Chris Chelios has created a stir by not shaking the hands of the Anaheim Ducks after the Red Wings fell Tuesday night in the Western Conference finals.
Frankly, I don’t understand the uproar. Sure, it is tradition to shake hands after a Stanley Cup playoff series, but who cares if Chelios didn’t want to get in line. Maybe he was afraid that something bad would happen.
Sometimes it is better just to head to the lockerroom.
I was covering a high school football game a few years ago that got so nasty that the referees decided to call the game early. The team that was behind was going for cheap shots on nearly every play and openly boasting about how they were going to hurt someone.
When the referees wisely ended this advertisement for bad sportsmanship, the coaches decided for some reason to line up their players for the traditional postgame handshakes. It was recipe for trouble and everyone knew it. I heard the coach of the winning team tell his players to keep their helmets on and mouthguards in for the handshake.
Sure enough, someone from the losing team took a swing at one of his opponents and a fight broke out. The police had to be called to break up the melee.
Sometimes NOT shaking hands is a good idea.