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[fin1581]

QUOTE (chefelf @ Mar 11 2004, 11:34 PM)

The NHL has doubled the number of refs on the ice and the officiating has only gotten worse.  A better system has to be put in place to officiate these games or else things like this will continue to happen.

Very true.  I mean the whole refereeing system is messed up in the NHL...from fighting to illegal hits to interference.  Nothing is uniform - one night you can tackle a guy and the next you cant even touch them.  And are the refs ever going to enforce the new rules?  Every year you hear how they are going to crack down on obstruction and interference and I saw a guy set three picks in one shift the other day.  And that is just calling penalties!

When it comes to keeping things under control, the refs simply cannot do it.  Once a game starts getting dirty, refs start calling more penalties which doesnt really ever hinder the teams from fighting more.  The NHL has to sit down and put together a better system to secure the game of hockey and its players so that they can skate down the ice without worrying about getting their heads chopped off.  I understand that the nature of hockey is a rough game with big hits and tough fights - There is no way that they should take away fighting in hockey but there has to be some way to control the simple disregard for other players.  I think it all comes down to respect...have the respect for someone to at least let them stand up for themselves.  I understand Bertuzzi was standing up for his teammate but jumping another guy does not make the situation any better.  He should have been a man and fought him one-on-one instead of being a pussy.

[EvilWays]

QUOTE (X2Gamer @ Mar 10 2004, 06:55 AM)

Bert was a coward imo he could have at least fought fairly instead of from behind unexpectedly. I think Canuck fans cheered him on during that part though.

I'm not justifying the end result, but everytime they lace up the skate to play a game, they know something may happen (or better know) and hope they get thru that night. Hockey is up there with the NFL as far as dangers inherent in the sport...sure they wear pads, but injuries (serious ones even) still occur.

I watch hockey because it's the only sport available to me out of a few others that I can watch two players take swings at each other and get only a 5 minute penalty. Other sports tosses the offending player out and leads to true dislikes and leads to off-court/field indifferences. In hockey, let them go then and there, blow off some hostility, and make 'em sit for 5 minutes to cool off. Even without the fighting, hockey is fairly aggressive, even in tie-ups at the boards just to get the puck out.

I do agree that some penalties need some improvements (this may seem off-topic, but just follow along), such as:

• poke check penalties (particularly since a stray poke to the face could lead to someone being blind in one eye).
• hooking should have a dual penalty system (say, 2 minutes if it's below the waist, 4 minutes if it's above). If you notice, the non-goalie players don't have much of anything to protect their throats and much of the face. Imagine the damage if someone were hooked in the throat.
• any type of swing with the stick against another player should be a game misconduct. That's just bad sportsmanship...

The list could actually go on and on, but these stick out in my mind for some reason.

Anyone remember the Tie Domi incident in Philadelphia? What did Domi get? Minor suspension and a slap on the wrist...for basically egging on a fight with an already hostile spectator. This doesn't compare to the Bertuzzi incident, but the officals jumped all over Domi immediately with that, but waited to pass judgement on Bertuzzi. Unfortunately, in a sport like hockey shit happens, for better or for worse. There are several players in the NHL that fans have no loveloss for. Let Bertuzzi serve his current suspension and await the NHL Commissioner's judgement to see if he plays next season. I think it should be this season AND next season BEFORE allowing Bertuzzi to argue his case about being allowed to play again in the NHL.

If you want sweet revenge (assuming Bertuzzi is allowed to play again), sic Domi on him (creepy little bastard )...or better, teach Davd "Tank" Abbot (of UFC fame) to play only for the purpose of "keeping Bertuzzi in check" (yeah, yeah...wishful thinking).

Speaking of UFC, some NHL refs need to take lessons from UFC referees. Seems as if NHL refs are a little slow on a lot, while UFC refs are in to break up whatever almost immediately. If timing is an issue, put in 2 more refs and have them "man" a quarter of the rink.