From: farenebt@craft.camp.clarkson.edu (Big Bri)
Subject: Re: NCAA officiating
Organization: Clarkson University
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 17 Apr 1992 13:59:54 GMT

alex@noao.edu (Alex Macdonald) writes:

>In article <1992Apr16.141202@beanpot.ma30.bull.com> mikem@beanpot.ma30.bull.com (Mike Machnik) writes:
>>That is the way it is when it comes to the NC$$ tourney-the games have a
>>higher visibility than the regular season, and there is no way they are going
>>to tolerate some of the garbage that takes place at those times.

>The only *garbage* that took place was the officiating. The regular
>season was filled with wonderful hockey, including a great series
>between Wisconsin and Minnesota in February in Madison. Why change
>officiating styles for the championship games? Because the idiots
>in marketing decide: "we'll show the rest of the country a *nice* brand
>of hockey". Again the game is taken from the players and the fans and
>put in the hands of people trying to tailor the game to *their* needs.
>Why not just showcase the event and let the players and officials do 
>the things they have been doing all during the regular season.

Uh, NO ONE CHANGED ANY OFFICIATING STYLE. MacConaghy called a tight game
in the two ECAC games I saw him do. For the five-hundred and twenty second
time, LSSU adjusted their style to the official and Wisconsin didn't. That's
why LSSU won. A CHAMPIONSHIP team should be able to make adjustments. LSSU
had 11 power plays, UW had 8...no huge advantage for the Lakers.

>>I can understand their feelings.  I cannot in any way possible accept their
>>actions.  College hockey cannot allow such a blatant disregard for the
>>authority and sanctity of its officials to go unpunished.  NC$$ tournament
>>and hockey rules state clearly, and teams are informed of this, that abuse
>>of officials will not be tolerated.  If a team loses control such that it
>>violates these regulations, the answer is not to let it go because, well,
>>they might have had a good reason.  You have to conduct yourself at the highest
>>level at all times.  The answer is to levy a significant enough punishment
>>so that future teams/players will think twice before doing the same.

>Oh puhlease! Your use of phrases like "blatant disregard", "authority",
>"sanctity", "not be tolerated", and "conduct yourself at the highest
>levels at all times" is exactly the type of police mentality bullshit
>that these NCAA holier than thou morons are doling out. 

God forbid it if a loser should act with (gasp!) class. Whatever happened to
the concept of a good-loser. Officiating was also questionable in the Northern
Michigan-UMichigan and Maine-Michigan St quarterfinal games but there was no
dirty shit on the part of the classier losers, Maine and NMU.


>Hockey is a
>game, a tough game where you're held accountable for your actions by
>your fellow players. 

Perhaps. Shouldn't one be accountable for actions against the officials?
			
>Do something cheap and prepare to pay, maybe not
>this period or this game but count on a measure of repayment. The
>players with guts and honor know who they are and they respect each
>other. In short, players have seen alot of hockey and know the game,
>what they need is someone to call offsides and icing, they can police
>themselves. 

I'll bet. Like I said, I don't want college hockey to turn into a brawl-a
minute farce like the NHL used to be. Remember, these guys are also students
(many of them, anyways).

>The ref called a piss-poor game and the Wisconsin players
>held him accountable. A few nasty words, a brandished stick maybe even
>a punch-a player takes all this and more during the course of a long
>season. But accounts are balanced and its all forgotten next season.
>But don't touch that ref! Don't call him a name! We'll legislate your
>team right out of town. The hypocrisy is stunning and par for the
>course for the refs and "suits" who want the lead role in every play.
>Flames welcome.

Sure, let's turn college hockey into the pre-1980's NHL with a brawl a
period and the officials needing body armor just to get to the locker
room. How wonderful. That is certainly the way to encourage good officials
to try the college game. Call him a name, perhaps. Swing a stick at him,
no way!
											
Try swinging a stick or throwing a punch at a policeman and see what happens...
the ref is hockey's equivalent of a policeman (or policewoman, if you prefer). 
The UW players have every right to say he called a lousy game. That's their 
opinion. Saying is one thing, brandishing sticks is another. You can't 
brandish a stick against a player, so why should you be able to do so against 	
an official?

The ref MAY have called a poor game in some people's opinions. It is illegal
to swing a stick at a player who can fight back, why should it be legal to do
so against an official, who can't fight back?

--------------------------------------------------------------------
BRI FARENELL			"It's a great day for hockey" 
CLARKSON '95			   --Bob Johnson 1931-1991 
FARENEBT@CRAFT.CAMP.CLARKSON.EDU

GO ADIRONDACK RED WINGS! 	CALDER CUP CHAMPS: 1981 1986 1989