Feedback on: An Indefinite Suspension Without A Media Circus

Two for Elbowing: An Indefinite Suspension Without A Media Circus:


The whole in your logic is that refs are people with biases, the NHL also is home to some of the worst officiating in pro sports. There needs to be some sort of suspension/fine system in place for bad refs. IE the idiot “Peca attacked” should recieve a suspension for blowing a call that directly lead to a goal.

Well, the Columbus fan has checked in…. (if you check the IP address of the posting computer, it’s from the Columbus area. Just in case you care)

Now, if you view the incident without the Bluejacket’s colored glasses, the slew foot on Peca is at best a marginal call; not just my opinion from seeing the video on it, but listening to a number of pundits talking about it. Peca thought it was worse than it was, and over-reacted. Could it have been called? Yes. Should it? Maybe.

By the way, there IS a system in place of reprimands, fines and suspensions for officials. What isn’t in place (and I’ve had this discussion with people in the NHL Officiating Office in the past) is that they aren’t publicized. My belief has always been they should be, because it’d help fans understand that refs are held accountable, too.

Worst officiating in pro sports? Not remotely. Hardest sport to officiate? definitely.

Some good books that will help a fan better understand what a referee has to deal with, not that fans will bother…

but no, it’s more fun to just complain about them. It’s never the player’s fault, right?

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  • Wulf

    Great point about publicizing the admonitions of officials.

  • Josh

    and referees do get admonished — as chuqui mentioned, it just usually isn’t public unless they *really* screw up:

    I’m sure Columbus fans remember that one.
    Also, I’ve not read Scapanello’s book, but I can tell you that Tough Calls and In the Bin are both great books and amusing reads.
    Last, I personally am a registered level 3 USA Hockey official. I am by no means on the level of an NHL referee, but I do have significant experience calling recreational level hockey. It’s not as easy as it looks. While you are focused on just the play from your seats, the referee is trying to maintain good field of vision, avoid the players and flying pucks, AND keep an eye on what is happening with 10 players on the ice. From section 201 you can see all 10 without field of vision issues. From the corner it’s hard to see the puck carrier at the point, and the battle in front of the net at the same time. What people forget too, is that referees are human too. I’m sure Rick Nash has overskated pucks, or fanned with a wide open net before. He’s a pro NHL player, indeed a super star in the league, and you know what, he makes mistakes too. I’ve not seen the Peca play, but even if it were a mistake by the official, you don’t grab the referee.

  • http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/otf/ The Forechecker

    You don’t need an IP address to spot that Columbus fan; just look at the spelling and grammar that’s a hallmark of THE Ohio State University.
    Dirk
    University of Michigan, ’98

  • mepex

    I don’t see how this is ‘whole’ in any sort of logic, unless the commenter is arguing that abuse of the official is allowed in certain cases. Which it clearly isn’t. Even if the referee committed the worst travesty of justice in the history of hockey officiating, that neither warrants nor justifies a player doing what Peca did, according to the rules. Whether the call was a good or bad one is a completely separate issue.