In article <[log in to unmask]>, Mark Gibbons
<[log in to unmask]> says:
>
>Its ok for my team to cheat, in fact if we get away with it we can all
>have a good laugh & if we don't maybe it won't hurt us much anyway.
 
First, I find it a bit awkward my post was quoted as a preface to Mark's
comments because I didn't say Walsh's move was brilliant. I said Joe
Carr said the move was brilliant.
 
In light of what the rules say about putting an extra man on the ice,
however, I think it's clear it is not clear Walsh had intentions of
breaking the rules.
 
Even if Walsh did order an extra man be put on the ice, you have to
look at the situation. Play was stopped. It was unlikely a pealty
shot would have been awarded. Why? Because before the puck was drop-
ped the officials should have counted how many players were on the
ice. If the officials had done this and noticed the extra man, all
they would have down was tell the extra man to go back to the bench.
 
If Walsh ordered an extra man onto the ice am I condoning it? I'm
not sure.But I will say this, I wouldn't call putting an extra
man on the ice "sneaky." After all, it was done in plain view of
everyone at the arena.
 
But as far as the sentiment that cheating is bad and evil goes,
that's going a bit too far. We have to realize it's just a game.
I accidentally gave a kid a fourth strike in a baseball game I
umpired last season. I was upset with myself for not catching
my error. But now that I look back on it, I think it's kind of
funny nobody else noticed it, not the catcher, not the pitcher,
none of the other players, and neither of the coaches.
 
Ryan Robbins
Stodder Hall
University of Maine
 
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