I will not be writing about Operation Slapshot, except to say "I will not be writing about Operation Slapshot"

Earlier today, I wanted to write a tiny little piece about Janet Jones' implication in the gambling ring. I wanted to include a sleazy photo of her, from when she was on the cover of Playboy with a pipe in her mouth. It would have been a brief, tongue-in-cheek post about her. However, I realized I didn't care enough, even about that.

I want to encourage everyone to read Jes Gölbez' excellent post on why he doesn't give a shit about Tocchet. And I will silently echo his sentiments.

I'll be brief about my thoughts on this, and then I'll write nothing more of it.

I think Wayne Gretzky is involved. There's no way he's not involved. Tocchet is already on "indefinite leave" and will surely be removed from his post. When the dust settles, and The Great One comes forward saying that he had to hide assets and/or launder huge sums of money, he will probably step down.

It's a shame, and some people will be disappointed. Is this going to be a "black eye"? Is this going to be "irreparable damage ... to what little image the NHL has left"? No. Absolutely not. This "scandal" isn't about hockey at all. Even if it was, I would point to the 1919 Chicago White Sox and also to Pete Rose. Both were involved in gambling scandals involving not only their own sport, but their own TEAM. Baseball wasn't injured by either of these. Our lot has already shown that it'll take more than a couple of "black eyes" or an entire season lost to a labor dispute to get us to walk away from the sport we love. I don't think this gambling thing will send any fans packing. The people who already hate hockey will still hate it. So what?

I am curious, though, as to why Gretzky was using his wife to launder a half million dollars.

That's all I'm going to say about that. Let the normal hockey blogging resume.