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Tailing the Komets

Iceboi's answer

By Blake Sebring — Fri, 03/17/2006 - 2:02pm — Tailing the Komets

Thought this was an interesting topic, so here goes:

I posted this on the other blog, but am interested in Blake's position on this idea... Interesting comment up about a 2-ref system... Perhaps this is something that the UHL should at least try? The only reason I am suggesting this is that there is often a lot of crap that goes on behind the play. I have noticed several times that bad things happen and people boo the ref, but he didn't see it. He can't call what he doesn't see. I think another ref would be an idea to at least try.

I think the 2-ref system works very well in the NHL.

Iceboi

I have always thought hockey was a flawed game because of the one-referee system. There's no way one referee can see even three-fourths of the action on the ice. It's a physical impossibility. Everybody yells at the refs, but there's no way they can be perfect because the system is flawed. They are set up to fail.

One of my favorites is how if a ref calls it tight, they want him to let them play. If he calls it loose and someone gets hurt, it's because the ref didn't call things close enough. They can't win.

Two refs would be great at all levels -- except for the money and there aren't enough refs in the system. If the NHL wants to start putting more money back into a training program like it did in the mid-1990s, OK, but until that happens I don't see any way a two-ref system will go at this level of minor league hockey, even though it would probably help the game. They'd essentially need to triple, not double, the amount of refs in the system, and then they'd have to double the amount of linesmen to fill in some of those holes. I don't think there are enough people out there who like getting yelled at all the time. LOL.

Hope that covers it for you Iceboi. What's everyone else think?

Posted in: Komets

Comments

Brandon
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 2:11pm

"I don't think there are enough people out there who like getting yelled at all the time. LOL."

Has that ever stopped anyone from getting married?

Blake
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 2:41pm

Hey, Brandon, I make the jokes around here!
Actually, that was pretty darn good.

Burgee
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 2:47pm

I think it will take more money, either the NHL invest in a training ground, which wouldn't be a bad idea because they could offset the cost and more than likely get more people to ref. Or the fans, teams and leagues pick up the expense.

It has to be good for the league(no more expense), good for the ref(maybe a future in the NHL), good for the fan(no more expense on the ticket side), good for the teams(no more expense).

So yes, the Two ref system would be good, but the bottom line -- someone has to pay for it.

Maybe the local sportswriter could be the second ref, they aren't fans of the local team and they could get some great material being right down there on the ice!

Blake
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:14pm

Have ever seen a referee do the split involuntarily on the ice? Or puke on the ice after about two shifts? I could see myself continually getting tagged with "clearing'' passes. Yeah, right.

Hit Somebody!!!
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:17pm

Blake couldn't wear his Komet's jersey while officiating could he?

What about an experiment with giving the linesmen some part in the officiating? I'm not knocking them, but do we really need two guys on the ice for such a simple thing as calling offsides and icing? They see more of the game than just that. I think it has probably gotten easier without the redline hasn't it? Why not allow all 3 blind mice on the rink call the game with both linesmen being guided by one lead referee? Just a thought. It works in baseball and in basketball. Obviously there would need to be some exploration of responsibilities and protocols I would think on how they make their calls. But why do we waste having the two extra guys out there that probably see things that the ref didn't see, and maybe would also help in getting the calls right with six eyes instead of two.

I would hope that there would be a little common sense in calls, however. We don't need 80+ penalties a night because of more guys making calls.

Blake
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:25pm

But Hit Somebody, who would break up all the fights you want? LOL. That's a good point and one I've always wondered about. I've always been told that then there would be absolutely no chance at consistency. I've always wondered if you have a two-ref system what about the inconsistency from one end of the ice to the other? That could be a huge factor.

JR
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:36pm

So at this level you want to go from 1 bad ref to two bad refs out there at the same time????? Its already been stated that the good ones get better jobs in higher levels, so I would rather have just one bad ref on the ice and take my chances.....

Could you imagine 2 Berkibliles out there at ther same time.....Hideous

Bob
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:50pm

Iceboi, I have been wanting to see a 2 Ref system for several years now. I have also been in favor of some kind of video review system for a long time. But I realize that to make that kind of investment is going to cost a lot of money. Money that the average fan and team is not willing to spend. I would think that perhaps the league could work out a sponsorship deal with some company to have something like the "ACME Goal Cam" but also some of these UHL arenas are not configured to handle the technology and equipment. As far as additional on ice officials, again it will cost big bucks to recruit and retain the best people possible, just like the rest of the business world. But I still like your idea.

Iceboi
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:51pm

In the NHL the refs change what area of the ice they are covering at every stoppage, as I understand it.

Bob
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 3:55pm

JR, having two Berkibiles out there is beyond hideous.....that sounds more like a horror flick with a lot of blood, gore and perhaps an upclose and personal visit by Mr. Enema Man! Sorry, I could'nt resist!

Hit Somebody!!!
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:03pm

But basketball, I know the whole apples to oranges thing, but basketball has three officials with all having basically the same jurisdiction on the floor and that gives them all a different angle to make the call. Why can't all three morons on the ice have the same ability to make calls and use like what iceboi said with rotating them as far as what their area or angle is each period? Is this going to end up being one of those "Well hockey refs have ALWAYS done it this way, so we couldn't possibly change it" type of debates. I think Wade Suckey would be a great official, uh, did I really say that. I can see it now, pucks flying from every angle of the arena. Oh the humanity.

Hit Somebody!!!
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:16pm

Blake, if we win the cup this year, would you be willing to paint your face half orange and half black, wearing one of those crazy orange wigs, and a Komet's Jersey.....to a "Tailing the Komets" celebration party with only bloggers from this site invited. Who would pay? I'd bet everybody on here would chip in to see that one. Let's go guys, win that cup so we can once and for all see Blake the way he dresses in private when blogging at 1:00am. Hee Hee Hee.

Blake
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:20pm

Yeah, but I'd be looking for a new job the next day, so I don't think so. And you talk about Oh the humanity, nobody wants to see what I'm wearing when I blog at 1 a.m., believe me.

Hit Somebody!!!
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:27pm

Thanks for the visual.

But hey, Why wouldn't your bosses go for something fun like that. Isn't the potential buzz for your newspaper positive? They can't be that cranky? I think it would be a good look for you, too. We could all get together and tell our funniest Justin Cohn stories over a campfire. Not that any of us would put Cohn over a campfire or anything. Special appearance from Enema Man, he could help assist making the smores as he is a natural hot poker....

Hit Somebody!!!
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:31pm

Seriously though, why couldn't three guys on the ice share all officiating duties....sounds like I'm setting up a hillarious punchline doesn't it?

Blake
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:33pm

The thing is, the trail official would also have to be calling lines part of the time. It might work. Anybody out there got some officiating experience who could comment? Where's Stripes? Tony E. hop in.

Hit Somebody!!!
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 4:42pm

Basketball officials call several of similar type of things. Out of bounds, 3 sec. in the lane, illegal defense (NBA), over and back, half court violations, and also count for 5 second violations, call falls, etc. It doesn't seem that there would be that much of a difference. You would have to over-haul the training and tweak the protocols of calls and such. It just seems having two linesmen that only watch for offsides and icing mostly, could be used more efficiently. The ref has more of a responsibility and there is one of him. 3 sharing the calls would be more beneficial I would think.

I know there are guys out there that know more about this that will definitely blast this idea out of the water.

Skate
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 6:25pm

Have two refs and one linesman. The linesman works the blue lines and the refs make the icing calls and penalty calls.

One ref is deep in the zone, the other trailing the play in the neutral zone just above the blue live. When the action goes the other way, they switch roles.

Still, there will be more expense to some extent, as the refs make more money than the linesmen.

unit
Fri, 03/17/2006 - 10:35pm

I would like that system.(The two referee). I might actually subscribe to one of the local rags if they would pop for a party!! I do get frustrated because it seems we are always the one's getting hosed by the ref's. I have said a few times "that was a bad call" when it goes in our favor, but largely it seems like we get the short end of the stick.

JR
Sat, 03/18/2006 - 5:53am

Boy letting all three of those guys make calls starts to remind me of the Keystone Cops, Three Stooges, etc... I would rather have them work on quality rather than quantity.

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