<Snip>[log in to unmask] wrote:
 
>My personal feeling is that "referees discretion" is foolish.  If the
 
>league, teams, and the NCAA really mean what they say about no-tolerance for
 
>head shots, then they have to be more agressive and consistent with their
 
>calls, no mercy as it were.  I suggest that if a player is cross-checked
 
>high and injured, or hit from behind into the boards, it should be a
 
>mandatory 5 minute major/DQ.  And if the injured player misses games due to
 
>the injury, the attacking player should miss those games as well.
 
 
>Trying to measure intent is difficult, even with video, and if there is a
 
>no-exception rule about hits to the head and hits from behind, players might
 
>come around.
 
Well said. Right On.
 
<snip> [log in to unmask] wrote:
 
>But sometimes unfortunate things happen, and this looked like that type of a 
>situation.
 
I agree. But, that's too lenient a stance. Give em an inch and they'll take a 
mile.
Your hockey parent recollection reminded me of a Jr. A tryout my son went to. 
I was in the stands at Mariucci watching the (then) Vulcans. An older player 
bound for the U crashed his stick down on Jase's neck and shoulders. Jase got 
up and continued to play. When we met in the corridor after, he said, "Mom, 
thanks for not coming down on the ice and verbally anesthetizing the guy." 
The coach, BTW, slapped the cross-checker on the back, as to say, good going. 
This was the most flagrant injurious hit to the neck area. Today, I don't 
think I would have exercised such self control. Jase was in excruciating 
pain, but wouldn't show it. He had to undergo physical therapy for a month to 
neck and shoulder. Guess who paid? (Of course players sign risk waivers at 
all try outs.)
 
<snip> [log in to unmask] wrote:
 
>New question:  Will it take us pushing around hockey players in wheelchairs
>for the various leagues (or maybe it is simply a WCHA problem) to protect
>these guys? 
 
Unfortunately, that's how it works. Seems until something catastrophic 
happens, injury causing behaviors are left unchecked. It's a national problem 
in sports. Undeterred, these uncontrolled, unnecessary behaviors show 
themselves off the ice too. The consensus is officiating (rule enforcement) 
needs to get tougher. 
 
Way back in 1994, the NHL was putting their new referee prospects under new 
on-the-job-training, teaching game to game critiquing, using wireless 
microphones, individual performance training, referee to referee consistency, 
consistency from shift to shift — think it helped? (-:
 
Vicki
 
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