I'd first have to agree with Bill Fenwick's comment that if I were Harry
Ammian, I probably wouldn't be cheering for Clarkson either.  Ammian can walk
into Cheel Arena (or wherever Clarkson plays for that matter) to a chorus of
boos and other assorted expletives.  IMHO, and also in the opinion of many
'neutral' fans at tournaments I've been to when Harry officiates, he doesn't
seem to be able to check his bias at the door when it comes to Clarkson.  I've
even had a fan of the opponent team say to me that "Clarkson's really getting
shafted tonight."
 
There seems to be a widespread opinion, at least from what I see and hear, that
Ammian is not totally objective when it comes to Clarkson games.  However,
before Clarkson fans can blame Ammian for everything that goes wrong on the
ice, there are a couple things you must realize about Clarkson.  They have made
a name for themselves being the aggressive beasts of the ECAC (although I guess
it's not so prominent this year).  Over the past few years, players like Craig
Conroy, Josh Bartell, Buddy Wallace, and Chris Clark, thrived on the
agressiveness of the game.  Even today, many of the quotes you hear from NHL
coaches and scouts on Conroy is that he's an aggressive checker and a very
"annoying" player.  With a team that works so much on being the agressor, it
very often leads to overagressive play, which leads to a lot of penalties.
This is just the style of play that Clarkson has adopted, and it's had
outstanding results throught the 1990s.
 
When Clarkson takes they already have the label of being an overagressive team
in the officials' minds.  This doesn't just go for Harry, but for all
officials.  Any good official is going to research the teams he's officiating.
You'll notice in the NHL that playoff officials often arrive in town to watch
the game before the one their scheduled for.  They watch the game, take mental
notes, and consult with the other officials.  The one thing you don't see is
Kerry Fraser rooting for or against another team while in the stands.  This is
extremely inappropriate on Mr. Ammian's part.  While he's in the arena, he is
recognized as an official of the league.  It would be just as inappropriate for
him to comment to those not associated with the league on another's officiating.
 
The ECAC (and the other leagues I imagine) take special measures to insure the
impartiality of the officiating of their games.  One of the best linesmen that
I had seen at Clarkson was Joel Dupree.  He lives near Clarkson, and did
probably 40-50 percent of Clarkson's games while a linesman.  When he was
promoted to a referee position, we never saw him in a league game at Clarkson.
I'm assuming this step was taken to prevent any talk about his impartiality.
If these comments on hockey-l are true, Mr. Ammian did a lot to undermine the
perception of his impartiality.
 
 
 
 
[log in to unmask] on 01/05/98 02:14:33 PM
Please respond to [log in to unmask] @ internet
To: [log in to unmask] @ internet
cc:
Subject: Re: UMD Bulldogs (Ammian)
 
 
On Jan 5, 12:30, Jeremy D Hall wrote:
>On other thing from the SIT:  does anyone on this list besides me have a
>problem when a referee who is working the tournament, but not a specific
>game, actively cheer on one team over the other in that game knowing full
>well that he will have to work a game in which one of those two teams
>will play in the next night?  Specifically, Harry Ammian was sitting a
>few rows in front of me, cheering on Minn-Duluth against Clarkson.  He
>did the same thing the next night, backing Niagara (again, to beat
>Clarkson).  BTW, Ammian worked the championship game between Colgate &
>UMD.
>
>Has anybody seen this happen at other tournaments?  Or does Ammian just
>hate Clarkson?
 
I would rather not see a referee from a league more or less actively rooting
against a team from that league.  But as far as having a problem with it,
c'mon! Ammian was sitting in the stands, acting as a fan, not wearing his
black-and- whites or officiating a game.  I don't know what Harry's feelings
about Clarkson are, but given that he more than likely is aware of the low
opinion that most Golden Knight fans (and probably players and coaches) have of
him, I can see how he might be less than inclined to cheer the Clarkson team on
when he has the opportunity to watch them from the stands.  Keep in mind that
officials ARE human, just like the rest of us, and as such can be expected to
have likes and dislikes like any other fan.  As long as an official's apparent
dislike of a team when he's in the stands as a fan doesn't translate into
actively hampering a team (or aiding its opponent) when he's "on duty" on the
ice, I have no problem with it.  We fans can demand neutrality from the
officials when they're working a game.  To demand the same from them when they
are acting as fans themselves seems ridiculous.  And for those who will
inevitably use Ammian's apparent "hatred" of the Golden Knights as proof of
bias the next time he does a Clarkson game... part of being a good official (in
any sport) is the ability to put aside your personal feelings and call what's
actually happening on the ice/court/field.  Officials who can't do that don't
stay officials long, and I believe Ammian has been an official for quite a
while... at levels other than the NCAA as well.
 
--
Disclaimer -- Unless otherwise noted, all opinions expressed above are
              strictly those of:
 
Bill Fenwick
Cornell '86 and '95                                             DJF  5/27/94
LET'S GO RED!!                                                  JCF  12/2/97
"A friend of mine became a billionaire by inventing Cliff Notes.  When I
 asked him where he got such a great idea, he said, 'Well, to make a long
 story short...'"
-- Steven Wright
 
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HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
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