There are six basic types of conflict (5+1), defined by Wikipedia (your source for all things true) as:
Character vs. Self
Person vs.Person
Person vs. Society
Person vs. Nature
Person vs. Supernatural
and the bonus
Person vs. Machine/Technology
In the case of Joe Sakic sticking his hand in a snow blower, I think we can highlight at least two of those, particularly the last one, and Character vs. Self, because you have to be battling yourself and good sense when you STICK YOUR HAND IN A FREAKING SNOW BLOWER!!!
OK, I don’t know for a fact that he stuck his hand in the snow blower. Wait, yes I do. From the Denver Post:
Avalanche vice president Jean Martineau said the accident happened to Sakic’s left hand, and that severe tendon damage occurred to one finger. That same finger and two others were broken.
“Basically, it’s a mistake. He’s a 39-year-old adult who made a mistake,” Martineau said. “He put his hand where he should not have put it. He’s, in a way, lucky. He’ll have a full recovery.”
So, yeah, he stuck his hand in a snow blower.
He is staring down a three month recovery process, by which time his back should be healthy as well. Even though they say he will have a full recovery, where is he going to be when he comes back? I would say that full recovery might still mean a little less motion. From my experiences with breaking a few bones, I can say that I didn’t get 100% motion back.
Now, I know that I made a lot of fun of Jose Theodore when he slipped and fell on the ice in his driveway, breaking his foot. And now that Super Joe has had a not-to-dissimilar accident, I really should hold up my integrity and poke a little fun hes way as well. Well, forget it. As dumb a thing as this may have been to do, he’s in some serious pain, away from hockey for a lot longer, and has a lot to worry about, not just the team, but his family as well.
Besides, what can I say that he isn’t saying to himself?
“He’s very, very mad at himself. I’ve never seen him like that, and I’ve known him for 21 years,” Martineau said. “He knows he made a mistake.”
I bet he does.