Offtopic/fun » idea that the official was, like, hug

This story is part of ESPN The Magazines Oct. 31 NBA Preview Issue. Subscribe today!Montreal CanadiensOverall: 98 Title track: 50 Ownership: 83 Coaching: 117 Players: 98 Fan relations: 83 Affordability: 113 Stadium experience: 78 Bang for the buck: 93 Change from last year: -44The 24-time Stanley Cup champs enjoyed the best start in their storied history before they imploded last season -- a campaign that ended without a playoff berth for the first time since 2012. Carey Price, the NHLs top goaltender, has recovered from the knee injury that torpedoed his team in 2015-16. But all isnt well in Montreal, where coach Michel Therrien is in fans crosshairs following a blockbuster trade that sent popular defenseman P.K. Subban to Nashville for fellow blueliner Shea Weber.Whats goodA healthy Price makes the Habs a contender, the only reason a team that finished 22nd in the NHL last season has such a respectable title track. And while most pundits think the Predators won the Subban-Weber deal -- at 27, the slick-skating Subban is four years younger than his former Olympic teammate -- Webers take-no-prisoners approach will toughen a team that was too easy to play against last season. The arrival of agitator Andrew Shaw, a tough-checking center who won a Cup with Chicago in 2013, adds additional grit.Whats badDespite the massive overall drop, one thing remains constant: It still costs a small fortune to attend a game at Centre Bell (113th in affordability). Just six NHL teams have a higher average ticket price than Montreals $73.67. Still, fans might consider it a bargain just to boo Therrien. The fifth-year coachs inscrutable lineup decisions and prickly demeanor made him unpopular in the mostly French-speaking city even before laffair Subban. Now, hes Public Enemy No. 1, with the Canadiens coaching ranked dead last in the NHL. Clearly, most would rather have seen the man behind the bench moved out instead.Whats newOwner Geoff Molson was hailed as a hero two summers ago, when he overruled general manager Marc Bergevin (according to the Montreal Gazette) and inked Subban to a nine-year contract extension worth $72 million. The deal included a no-trade clause, but Molson didnt stop Bergevin from dealing the flashy defenseman days before it kicked in this July. It was an opportunity for Marc to make our team better, and I think hes done that, Molson said afterward. Well see. Meantime, Molsons standing among the faithful took a massive hit. Ownership dropped 63 spots, while Bang for the Buck, after another playoff-less season, also fell 42.Next: Boston Bruins?| Full rankingsDerek Carr Youth Jersey . 1 position. The Mustangs (6-0), who beat Queens 50-31 last weekend, earned 17 first-place votes and 287 points in voting by the Football Reporters of Canada. Western was last ranked first in the country in October 2011. Tim Brown Womens Jersey . Durant finished with 24 points and 13 rebounds, Jackson matched his career high with 23 points on 10-of-14 shooting and Lamb scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting, lifting the Thunder to a 94-88 win over San Antonio and snapping the Spurs 11-game winning streak. https://www.raiderssportsgoods.com/Womens-Jim-Plunkett-Inverted-Jersey/ . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Foster Moreau Womens Jersey . Emery skated the length of the ice and fought an unwilling Holtby during the third period of the Flyers 7-0 loss Friday night in Philadelphia. He was given 29 penalty minutes, including a game misconduct. But Emery did not face even a disciplinary hearing with NHL senior vice president of player safety Brendan Shanahan because rules 46. Ronnie Lott Youth Jersey . -- James Young couldnt wait to apply those tweaks to his jump shot, and the first one he made against UT Arlington told him it could be a good night.LOS ANGELES -- A Southern California community college football player was suspended for five years on Monday after knocking out a referee during a game, but his school said the punch was accidental and the penalty will be appealed.I knew I wasnt going to play the next game....I didnt think it would be years, Bernard Schirmer of Mount San Antonio College said after learning of the suspension.However, the 19-year-old man said in a telephone interview that he takes full responsibility for his actions and accepts whatever punishment he ultimately will receive.The commissioner of the Southern California Football Association suspended Schirmer for what was termed a Level 1 Decorum Infraction, which carries a minimum 60-month suspension.A letter from football association Commissioner Jim Sartoris to the college says an officials game report stated that Schirmer was disqualified during the third quarter of Saturday nights game in Ventura for an unsportsmanlike act -- punching a referee and knocking him out cold.The decision to suspend the player was made after viewing video of the incident and reviewing a report provided by the head referee, Sartoris said.Video streaming live from the game showed the line judge falling to the ground.I talked to him yesterday. Hes a little sore from going down so hard, but he said he had no headache or anything else, Rich Kollen, director of football operations for the Southern California Football Association, said Monday.Kollen said the man has not seen a physician. He is scheduled to officiate at anotther game Saturday.ddddddddddddSchirmer was arrested on suspicion of battery after the incident, booked at Ventura Countys jail and released on bail. The district attorneys office will decide whether to file criminal charges.The player said he has not heard anything more from police about the case.Schirmer, who stands 6-foot-6 (2 meters) and weighs 275 pounds (122 kilograms), said he was having words with a defensive end who had pushed him.I let him get the best of me, Schirmer said. I tried to approach him and my teammates were holding me back and I had no idea that the official was, like, hugging me or something.Schirmer said when he becomes frustrated or angry on the football field, he hits his helmet to refocus -- once even giving himself a mild concussion.So during Saturday nights confrontation , he struck the side of his helmet.The next thing I know, the ref was on the ground ... I honestly thought somebody else hit him, Schirmer said.The school looked at the enlarged video frame by frame and concluded that Schirmer accidentally struck the official with his forearm. The college will appeal what could be a career-ending suspension, sports information director Brian Yokoyama said.Im really sorry, Schirmer said. I didnt mean where it (the blow) went. I just tried to get myself focused, and it all went south.---This story has been corrected to show the correct spelling of Brian Yokoyamas last name. ' ' '