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From: jeff@dciem.UUCP (Jeff Richardson)
Newsgroups: net.sport.hockey
Subject: throwing away the rule book
Message-ID: <857@dciem.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 16-Apr-84 17:06:16 EST
Article-I.D.: dciem.857
Posted: Mon Apr 16 17:06:16 1984
Date-Received: Mon, 16-Apr-84 17:20:58 EST
Organization: D.C.I.E.M., Toronto, Canada
Lines: 30

I disagree with Wayne Citrin's claim that Maloney's tying goal was above
the shoulder and I don't think it was a case of the referee throwing away
the rule book.  However, I can't deny that the rule book seems to get
thrown away in the third period of a close game or during overtime.
The argument in favour of this is "let the players decide the game, not
the officials".  This of course is nonsense because if a player violates
a rule, he should get a penalty, i.e. it's the player who creates the
penalizable situation not the referee.  The referee has the final word and
he really shouldn't even have to make a decision, just call the penalty
when he sees one.  Yet, referees can refuse to call penalties on obvious
fouls when earlier in the game, they gave out penalties for obvious dives.
It's this kind of inconsistency that leads to fights and potentially
dangerous stick fouls.  Besides, teams that are behind should be given
a fair chance to come back; it makes the game more interesting.  How can
they come back if they're being grabbed and hauled down all the time?
In football, they seem to call more pass interference penalties late in
the game, probably to give the losing team a better chance to catch up
which makes for a more exciting game.  I don't think that this is right
either, but it shows an inconsistency in officiating between the two sports.
There must be a reason why football people think that one thing is good for
their game, while hockey people believe the exact opposite for theirs.

Anyway, you people already know all this, I'm sure, but what I want to
know is what you think about it.  I'm under the impression that most
people agree with me, but if you don't, I'd like to know why and I'd like
to hear you refute my above arguments.  Also, is there anyone who doesn't
agree the officials are less likely to call penalties late in a close game?

                                       Jeff Richardson
                                       DCIEM, Toronto