Login

*CptSquall* · 05-04-2020, 03:59 PM

1165 words of Double Media Week 1 my grader friends, research if you want.

In the spirit of remembering past legends I wanted to highlight the history of at least one award. The Turd Ferguson Trophy is awarded to the player who racks up the most time in the sin bin in each given season. It is named for the first player to win it more than once.

Turd Ferguson won the award first in S4 with 182 minutes in JUST 39 games with the Manhattan Rage. Adjusted to a 50 game season that's a pace for 233 good for 5th Highest all time. Winning it next season with 234 in 44 games. you know the math that is coming. That's a pace for 265 good for the record, especially considering Seth Plaut, an Edmonton Comet at the time holds the record with 261 in 60 games in S6. Good for only 216 when adjusted to a 50 game season. Some legendary stuff here considering the fact that he is arguably the most prolific member of the 200 Club.

From S7 - S23 had a variety of 1 time winners, with the odd multi win man. These few were true heavy weights like Hamilton Steelhawk Mike Ochocinco who won in both S7 and again in S15 as a member of the Edmonton Blizzard along with the Challenge Cup. One of 7 legends of the 200 Club he collected an impressive 685 PIMs in his first 198 games (*According to my best research on the Bojo Box.*)

Darian Scherbluk, another heavy weight from the Hamilton Steelhawks would win it in S10, beating out former team mate turned rival Ochocinco by 6 minutes. He would win it again in S17 with 150 as a member of the Toronto North Stars, a first for the franchise. A major heavy weight for sure, but not a member of the 200 Club.

John Grossmann would inherit Ferguson's belt for Manhattan in S11 before winning it in S16 with the West Kendal Platoon in a couple of blips of an otherwise quiet career.

Logan Valentine would become the first back to back winner in S20 with the Calgary Dragons, and then S21 with the West Kendal Platoon in a late career addition.

Then in S23 we had Kaspars Tsizling, This was, up to that point a first for the New England Wolfpack and a solid win. 174 PIMs and a good win over rival Bojo Biscuit who had won in S22 his 3rd season in the league. Then the Lethal Latvian won it again in S24, setting a record in the short 52 game era with 192. He'd do it again with only 133, this time with the Manhattan Rage, a team with a reputation for these kind of players. He'd grab another in S28 with Texas but it was a 108 PIM run, one of the lowest wins I have found and shortly before his retirement too.

While S25 was the start of the current era in SHL recorded history (though some would argue that the FHM era should stand alone), S26 would give us a legendary performance that stands as 2nd in the leagues history to this day. Bojo Biscuit's 176 PIMs would stand high and loud for nearly a decade.

Which brings us to another player who is debatably a legend and the only other player aside from Kaspars Tsizling, who I have heard in conversations about being better namesakes for the trophy. He wouldn't make his first splash until S32, but Danny Foster was a Legend with 7 Trophy wins. Lets list them out:
S32, Hamilton Steelhawks, Rookie Season, 134 PIMs
S33, Hamilton Steelhawks, Sophomore Season, 122 PIMs
S35, Hamilton Steelhawks/Los Angeles, Panthers, 4th Season, 193 PIMs, *The current era/ Realism era all time leader.
S36, Los Angeles Panthers, 5th Season, 121 PIMs, 2 time back to back winner.
S37, Los Angeles Panthers, 6th Season, 155 PIMs, First 3 peat winner since Tsizling, also 3rd in era number.
S38, Los Angeles Panthers, 7th Season, 128 PIMs, ONLY 4 peat winner
S40, Los Angeles Panthers, 9th Season, 105 PIMs, This one seems odd, not gonna lie.

Now this man is special and so is this award. Whilst only two players broke up his legendary run, those being Mia Landvik in S34 with 124 PIMs, and John Grossman Jr. with 123 in S39 in a rather unremarkable career and again in S46 with the Renes after 5 seasons not playing.

Who would take the mantle from this Mike Tyson of Turd Ferguson winners in Danny Foster? What sort of career would they have?
This player, regardless of their career, would have the distinction in some circles as a potential successor. He or She would be watched and weighed against Foster. Would they win more? Would Foster come back to win again after them like before? From this media piece and dive through history this would be a landmark moment.

For me it is a little more personal, Drafted 8th overall by the Toronto North Stars, MY player Richard Physt would come up as a rookie for the struggling franchise in S41, winning the only thing he ever had in his SHL career with 120 PIMS and recalling the long ago North Stars tough guys like Darian Scherbluk. So what of him? Never broke 100 PIMs again nor won this award.

Of course history does not end with him. But with every era of greatness there is a lull. Most of the winners from S41-S46 would be one offs, Grossman Jr. being in a similar boat as he had played in S40, S41, and then S46 before retiring.

S47 would see Tor Tuck become the first Edmonton Blizzard winner since S15 with 117, he'd win again in S49 with only 89 in one of the lowest PIMs season I can remember.

Poopity Scoop would be another 2 time winner in both S48 with 101 with the Manhattan Rage, and S50 with 109 for the Buffalo Stampeed.

Oliver Cleary became the first back to back winner since Foster with 130 PIMs in S51 and a low 89 in S52, both with the Los Angeles Panthers. This mad man seems to be Foster's direct successor considering the LAP connection and the back to back wins.

This brings us to now, the move to Franchise Hockey Manager would bring all sorts of changes. Everyone waited on baited breath to see scoring winners, teams fortunes and how they'd shake out. Those of us with an appreciation for these Frozen Heavy Weights, we waited to see who would win the first Turd Ferguson of this new era.

That man is Shaquille Derisraka of the lowly Toronto North Stars with 178 PIMs. Will this be the start of a new record?
Will we crown him the record holder of the FHM era? Or will he simply be 2nd overall behind Foster in the Realism era?

Slappydoodle · 05-04-2020, 05:26 PM

Outstanding work here. Would have loved to see my boys Big Manius and Zalleras Zlercheck thrown in there, but you can’t have everything

Dick Physt was a proud and worthy goon in his own right

Cheers

solas · 05-04-2020, 05:54 PM

I'm glad to see the most important trophy of them all getting more recognition.

**leafsftw1967** · 05-04-2020, 06:57 PM

Great article! I think my favourite aspect of my old player Scherbluk was that he could be a goon racking up a couple Turd Ferguson awards with a ton of hits, fights and PIMS and could also be one of the top scoring defensemen and win a bunch of Stevens trophies throughout his career as the top defenseman in a given season

***bluesfan55*** · 05-04-2020, 07:25 PM

i think people forget how good landvik was
not only a great physical presence but just a great player overall, great scorer and from what i've heard a great leader

Navigation

Extra Menu

About us