Stoughton Behaves Outrageously (irony alert)

He engaged in some physical expression of his annoyance with himself in a match where his sinking prospects sunk faster largely because he gave up a score of four in the end.

And for this is fined $1000!

Now I can see fining someone for what is truly unsportsmanlike behaviour, like insulting your opponent, but

Stoughton added that he had commended Grattan for his shotmaking that earned his team four points.

Now he did try to provoke the official who came out on to the ice

Stoughton, a former world and national champion, was admonished by an official.

''He came out, `Don't do it again' so I did it right in front of him just to piss him off,'' Stoughton said with a laugh. ''He said ''there's a lot of people here watching, maybe you shouldn't do that' and I said `they love it. I don't think they're complaining.'

I confess I side with Stoughton here. And I am by no means alone.

Ontario skip Glenn Howard said the fine was unwarranted.

''I totally disagree with that,'' Howard said. ''We're just a bunch of guys out having fun. We're not making a living at this game. We're trying to put on a show for everybody. If he wants to vent a little bit, I don't see a problem with that.

Howard makes a great point. If the CCA had managed to turn this into a serious tournament with serious money at stake it would make sense to enforce some rules with stiff fines. But the CCA have done no such thing.