PHOTO: Brendan Shanahan Takes Picture With Critic
It is a good thing that Brendan Shanahan has a good sense of humor. The man in charge of discipline for the NHL has been under fire all throughout the playoffs for his suspension decisions. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to them and it has led to a lot of angry fans.
This New York Rangers fan falls into the angry category. His sign lets everyone know how he feels about Shanahan. Heck, even Shanahan saw it and in a strange moment, he went for the photo op. Not a bad choice though, because I think most people will love this. He knows he has critics, but he does not back down or let it bother him. Humoring the guy with the sign is a great move.
I doubt that any other figure would do that. Most people in charge of sports are way too uptight. They fail to see the humor in almost anything. Shanahan is breaking that mold. His job is not easy and you can not please everyone. The least you can do is shrug off criticism and keep doing your job. If it gives you a chance to pose for a photo with a sign saying you suck, that is even better.
We will see how Shanahan handles discipline in the later rounds. It is going to be chippy. Fans will not be happy, but you have to do your job. I think Shanahan will be just fine, especially with his type of humor.