> Date: Fri, 8 Feb 91 08:22:00 CST
> From: Geoffrey Wehrman <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: Instructions to referees
>
> What I think the biggest problem with the refereeing in college hockey, and
> something that I really don't understand at all, is why is the entire
> responsibility of keeping the game in control placed on the shoulders of
> one person?  I am a relatively new fan of college hockey, and I am amazed
> by the fact that only one referee is able to call penalties in a game.  Why
> are the linesmen not allowed to call anything other than offsides and
> icing?  I cannot think of any other team sport where only one official is
> allowed to call penalties/fouls (I am thinking primarialy of football and
> basketball, however).  Personally, I think that it is an impossible job for
> one offical.  My opinion is that the quality and consistancy of the
> officiating would be much improved if the linesmen were given an expanded
> role in officiating games.
>
> ^>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<^
> ^  Geoffrey Wehrman                   ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK   |  /  |    |    ^
> ^  [log in to unmask]             ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK   | /   |    |    ^
> ^                                     ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK   |/    |    |    ^
> ^  The University of Kansas           ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK   | \   |    |    ^
> ^  Lawrence, Kansas                   ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK   |  \   \__/     ^
> ^<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>^
 
Well, Geoff, consider the alternatives:
 
1. 1 ref 2 linesmen
   Linesmen CAN call things other than off sides and icing.  They can call
   too many men on the ice, illegal substitution, goals (normally on a
   breakaway when the referee is obviously out of position) and (this is
   probably the most important) MAJOR violations.  I believe they can also
   give counsel to the referee.
2. 2 refs
   First, this is two less official eyes on the ice, and a higher range
   of responsibility. They gotta call icing and off sides too.  The second,
   and in my opinion more important, difference is we now have the practicality
   of one referee calling the game gloser than the other, so the preponderance
   of calls happen at one end of the ice.  The team defending that end usually
   is disadvantaged by this.
3. 2 refs 1 linesman
   an abortive attempt to eliminate the first problem noted above.  It seemed
   not to work because when play was at center ice, the linesman was (by
   murphy's law) always at the wrong blue line.
 
I'm old and jaded enough to have seen all three systems, and will stick with
the first as being a reasonable compromise.
 
charlie shub  [log in to unmask]  -or-  ..!{ucar|nbires}!boulder!cdash
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