6 replies to this topic

[Purple Haze]

Here's a random observation.

How often have you seen a player get fouled behind his net with a referee 10 feet away who doesn't make a call? Instead, the other referee at the blue line calls the penalty. This happens in most every game but the NHL and all the talking media heads claim that the game is better and fairer with the extra referee on the ice. Geez! Now we have at least 5-6 "phantom" penalties called every game because the second ref has to justify why he's on the ice. Give me the old days with 1 guy in charge making the calls he sees without trying to compete for next year's job with the other ref on the ice.

[gruven]

Here's a random observation.

How often have you seen a player get fouled behind his net with a referee 10 feet away who doesn't make a call? Instead, the other referee at the blue line calls the penalty. This happens in most every game but the NHL and all the talking media heads claim that the game is better and fairer with the extra referee on the ice. Geez! Now we have at least 5-6 "phantom" penalties called every game because the second ref has to justify why he's on the ice. Give me the old days with 1 guy in charge making the calls he sees without trying to compete for next year's job with the other ref on the ice.

Has it occurred to you that the closer referee may be watching something else and has missed the penalty? Thus, the second referee is actually making the right call on a penalty that may have gone unnoticed otherwise?

[Zach6668]

Has it occurred to you that the closer referee may be watching something else and has missed the penalty? Thus, the second referee is actually making the right call on a penalty that may have gone unnoticed otherwise?

What do you know?

You're part of the talking media head.

[gruven]

What do you know?

You're part of the talking media head.

Actually, I'm more of a talking media ass... and don't taunt me.... I'll do OTR on Tuesday as Zach from Thunder Bay....

[Zach6668]

Actually, I'm more of a talking media ass... and don't taunt me.... I'll do OTR on Tuesday as Zach from Thunder Bay....

LMAOOOOOO

[Purple Haze]

Has it occurred to you that the closer referee may be watching something else and has missed the penalty? Thus, the second referee is actually making the right call on a penalty that may have gone unnoticed otherwise?

Of course that's occurred to me. On occasion, that happens. I'm talking about the many other times when you can see the ref actually watching the foul and not making the call. You can't tell me you haven't seen it before. The frequency of this happening in the last 5 years is astronomical compared to the 40 previous years I've watched hockey. Are you one of those extra refs trying to keep his job?

[gruven]

Of course that's occurred to me. On occasion, that happens. I'm talking about the many other times when you can see the ref actually watching the foul and not making the call. You can't tell me you haven't seen it before. The frequency of this happening in the last 5 years is astronomical compared to the 40 previous years I've watched hockey. Are you one of those extra refs trying to keep his job?

Okay... let's try this one time...... 90% of referreeing is objective. Few calls are truly automatic. So a referee has to watch the action, see a play develop, and decide whether or not an infraction has occurred. How often when you're watching a game do you see a play that you feel should be a penalty that isn't called? Or see a penalty called that you think SHOULDN'T have been? It happens quite frequently, doesn't it? So the idea is that the two referee system eliminates calls that are completely missed, due to positioning, obscured view, or simply watching a different part of the play. The two referee system ALSO eliminates fouls behind the play, which used to be a significant problem in the NHL. If there are two refs, then at least ONE of them should catch a penalty. But not every ref will agree on whether or not something IS a penalty. Why? Because, in the end, it's objective.
The one argument that I happen to agree with is that the two ref system eliminates a STYLE of reffing. In the old system, you knew a ref, and you knew whether he called a game tightly or loosely, and you could adjust your play accordingly. Now, you pretty much just have to stick to the rules, or run the risk of putting your team down a man.....