As others have noted, the recent bout of ref-bashing is probably not
justified in any rational way, but since when are fans rational? :-)
 
I think Frank Cole is one of the better Eastern refs; I was at that
Wisconsin-LSSU game in Albany when the Badgers went berserk at the
calls.  I admit I was rooting for the Lakers, but my memory says that I
thought the Wisconsin players were very wrong in their complaints.  The
calls were pretty fair, I thought.  The fact that the Badgers were losing
may have influenced their thinking, of course .... :-))
 
Several of the Hockey East folks have referred to Bob Fowkes reffing
games this year with and/without McBride.  I think everyone might mean
Rich Fowkes.  (They're not the same, right?)  McBride can ref good games,
but his style tends to get coaches, players, and fans more upset, I
think; he often spends a lot of time talking and explaining to everyone,
and I think this just gives them more opportunity to vent.  (On the other
hand, he does have a history of making the occasional bizarre call ...)
 
The bashing happens every year, it seems, and with almost no exceptions
the refereeing does not cause a team to lose or win a particular game.  I
don't expect things to change, though; fans and teams will still
complain.  On the whole Hockey East refs are pretty good.
---------------                    ----------------------
Rick McAdoo                        [log in to unmask]
Yes, H-L in Cincy!!!!              A hopeful BC fan.  GO EAGLES!
 
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