WJHC: For The Fans Attending the Games

[Kev]

For those of you who are lucky enough to attend the World Junior games we have going on here in Vancouver you have to make some noise. I've been watching the games played by Canada and sometimes i think i'm at a funeral. The fans are sitting so frigid, afraid to move. Now i know some will say if our team put on a better show it would be easier to get enthusiastic, but thats not the point. We as supporters have to help them win. So you guys got to get out of your seats and yell and scream. Throw something at those useless refs. Our boys need the help of our supporters to help them kick the crap out of their opponents. Especially this coming Saturday when its Canada and the USA.

So get a party started in the stands like they do in Brazil, and make some noise. Or you could give/sell your tickets to me.

 

[FuZzYknUckLeS]

Um...isn't Canada kicking some serious ass without the crowds help so far?
4-0 I believe, no?
And are the games sold out? I turned on the radio a couple days ago and some dude in Richmond was trying to give away 4 tix to the Canada-U.S. game...give away...

 

[muffdiver]

Ya , it's the same in kelowna, i almost dozed off during a game there. I have tickets for all the games there, been a waste of money so far.

 

[The Lizard King]

Entertainment wise this is the worst WJHC I've seen by a long shot and you can blame the NHL and it's influence as to how games are officiated. Good to see Bettman hasn't just fucked up his own league. Zzzzzzzzzzz

 

[James]

The officiating is crap. These guys are the best that their country has to offer?

At the Norway v Canada game, the crowd was giving it to the ref when he called penalties against Norway. That's how bad he was. The linesmen were no better, anybody notice that they kicked out the centre on about 80% of the draws, but never kicked out the second guy.

When the game gets rolling, the way it should, the joint will be jumping. Saturday afternoon is a good bet.

 

[50 Mile Radius]

WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!

Now, i gotta admit this is not the hockey i enjoy watching.....it's friggin aweful, in fact....

But let's lay the blame where it should be.......NOT ON THE OFFICIALS!!!

These officials are the best each country has to offer. However, for this tournament they have been assigned an impossible task. The IIHF has asked them to use ZERO tolerence, that means they don't get to use "game management". For their officiating career, they have used "game management" and called penalties based on a number of factors(not just the rule book). But now, for this tournament ONLY, they are being told to call EVERYTHING!

The blame needs to fall on the IIHF(i'm not sure what influence Gary Bettman has on them, but I don't think it's that much.....they are a bunch of whiney politicians that have probably never laced up a pair)

50

 

[James]

Can't agree 50. Zero tolerance is one thing. Calling penalties on solid, legal body checks, or on a guy who is in the vacinity when the opponent falls down is another.

How about Team Canada taking a delay of game penalty last night? The guy fell on the puck, and got penalized. It didn't seem to matter that a Norwegian player's stick was jammed between the blade and boot of our guys skate.

I will agree that we were lucky to get through the last six seconds of last night's game with only roughing penalties.....

 

[50 Mile Radius]

James, i hear ya...but let me try and explain how hard it is (i just "might" have some experience).....

Let's say for instance.......

I work(as a referee), Midget AAA(16 and 17 year olds, i think) hockey throughout the hockey season. I get used to the level of play and as a referee i set my standard of penalties that i will call. What I mean here is, a little slash on the leg might not be a penalty ALL THE TIME, it depends on:

-is it in the first 2 minutes of the game, and i choose to let it go
-is the team already down 5 on 4 and that little slash "worth" putting them down 5 on 3?
-Do i need to tighten up the calls because the animosity level of the players is rising(the game is getting rougher)

There are a number of factors that will dictate whether i want to call a borderline penalty throughout the game

Now, at the end of the season.....the PEE WEE(13 and 12 year olds) leagues all want to use more experienced officials and I get called to work the playoffs. I always struggled going down a couple levels because that same little slash (in Midget), that i may let go......NEED to be called in PEEWEE, and consequently it takes me about a half a game to adjust to the level of play.

That's a long way to go to make this point, but the officials are struggling to find that LINE, what is and what is not. There have been told to call everything.

These officials want to work the medal rounds of this tournament, and if they don't toe the party line, they will not work any more hockey.

James, i understand you're point, just know.....

IT's not as easy as it looks......and trust me, i wish it wasnt this way!

 

[JustAGuy]

I work(as a referee), Midget AAA(16 and 17 year olds, i think) hockey throughout the hockey season. I get used to the level of play and as a referee i set my standard of penalties that i will call. What I mean here is, a little slash on the leg might not be a penalty ALL THE TIME, it depends on:

-is it in the first 2 minutes of the game, and i choose to let it go
-is the team already down 5 on 4 and that little slash "worth" putting them down 5 on 3?
-Do i need to tighten up the calls because the animosity level of the players is rising(the game is getting rougher)

There are a number of factors that will dictate whether i want to call a borderline penalty throughout the game

I couldn't disagree more. A penalty is a penalty is a penalty. The time of the game, the circumstances on the ice, the score ... none of these things are a factor. Did the player commit an infraction? If the answer is yes, he/she is sent to the penalty box. There should be no disgressionary judgement calls applied by officials in any sport.

One of the things that makes a good home plate umpire in baseball is being consistent. The ump may have an utterly absurd strike zone, nothing like the home plate ump in the last game you played. But if he's consistent with that strike zone, calling it exactly the same for all players on both teams, then he's doing his job. You adapt to his strike zone and carry on.

 

[50 Mile Radius]

I couldn't disagree more. A penalty is a penalty is a penalty. The time of the game, the circumstances on the ice, the score ... none of these things are a factor. Did the player commit an infraction? If the answer is yes, he/she is sent to the penalty box. There should be no disgressionary judgement calls applied by officials in any sport.

Well, you get your wish.....watch the world juniors.....thats what you get..bullshit hockey....

and by the way: the players, coaches and officials want referees to use "game management".....they tell us this every year at the "Hockey Canada" meetings...

it's just people like you that have never laced up a pair of skates, or taken the puck accross the blueline, or taken a hard hit in the corner,.....that don't understand this.....but you can have your opinion, it's ok with me!

 

[50 Mile Radius]

I
One of the things that makes a good home plate umpire in baseball is being consistent. The ump may have an utterly absurd strike zone, nothing like the home plate ump in the last game you played. But if he's consistent with that strike zone, calling it exactly the same for all players on both teams, then he's doing his job. You adapt to his strike zone and carry on.

Oh REALLY??????

So you want the rules to vary according to who is behind the plate?? IF:

I A penalty is a penalty is a penalty.

Then, isn't the strike zone a strike zone? It shoudn't matter if it's John Hirschbeck or Angel Hernandez behind the plate...its all the SAME , RIGHT?(just useing your logic, which I disagree completely with....)

And you don't think the strike zone gets bigger in a 15-2 baseball game in the 7th inning on getaway day?.....BULLSHIT(you can damn near see the players and umps packing their bags)...its called game management and it happens in Hockey and Baseball, and all SPORT!

 

[FuZzYknUckLeS]

Game management

I have to agree with 50 here. Game management does make for better hockey. The part I disagree with is people wanting it to apply to international tournaments just to make the game more exciting. I think that when it is a country's pride on the line, you want to call the game as tightly as possible. This may make for boring, one-sided matches, but it's called the process of elimination this early on. Just watch. As we get towards the end and the teams are more even, the games will be much better.
I wonder if they use game management in the Olympics.

 

[James]

Well, so much for that theory......

The US v Switzerland tilt was well played, and well officiated. "Zero tolerance" was not part of the referee's vocabulary.

For the most part, stuff that affected the play, or was dangerous, was called. If it didn't fit those two categories, he let it go.

As for the fans....woo hoo. When the Swiss put the biscuit in the basket, you would have thought that the guys wearing red were from Canada. When the Americans scored, they had to ramp up the noise on the PA system.

Big day today. Canucks PPV will take a hit today, competing against Canada v USA.

Go Canada Go.