Badass of the Game (BOTG) – Vernon Fiddler

The first periodic (insert interval here when determined or maybe just do it once) Nebulous Verbosity Badass of the Game award goes to Phoenix Coyotes center Vernon Fiddler for his outstanding performance and exemplary badassishness in last night’s (01/06/2011) victory over the Colorado Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in Denver. He even got props from Coach Tip today after practice for exactly the same thing, Coach said it was maybe the best game he saw Fiddler play as a Coyote.

First of all, Fids is just generally BA. He wasn’t drafted and had to claw his way into the NHL. He’s far from being the biggest guy on the ice, but he will hit anything that moves and, what’s better, he hits the people that really deserve it. He doesn’t do an immediate Cindy look over to the zebras when he gets hit or cheap shotted, he just adds it to his list of things to finish up before the game is over (or maybe next time he plays the guy). He will do the same for his teammates, I’ve never seen him back down from anybody. 38 is a gangstah through and through.

As a center, Fiddler does everything he’s supposed to and does it every single minute of every game. He jumps into the corners, forechecks relentlessly, blocks shots, puts shots on goal, all the stuff that a hockey player is supposed to do. He doesn’t take stupid penalties and doesn’t mishandle the puck. He wins more than his share of faceoffs. Will he ever bank a ton of goals? Probably not, although we DO have a Fiddler hat trick already this year.

That’s why he shares an “A” with Keith Yandle. Once Jovo moves back to Florida next year, those two guys won’t have to share anymore.

Yeah, well, none of that is news to any Coyotes fans, we love the guy. We even think it might be cool to sleepwalk, just because Fids does it (according to roomie Yandle). So why does 38 get the BOTG?

I deleted the recording of last night’s game, so I can’t check the sequence of events. It only matters a little, anyway. Some time during the game, Fids blammed into the boards, it was a bit away from the play so the video wasn’t too dramatic, but he was down and had to skate off with a trainer. Turns out his melon shot to the boards knocked out some (already fake) teeth. Ouch. You or I would be running somewhere for some sort of ‘make it stop hurting’ juice, but I don’t think Fiddler even missed a shift. Later, he dropped down and blocked a full blast shot and dinged himself again. Yet every time he was on the ice, he was running WFO (a motorcycle term we old guys used to use) everywhere and making a difference everywhere.

Congrats, Vernon Fiddler, you are NOT a sissy like they say in Nashville, nay you are the first BOTG!