A Cloud Lingers Over Nagano Games

Surprise! No one involved in the vandalism at the Olympic athletes’ village Feb. 19 has confessed since USA Hockey and the U.S. Olympic Committee sent letters to all 23 members of the men’s hockey team, appealing to their consciences.

Officials of the NHL and USA Hockey say they have a good idea who the culprits are but can’t act without solid proof or a confession.

And one player--Mighty Duck goaltender Guy Hebert--believes maybe the stonewalling should end.

Hebert said he never got an account of the damage done after the team’s quarterfinal loss to the Czech Republic. And he was surprised to read in the letter--which included critical messages sent by fans and TV viewers to USA Hockey--what players were accused of doing, because all he saw were pieces of broken chairs and squirts of fire-extinguisher foam that could easily have been swept up.

His first reaction was to call the letter “entertaining,” and to think it would make the vandals less likely to admit they caused $3,000 worth of damage to three rooms. However, after learning the spree had gone beyond breaking chairs and had disturbed speedskaters whose Olympic dreams were still alive, Hebert took on a conciliatory tone. Reconsidering the letter, he said, “It’ll be a real gut check. Maybe it is time to set everything straight and put this to rest for sure. . . .

“The thing I feel bad about is the Japanese people were so good to us and gracious and classy. They may feel they did something wrong. Maybe USA Hockey and the USOC together should make a formal apology.”

That apology had already been made. Now it’s time for those responsible to come forward.

It would have been neater and less reprehensible if, a day or two after they had returned home, they had asked USA Hockey to put out a statement saying they were sorry, they hadn’t realized the impact of their actions and they didn’t intend to taint the reputations of innocent teammates. Enclosing a check for $3,000 payable to the Japanese Hockey Federation might have closed the chapter on this moment of stupidity.

Too late. As long as the case is open, it will overshadow the many fine things that occurred at Nagano. And it will remain open because it’s a matter of principle and because all three organizations have a stake in solving it.

For the NHL, Nagano was to be a steppingstone to favorable global exposure. Instead of lauding Dominik Hasek’s splendid goaltending or the artistry of Pavel Bure and Teemu Selanne, people are talking about the misdeeds of the U.S. team. It’s a huge blot the NHL would love to erase.

The USOC never wanted NHL players at Nagano, preferring to preserve the Games for college kids. The misdeeds prove the USOC’s argument the Games meant little to the rich, spoiled professionals who sullied the name of the U.S.

USA Hockey, pushed into the background of what used to be its showcase event, will use the incident to argue that it should regain control of the Olympic program because the NHL couldn’t curb its own players.

This isn’t about chairs. It’s about respecting teammates--what if Mike Richter had been harmed by the fire extinguisher chemicals sprayed on him?--compatriots and everyone who believes representing your country is a privilege, not an annoyance. A few have spoiled it for many. Shame on the guilty. Shame on those who shield them.

OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE?

The NHL cracked down on obstruction, a lot of penalties were called for a week and games dragged. But guess what: The number of penalties has already declined.

The game wasn’t being destroyed by frequent stoppages that were the result of the new directive. It was being destroyed by the holding and mauling that preceded the crackdown, and hooray for the NHL for curbing the thuggery.

In the first nine days after the Olympic break, teams averaged 12.7 power plays a game. Over the next three, they averaged 10.88 advantages a game, for an overall average of 12.31.

“Players are adjusting and you have to give them credit,” said Bryan Lewis, the NHL’s director of officiating. “We’ve asked our guys what players are saying and they say it’s, ‘Keep it up. I’m allowed to skate.’ . . . This is something players have asked for and fans have asked for.”

The key is consistency among officials. In two games last week, Mick MeGeough was intrusive and exceeded the letter of the law, prolonging games to the three-hour mark. But Richard Trottier and Kerry Fraser established their authority, set limits early and the games flowed.

The NHL’s greatest resource is the players’ exceptional skills. By letting skill players play, lesser players might be inspired to elevate their games. Why let journeymen drag elite players down, which is what happens when hooking, holding and interference are ignored?

As for King Coach Larry Robinson’s claim that the edict was meant to appease 60-goal scorers and “six or seven all-stars,” it’s worth wondering what he would say if his team had a 60-goal scorer who was constantly mauled by unskilled opponents who owe their jobs to expansion. Robinson was a superb defenseman, but few current players are his equal. They can’t keep up, so they impede. They outnumber skill players and will prevail unless they’re stopped.

WHAT WAS HE THINKING?

The NHL’s hottest trend is masquerading as a rich businessman who wants to buy a club.

John Spano tried it with the Dallas Stars and New York Islanders and was unmasked. Now comes Michael Largue, who claimed to represent Lester Mittendorf, a Swiss banker who would save the Edmonton Oilers from being moved to Houston.

Among claims made by Largue--who had inquired about buying the Hartford Whalers, Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning--was one that he had graduated from Northeastern University and played hockey there. He also said he owned the Bern team in the Swiss League. It was mere coincidence that when asked to contact his would-be backer, he didn’t have Mittendorf’s phone number with him.

Yup, and he has ocean-front land in Arizona for sale, cheap.

Not only was Largue convicted of fraud last year, there are no records of his hockey experience or of Mittendorf’s existence. If it was a joke, it’s not funny to folks in Edmonton. They’re still trying to raise $35 million to fend off an offer from Houston businessman Les Alexander, but they will need more capital if they want to keep stars such as Curtis Joseph and Doug Weight.

SLAP SHOTS

Flyer General Manager Bob Clarke messed up, so coach Wayne Cashman paid by being demoted in favor of Roger Neilson. Clarke chafed at the Flyers’ struggles against elite teams and blamed their 4-7 slump on what he said was Cashman’s poor communication. But Clarke himself is to blame for coddling a characterless team and backing Ron Hextall and Garth Snow after other players had lost faith in them. Clarke dealt Snow last week for Sean Burke, who can be a walk-away free agent on July 1 and has back problems, which flared up in his Flyer debut. Clarke is revered in Philadelphia, but it’s time to separate Clarke the warrior-player from Clarke the questionable judge of talent. Cashman never had a chance.

Mike Gartner was scratched from Phoenix’s lineup for five games and played Sunday only because Keith Tkachuk had a pulled groin muscle. The Coyotes want to move Gartner, but he has a no-trade clause. . . . Also available: Florida winger Ray Sheppard. The Panthers, who dumped Esa Tikkanen on Washington on Sunday, are close to conceding the season and may trade goalie John Vanbiesbrouck before they lose him to free agency.

The Carolina Panthers are in the East playoff after a 5-1 trip that ended with four consecutive victories. But March Madness is eclipsing their success back home. “Yeah, I guess that Carolina team beat some Duke team,” Coach Paul Maurice joked. “The toughest part is we’ve played two games in two months in Carolina [because of the Olympic break]. We get about 9-10,000 fans at Greensboro and 80% of them drive from Raleigh, and they’re hardy, rowdy people. When we get the new building [in 1999] it will be outstanding.”

No wonder the Tampa Bay Lightning is so awful: It signs faded veteran Stephane Richer to a three-year, $6-million deal but refuses to pay hard-working young forward Rob Zamuner $2 million. . . . Kudos to Ottawa’s Alexei Yashin for donating $1 million to Canada’s National Arts Centre. Too bad his generosity was made public the same day teammate Radek Bonk was arrested and charged with impaired driving.