Excuse me if this subejct may have gotten old, I haven't got around to my mail
in a while, but I felt I was OBLIGATED to throw my opinion into the pile.
 
Also I am sorry I have forgotten who wrote this:
> The two-ref theory is a pretty good one -- having two guys out there to
> watch everything and make the appropriate calls can only improve the game,
> right?  The problem in Division I was that the two referees would often have
> markedly different styles.  For example, one would call everything, and the
> other would let a lot of stuff go.  Inconsistency like this causes a lot of
> trouble for the players, since they wind up not knowing what they can get
> away with.  When the players are so tentative, the game is usually pretty
> badly played.  Apparently, this happened often enough in Division I that the
> powers-that-be decided to go with the one-ref-two-linesmen system.
 
I have to disagree strongly with any officiating system which only allows one
official to call penalties.  This has been a sore spot for me since the NCAA
moved to the 1 referee 2 linesman system.  Before I continue, I will say that
I think that the 1-2 system is sufficient (but not great) for the NHL, but
that reasoning I will not clutter you with here.
 
First of All, I believe that the coaches are the MAJOR reason why DIV I college
hockey uses the 1-2 system.  The coaches hated to see their players get CAUGHT
doing something cheap behind the play, which will hardly ever happen in the
1-2 system.  Also, with the 1-2 system the coaches have just one guy to yell
at when something doesn't go their way, thus putting more pressure on one
official and making an easier target for coaches to manipulate.  I am not
trying to make the coaches look like the bad guys, although rereading this
makes me think I have a little, but it was at THEIR insisting that the 1-2
system be adopted as THE way by the NCAA and their argument about consistency
is simply no good.  Even in the "worst" case scenario, one tight calling
official and one loose, with a little communication both on and off the ice,
the two officials become a very CONSISTENT team throughout the game.  This also
helps the officials not to "forget" the points of emphasis for the season after
a few games into the season.
 
THE RESULT:
Hockey is played by teams and should be officiated by a TEAM of equal referees.
This results in consistent games, and with two officials to check up on each
other, less loss of the points of emphasis and less "CRAP" behind the play that
only hurts the image of unarguably the best team sport in the world.
 
Those are my opinions, and in the spirit of HOCKEY-L, I always look forward to
others.
 
 
-Ryan Stone
 Lawrence University (Appleton, WI) '93
 Rensselaer '93
 
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| RYAN G. STONE                     | "An individual can make a difference  |
| Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  |  a team can make a miracle."          |
| e-mail: [log in to unmask]           |              - 1980 U.S. Hockey Team  |
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