Quacked

(PHOTO: Debora Robinson/Getty Images)

If you keep up with Quacked on Twitter, you have no doubt seen that today we had a brief exchange of words with ex-Ducks defenseman Aaron Ward.  It went down as follows (with minor editing for formatting):

@ducksallday

Thanks Aaron Ward. You ungrateful bum. We almost took you on a playoff run, so you point out Getz’ magic tricks and Ryan’s “stomping.”

@aaronward_nhl

Get a grip! Analysts..analyze. Camera caught it and NHL had it but see ur logic that I got him suspended. #broughtdowncommunism2

Summarily missing the point, Aaron connects the dots for us and explains his job. He forgot to mention the context in which the Bobby Ryan incident was shown on TSN – alongside clips of far more malevolent acts involving skate blades perpetrated by repeat offenders Chris Pronger and Chris Simon. And although Ward was still in the league at the time of those incidents, neither he nor any of his fellow panelists mentioned the crusade on which TSN embarked to get Pronger suspended by providing the league with additional footage of Pronger stomping Ryan Kesler (ed. note: not going to argue the validity of that suspension, because it was fully warranted).

Moreover, Ward and the rest of TSN evidently missed Calgary Flames defenseman Mark Giordano very deliberately sticking his knee out in an attempt to injure Ryan after the Ducks had all but driven a silver stake through the heart of Calgary’s playoff chances. Not only did Giordano manage to avoid the dreaded “call to the carpet”, as it were, but TSN did not once discuss it, both then and now. A little curious, to say the least.

If not a great analyst, Ward is at least a passable comedian. The image of him at the Berlin Wall calling for the fall of communism is certainly worthy of a chuckle. On his assertion that we see a causal relationship between his analysis and Ryan’s suspension, however, we postulate that if Ward had such powers, we would prefer to use them to our advantage rather than risking his wrath by aggravating him on Twitter.

To prove that there are no hard feelings, here’s a picture of Aaron Ward not reclining in his chair on national television:

Best. Dad. Ever. (PHOTO: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

Ward may not be the number one #4 in our hearts (thanks to Cam Fowler), but we thank him for his 17-game contribution to the annals of Anaheim Ducks history. Here’s to the best-dressed guy on the TSN panel. Keep analyzing, Aaron!