My husband wrote his first letter to the editor this week. When the newspaper came out, he got up early to read it.

People who write for newspapers underestimate the thrill of publication a non-writer feels when his or her letter is published. I realized that quickly during my term as editor of The Daily News. The Opinion page is exceptionally important because it's where the average Joe or Jane gets to express his or her opinion.

His letter was not about the recent Blazers/Daily News controversy. It was a reaction to a previous letter by a writer - and Blazers fan - who blasted Gregg Drinnan for a recent column that he felt was too negative.

My husband, shockingly, decided on his own to take the writer to task because as a Blazers fan himself he agreed with Drinnan's conclusions about what was going wrong with the team.

Thursday morning, CHNL sports man Rick Wile lumped that letter into what he called a campaign by The Daily News against the Blazers. My husband was outraged. I thought it was funny.

I am simply not a hockey person. My stepson played and my son played. Unfortunately, they were both goalies, which probably helped build my total aversion to the game.

When I first started going to games, other parents told me that within a season I would become a hockey mom. It never happened. The games were always a trial. I felt bad if we lost. I felt bad if we won. (The opposing players looked so disappointed.)

I never really learned the definition of offside or came to understand why players should take the man out and not the puck. Why is it necessary for players to smash into each other? With every hit, my body tensed a little more. When they fought and their helmets came off, I was certain their brains would be bashed out on the ice.

The point being, I couldn't have helped my husband write his letter if I had wanted to. I rarely go to Blazers games and when I do it's to see who else is there. I don't think I've ever actually witnessed a goal. That puck moves so fast.

For the record, I didn't want him to write the letter, knowing full well what the response would be from people like Rick Wile. But even husbands are allowed their own opinion from time to time.

Nonetheless, if it's preferable for Blazers management and their families, along with Wile - who, by the way, basically stands alone in the media world with his support of the Blazers' decision to try to kill the messenger - to categorize my husband's letter as part of a Daily News campaign, so be it.

I was, however, taken aback by Craig Bonner's letter criticizing Drinnan.

In September 2009, I heard about a young man with Huntington's disease who wanted to meet some Vancouver Canucks. I told Drinnan about it. He said, "I can't get you the Canucks, but Craig Bonner is really big on this kind of thing for his players, I'll get you some Blazers."

He emailed Bonner and before the day was out, Bonner had arranged for four players - Blazers captain Tyler Shattock and assistant captains C.J. Stretch, Shayne Wiebe and Zak Stebner - to go over to Overlander hospital and spend time with the young man.

Those players were terrific. It couldn't have been easy for them but they showed no discomfort, nor were they in a rush to leave.

Photos were taken, the story was written and big, bad Gregg Drinnan ran it as the main feature on the Sports front. Later, the Blazers traded three of those exceptional young men. I was disappointed, but didn't comment due to my lack of knowledge about hockey and why players get traded.

Over the years, it was Drinnan who would say to me, "the Blazers are giving out teddy bears at the hospital. That would make a good front page photo." Or, "how about sending a photog out to this school or that one because the Blazers are playing floor hockey with the students."

Most recently, Jordan DePape made a bad hit on Killian Hutt of the Swift Current Broncos. Drinnan gave DePape several paragraphs to express his apologies and dismay for the hit that he said was an accident. That story likely went a long way toward easing the way for DePape because no one likes a player who deliberately hurts another one. Drinnan's story made it clear there was no malice in the play.

It was Drinnan, a dad and grandpa himself, who a few years ago told me WHL players should have a good break at Christmas because they are just boys who need a rest.

So when people like Mark Recchi say that Drinnan attacks the young players who Blazers management are trying to mold into fine young men, I say show me the proof in print.

I may not watch hockey but I read newspaper copy and the only attacks against individual players come from Blazers management and personnel, not from Drinnan.

Recchi and co-owner Shane Doan are either being fed misinformation and not doing their own research or they are simply trying to hide behind their players in this debacle - both are unacceptable.

It's as unacceptable as relegating my poor husband to puppet status for his first letter to the editor. That's just mean.

Susan Duncan is city editor of The Daily News. Her column appears Fridays. Email her at sduncan@kamloopsnews.ca.