Shawn Walsh writes:
 
>I wanted to bring up the referees because I think when people like
>Tony and John put their passion into postings, not only are they
>potentially liable, but also they are carrying their school colors
>just a little far in making an opinionated statements about individuals.
 
I understand where you're coming from but it's difficult not to,
at times, interject passion into postings. We are fans. Fan is
short for 'fanatic'. We are passionate about the sport. We are
passionate about our team. Sometimes that passion is expressed
in inappropriate ways or hastily but it's not passion itself that
is bothersome. Perhaps Tony should have taken some time to cool down
and look back at things, if he was still hot under the collar after
doing so, then he could have made his posting. I do think he, perhaps,
stated things a little too much like he KNEW that Walsh did it
intentionally. But, as has been mentioned often, we are not spokesmen
(or spokeswomen) for our schools. We are not even spokespersons for
the team. We are spokespersons for ourselves and ourselves only. Perhaps,
we speak for other fans of our school, maybe not. I've known fans from
a few schools on the list who've rubbed me the wrong way but it hasn't
caused me to form negative judgements about the school as a whole.
 
[...]
>When I see some of you and your postings I enjoy reading your thoughts,
>but please be careful for your own good, what you say. When you put
>your name on a posting, just like I have done with this posting, you
>put something on paper that cannot be pulled back, so you need to be
>careful about opinionated statements.
 
That is definitely true, though. Point noted.
 
[...]
>1. We should put a shoot in. Imagine the electricity at BU on Saturday
>if we had five-man shoot out after that 0-0 tie. Look at how many ties
>there are now in college hockey. (Lowell has 7 already and we have 3
>in our last 4 games!). In the shoot out, just give the team that wins
>an extra point and the team that looses the shoot out the one point
>they would have had so that nobody gets hurt.
 
True, but it will be met with opposition. Some people think that it
gives too much favor to the team with more offense (but not necesarily
a better overall team). I happen to agree with Walsh here. There's nothing
that leaves you feeling more empty and unresolved than a tie. With a win,
you're left on a high. With a loss, you feel disappointed. With a tie,
there's neither. You feel as though the issue hasn't been resolved.
 
I remember one year in which the AHL had shootouts. It was an excellent
year and provided for some thrilling (and controversial, thus why I hate
Paul Stewart) moments. I don't know how many of you remember the
Germany-Canada medal round game in the Albertville Olympics but that
was a fabulously exciting.
 
>2. Bring back 4x4 and 3x3 hockey. It's great for the fans! And it opens
>up the ice because right now there is too much interference and the game
>can be clogged up even without the red line.
 
You'll get the same argument as above, but I agree with it.
 
>3. Give the officials the discretion to call a game misconduct or simply
>a five minute major penalty on checking from behind into the boards, and
>slash or spearing, etc. Right now they can only call a game DQ on some
>of these offenses and so what happens is the referees don't want
>to hurt a player and cost him two games, so they just call it roughing,
>boarding, etc. Let's not kid ourselves, if a guy committed a major foul
>give him a major penalty and lets scrape the DQ's so the ref's aren't
>afraid to call it.
 
Definitely a good observation. Only problem is that some could make the
same argument for fighting.
 
>4. All fans and many coaches, myself included, need to remember that the
>referees are every bit as intense and caring about the game as coaches
>and players are.
 
As the son of an official (don't lynch me :), tis true.
 
************
Bri Farenell
[log in to unmask]                Clarkson Univ. '95
Glens Falls High Class of '91                   Go Erin Whitten (GFH '89)!
Boston Bruins, NCAA, ECAC and AHL contact for rec.sport.hockey
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Adirondack Red Wings, AHL Calder Cup Champions: 1981    1986    1989    1992