stupidity, not the cause.

Sir, you’re better than that.

EDITOR’S NOTE: .. and then there’s this, as he got into a little verbal spat with Sestito’s 13-year old sister on the Twitter.