IMHO
 
I totally agree with John Duffill!  I have watched many games where one call,
(deserved or not!) turns the tone of the rest of the game.
 
Referees are human and SOME allow their prejudices to sway their calls.  I
apologize to my good friend John Gabarra, who is a ref, but there is no doubt
in my mind about this, especially after my friend from Boston who hangs out
with some of the HE on-ice officials told me they had a contest going a few
years ago to see who could make Shawn jump up onto the boards the fastest.
 While this was obviously/probably a joke among them, no one can convince me
that there was not a large degree of prejudice going into the games involving
him.  Shawn sent a lot of tapes with questionable calls to the league,
complaining about the officiating.  That irritated the refs.  They are human.
 And while some of the refs, including Cole, are no longer with the league,
and are replaced by refs who have not had calls sent to be scrutinized, they
are a tight brotherhood.  You go back and study the number of penalties
called against Maine by all the refs and you see a decided pattern emerge.
 PLUS, when Maine played against non league opponents, with non HE officials,
there were a lot fewer penalties assessed against Maine, while they played
the same type of game.  Consistently.
 
I am not saying Maine is the only target here.  I have seen some calls when I
recall saying to someone next to me "At last!  Someone they hate more than
Shawn!"  And this season much of the officiating is just plain lousy.  Missed
calls and unfair double calls abound.  All the coaches need to complain.
 
BUT!  There is little point in complaining about the air you breathe when
there is no other choice.
 
And while I know this is not a PC thing to say, I was glad to see Maine take
off the Lady Byng gloves Saturday!
 
 GO MAINE!
Cathy Hart