On Mon, 21 Feb 1994, Ryan Robbins wrote:
> <[log in to unmask]> says:
> >
> >I like refs calling penalties regardless of the situation.
>
> I couldn't agree more. Why is it for some reason referees in college
> hockey suddenly swallow their whistles in the final two or three
> minutes of play? If you're going to call it 1:38 into the first per-
> iod, then call it 19:23 into the third period, even if it's a blow-
> out.
>
Well, I am not a hockey official, but I can answer this question as a
baseball umpire.  First, I don't think many people realize that if in
hockey, baseball, or any sport that requires judgement calls by
officials, if a game were called EXACTLY as the rules say, the games
would be as boring as hell.  If a hockey referee called every single
infraction as laid out in the rules, the game would be stopped so often
that there would be very little action and the game would not have the
non-stop action that makes hockey fun to watch and play.
        Secondly a penalty or foul or ball/strike is not the same in the
beginning of a game as in the end.  From my baseball experience, I can
tell you that if a pitcher is throwing strikes consistantly throughout
the game, later in the game he will get the close calls.  A pitcher with
inconsistant control will not get a call in his favor on a pitch that is in
the same
location as the first pitcher.  Also, if there is a close play on a steal
of second in the 9th inning by a team that is up by sereral runs, he will
be out, even if he was safe (assuming a _very_ close play).  In hockey,
near the end of a close game, the refs (same as in basketball) let the
players play.  Flagrant and obvious penalties are called, but the closer
stuff is let go.  I am of the opinion that officials late in the game
should let calls go and let the players play and decide the game.  I am
not advocating a free-for-all on the ice, or a no-autopsy/no-foul policy,
the officials still need to keep control of the game, but they should
also let the little things go and let the players decide the game.
        Finally, Ryan Robbins, said something about regardless if the
score is a blowout.  Near the end of a game the score makes all the
difference in what is and what is not called.  With a minute to go, team
A (who is losing by 4 goals) steals the puck and has a 2 on 1 breakaway, but
one guy is offsides by 2 a couple of inches.  No ref in thier right mind
is going to blow the whistle on that and I don't think ( and hope) that
anyone reading this would do the same.  In a close game in the Final
Four, when a call like that has same meaning, I sure hope it gets
called, but not in some (relatively) meaningless non-league game in early
November.
         I hope I didn't accidently contradict myself somewmere while
typing this as fast as I could.  If anyone has any specific questions
about this, please send me mail.
 
Scott Williams
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