-- [ From: Adam Wodon * EMC.Ver #2.10P ] --
 
>  I'd like to hear whether any other fans who follow the
> WCHA, ECAC or HE think that the one ref/two linesmen
> system is superior to the two ref/one lineman system used
> by everyone except the CCHA, including the almight NC$$
> frozen four.
 
I've been covering the ECAC for 8 years, and I think the two-ref system
is an unmitigated disaster.
 
> Personally I think the quality of officiating improved
> greatly when the ECAC when to a two ref system.
 
I think any perceived increase in referee quality over the last few
years is because SOME refs are, in general, of better quality than in
the past.  But half of them are brutal, and they drag down the good
ones.
 
> When I witness bad officiating it'l usually because one of
> the refs is bad:
 
This is most of the problem, actually.  When it first started, I
thought, good, they'll catch more.  But over the years, I have learned
why it's a bad idea.  And I have never talked to a Coach or player that
likes two refs.  The ONLY people that seem to want it is the league
higher-ups.
 
Even two good referees can have two totally different styles -- so
players have no clue how a game will be called. This makes games very
haphazzard and frustrating.  Then if you have two bad refs, one calling
everything, one nothing, -- or one bad ref being inconsistent throwing
off the good one -- there's just twice as much chance for disaster.
 
Furthermore, time and again I see one referee taking on the role of
"dominant partner" and it messes everybody up.  The worst referee in
the history of the world, as far as I'm concerned, is Mike Noeth
"Nothing." He used to be in the NHL, so he thinks he can run the show,
and he winds up making call after call from across the rink when the
other official is standing right there.  This kind of junk goes on all
the time.
 
Another minor point:  Referees are so much worse about getting out of
the way of the darn play.  Over the years it seems like the refs get in
the way more -- maybe it's me.  But the linesmen used to know how to
get out of the way -- but now there's two refs, paying attention to
penalties not the puck, and they don't know how to move.
 
> And why does the CCHA stick with a system that probably
> disadvantages them come tournament time?  Any takers?
 
They got fed up -- good for them.
 
AW
 
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