The Early Season Referee Camp

CLICK ON THIS BUTTON TO SUBSCRIBE

    A compare/contrast with Ultimate Officials Camp and a "Garden Variety" Referee Camp:

           The Other Guy*                                                     
Time:       1 Weekend or 6 Days Maximum                          


          Ultimate Officials
Time:         3 Months, during Your Hockey Season, when You are Working Hockey Games that Matter
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         The Other Guy                                                    

Games to Work: A Select Festival or Nothing                         


         Ultimate Officials
Games to Work:    Well...you are working the league you want to conquer, and get playoff/championship assignments.
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         The Other Guy                                                    

Information Taught: Lots and In a Short Time, usually with no chance to improve                      


         Ultimate Officials
Information Taught: Well...the same info, BUT with time to work on and master, with LOTS of Feedback
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         The Other Guy

Instructors: Refs Who Have Been, Done That, but have little or NO teaching background.

        Ultimate Officials
Instructor: Teaching techniques from a Ref who has Been There, Done That & a Master's Degree in Teaching
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        The Other Guy
Curriculum: "One Size Fits All"

        Ultimate Officials
Curriculum: Specific to Your Needs and Goals (Ultimate Officials uses a 'one-of-a-kind' Individualized Referee Plan)**
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        The Other Guy
Feedback: A videotape of games, maybe an eval, and a short 'office hour' where you'll get generic feedback.

        Ultimate Officials
Feedback: All of the same feedback PLUS week by week breakdown with DETAILED & SPECIFIC feedback.
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        The Other Guy
Cost: USA Hockey Camp = $80 plus travel
* California Referee School = $335 plus travel
CSHO School = $349 to $475 plus travel
Don Koharski's Camp = $325 plus hotel plus travel
Johnny Murray's Camp = $500 for 1 week/$900 for 2 wks


       Ultimate Officials
Cost: $50 per Month -Total of $150, plus you earn your own Game Fees
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** Individualized Referee Plan is set up customary for you...your needs, your goals, your gameplan, your desire.

Fun Friday = Greatest Hits Ever - Any Tai Chi?

It was at about this time, in the fall of 1997, that I worked my first USHL game as a referee -- Twin Cities Vulcans vs. North Iowas Huskies at Bloomington Ice Gardens.  I was nervous as all get out.  My officiating career in the USHL up to that point had consisted of two seasons as a linesman -- the first year working two games (yep, a big two games) and the second season working my way all the way to the playoffs.  Of course, I 'cut my teeth' working the MJHL as a referee the previous season.   I had also refereed two pre-season USHL games in beautiful Hayward, WI, which included the Huskies and the Vulcans (and I totally blew a fight call in that game, which pissed off both coaches).

So, here I am, striping my first game.  Nervous.  Prepared. Ready.  I will honestly admit that the two coaches involved in the game scared me -- P.K. O'Handley for North Iowa and Jim Johanson for the Vulcans (a side note -- between the second and third period, in which the Huskies were down by 3 goals, I heard P.K. just BLAST his team with one of the greatest blue streaks of swearing ever -- I honestly thought they would come out and start a war in the third.  They actually rallied to win the game = phew!).

It was in that game that I think I had my greatest "check" ever.  I was so concerned about getting up and down the ice with all of my effort (that's a philosophy, folks...flying to the net/hustle/hard work), and a long pass to the far blue line was caught by Mike Possin of the Vulcans.  For whatever reason, rather than proceeding into the attacking zone, he doubled back with the puck, doing a 180 degree turnaround.

Well, I had a full head of steam and I just BLEW HIM UP.  I swear that it was like cartoons...we both went up into the air by a few feet and then flew back and we both landed on our backs.  And it was right in front of the North Iowa bench.  North Iowa absolutely LOVED IT!  All I did was look at the player and say, "What the hell are you doing?"

R.H. "Bob" Peters, Bemidji State

The question is, "What's your best check?"  Ever done a Tai Chi?  That's an R.H. Peters saying for when the checker gets pancaked by the puck carrier.  You know...when the checker gets checked?  I have had to do a few of those in my day, too.  It was like, "It's either you or me who's going down.  Guess what?  It's gonna be you!, " and I drop my shoulder to drop the player. 

Hopefully, your story does not lead to a goal or something screwy like that.  Here's a couple for you:


Goldy Gopher takes out ref (instead of mocking a player praying):

It Almost Makes You Want to

It almost makes you want to cheer and say, "These Finns are sweet!".  Actually, I like the music and the Finn accent.  Cool.  Real cool.  I love the tongue click by Selanne...



(Go, Mikko, you Wild captain, you, number one star last night). pssst...he's in the Nike Finn commercial...the dude with blonde hair and with ripped abs (yeah, I looked).  Does this next video have a #80 linesman from Minot, ND cruising around?:

Ode to More Tough Guys (esp. from MN!)

Gotta give some props to a northern MN boy (by way of other parts), Dustin Byfuglein:

This Will Mean More to MN Wild Fans

So...the Minnesota Wild are 1-4 and sucking some serious eggs early in the season.  I am not going to pull a "I told you so here", because that is not my point.  I am going to pull a "Jacques Lemaire (and even Risebrough) were smarter than you thought," and do my best effort to stickhandle that into refereeing...

First of all, the starters:

1. Lemaire quits last year, everybody hates the "trap", MN Wild play boring hockey.
2. BTW, the Wild missed the playoffs by 3 points, missing Gaborik for 65 games and Brent Burns for the last month.  Not bad when a team is out its best forward and best defenseman for a long stretch.
3. Still, the Wild fans can't stand Lemaire's boring hockey.  They like the Red Wings and Penguins hockey.
4. A new GM and Coach, who are going to do an "up tempo" play.
5. I say, "Big Whoopie," because the Wild has no talent.  They are all grit, hard work, ham and eggs, a bag of knuckles, bring in some jam, and "Attache le tuque".  Seriously...I went to one game last year where they played Thornton, Marleau, and the San Jose Sharks.  The Wild weren't that good.  But...effective.
6. The "up tempo" has the Wild sucking eggs. They aren't the Wings or Pens.
7. Here is a funny comment on Mike Russo's blog, which was dated September 11, 2009.  I will cut and paste it here...it is a 'spoof' of a Q/A that Russo had with Cliff Fletcher, the Wild GM:

Mister Know it all: The team last year was a healthy Marion Gaborik and Brent Burns away from winning the division.  Now that the team is healthy and have replaced Gaby for Havlat. How do you see your team finishing ?

Fletcher: Blank look on his face. Were changing to a more up beat style because that is how the Pens and Detroit win in the CURRENT nhl. This style of hockey will be very fun to watch.

Mister Know it all: On Russos Blog it has been determined that Winning is more important to fans then playing fun and exciting hockey if you lose doing it

Fletcher: We want to win playing up tempo hockey. We think in the end they will be more happy

Mister Know it all: The previous regime believed that the fans of Minnesota would best like a blue collar hardworking style of hockey that wins consistently year in and year out. They also believed it would be easier to achieve consistency in winning if a focus was put on a strong defensive type system that cut out unnecessary risk taking that clearly and SIMPLY defines every players defensive responsibilities on the ice.

Fletcher: Well Leopold is the owner now and he asked me to bring an up tempo style of hockey to Minnesota because all of the fans were complaining they were getting sick of watching boring hockey. I have success with the Pens with this system

Mister Know it all: How did the Pens get to being able to play the up tempo hockey with success

Fletcher: They finished last for a few years and they were able to land top players like Malkin and Crosby and others which made it easier to win playing the up tempo game

Mister Know it all: Do you think the fans of Minnesota have the patience to wait for the team to win doing your system

Fletcher: I don’t know, we will see

Mister Know it all: Lemaire said you would quickly stop the risk taking once you realize you dont have the scorers to play that way

Fletcher: That is Mr Richards department, ask him

Mister Know it all: Last year Minnesota missed the playoffs by 3 points playing without its top forward and dman all year basically. Simply put the team was destroyed by injuries.  Why did the team have success ?

2nd in the league goals against
2nd in the league on penalty kill
9th in the league on power play
Why they did not win more ?

The team was reliant on Gaby to win the close games it found themselves in. With Gaby out they were the worst 5 on 5 team in the league.  So is it reasonable to say that the fans can expect this team to be in the playoffs given these factors ?

(1) You have Havlat and we did not have Gaby last year
(2) Young players now have one more year of experience which should help Shep, Gillies, Pouliot, Clutterbuck, Cuma
(3)The team is healthy

Fletcher: Well, when you put it that way yes I would expect us to be in the playoffs.
It is quite simple Mister Know it all, We wont be 2nd in goals against this year. Plain and simply put
The trade off to get better in the spirit of the up tempo game is scoring more 5 on 5, Mister Know it all,
We think the ingredients we are looking for to get better is going from worst in the league 5 on 5 to the TOP 12 in the league.  Our GOAL for goals against is no worse then 10th in the league.  We don’t want to be any worse on the penalty kill and power play then the team was last year. We are ok with those stats.


Mister Know it all: Don’t you think its a stretch to say your team is going to go from the worst team 5 on 5 to being in the top 12, or the top 1/3 in the league 5 on 5 ? All you have essentially done is replace Gaby with Havlat for the offense- Yes the young guys will be better but it seems a stretch.

Fletcher: I am going to watch Tony Robbins and Zig Zigler and stay positive.

Mister Know it all: What about Modano as I have suggested numerous times.

Fletcher: Be patient Mister Know it all. He will be here in time. I agree with you that a motivated Modano could be our answer.

To be continued

This is soooo true....

**What does this have to do with referees?**

Confidence is a tricky thing for some guys.  Lemaire put a system forward that gave the Wild the greatest confidence they could have.  I am telling you, the Wild had NO BUSINESS being in the playoffs or in the playoff hunt last year with the talent they had.  The were (to quote R.H. "Bob" Peters), "Common people, doing common things, Uncommonly well."   I will take that any day, and that is what I look for in officials. 

• Do the common things, uncommonly well.
• Bring your pride, grit, and determination every game.
• Stick to a system that will best suit you.  Not everybody is going to be a referee like Kerry Fraser.
• Do the small things that build to small victories that lead to Big victories.
• Always know that you can work harder.
• Preparation + Having Balls (X2) = Good Luck
• Owen Nolan, Andrew Burnette, and Wes Walz can fight with me in a fox hole anytime.  Pattern your game after them, which includes HARD WORK off the ice, the correct mental mindset, and control what you can control (effort and attitude -- everything else is BEYOND your control).

It's going to be a long year for the MN Wild.  However, it will be a GREAT year for our SWAT Team of referees for Ultimate Officials.  Attache le tuque.

Smorgasbord

There have been so many things I have wanted to post about lately, so I decided to do a "Cliff's Notes" version (besides, I have three more games to post on [UO Teaching Videos]!).
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 Rivarly Games

Fun stuff...can be wild.  These are the types of games you dream of working.  Whether it be at the Bantam, High School, College level, or beyond, it is games like these that make you work hard, that make you do stuff behind closed doors, that other officials won't do, just so you can go out and re-create some memories.  When people ask me, "what is this Ultimate Officials thing all about?," my answer is, "we recreate memories."

Do you remember the best game you ever reffed?
Do you remember that over-time thriller?
Do you remember the feeling of satisfaction when you worked a tough game, but you nailed it?

Let's recreate those memories.  And it all starts with a decision, then a commitment.

Here's to a rivarly this coming weekend:



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Batch Processing versus Real Time Processing and Video Replay

You want to get it right, don't you?  In the end, that's all you want...get it right.

Does it matter if it is done by instant replay?  Would it diminish your "manli-hood" if you were wrong the first time and used technology to get it right?  If so...wow!

I think MLB umps would want to get it right:



Here's the thing -- we let ego get in the way.  We use 'traditionalism' to justify that things are OK, it's the way it has always been done.  Well, I'm here to give every one a wake up call that the world around us has changed, and I don't see the referee/officiating world changing with it.  Let's use hockey as an example:

• players train using specialized programs (refs don't)
• the speed of the game is faster than ever before and getting faster (refs are the same)
• technology is used to break down a player's shifts/game/skills (refs may get a DVD, no or little breakdown).
• players receive "real time processing" and get feedback immediately to improve performance (refs get "batch processing" for feedback - which is very ineffective - or, worse, get NO feedback at all!)
• technology is there for all players, coaches, and trainers to use and implement (refs are scared of it or they choose not to embrace it).

The refs answer: it's the way it has always been done.  Nothing wrong here.  We can fix it the old-fashioned way.  Uggghhh....here are the "Seven Steps to Stagnation":

1. We've never done it that way.
2. We're not ready for that yet.
3. We're doing alright without it.
4. We tried it once and it didn't work out.
5. It costs too much.
6. That's not our responsibility.
7. It won't work.

Ultimate Officials, thanks in large part to our new management, is undertaking a serious change in referee development.  We understand that feedback, done so in "real time" (i.e. immediately, right away, so you can process it) is the wave of the future for coaching officials.  "Batch processing" (i.e. giving feedback at some point in the future, maybe the end of the game, sometimes at the end of a season, sometimes not at all) is DEAD!  It doesn't work.  Why? Usually the referee doesn't remember it, or they can't make corrections until the next time they ref or the next time some situation happens to them.  Uggghh!

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A College Football Team as an Example:

The following was taken from the October 12, 2009 issue of Sports Illustrated.  The [story] is about TCU Horned Frogs College Football Team.  They have taken a change to how players are recruited, groomed, and pushed:

When it comes to recruiting, Patterson is a realist. "As a general rule, no one beats Texas [in recruiting] in the state of Texas," he says. But making do with the table scraps left by the Longhorns, TCU has won 11 games in four of the last six seasons. With September road victories over Virginia and Clemson, the Frogs have won 13 of their last 16 against teams from BCS conferences.

How is this happening? How has a program from a private school with fewer than 3,700 male students become a fixture in the Top 25? Patterson's formula has been to employ a conservative but opportunistic offense, mix in strong special teams and, most important, play swarming, confusing lights-out defense. And more key than his schemes are the guys he finds to run them. His players tend to fit a certain mold. They are:

• Fast. You can be short. But if you can't fly to the ball, TCU isn't interested.
• From Texas—of the 21 players in TCU's 2009 recruiting class, 20 are from in-state—and acutely aware of having been overlooked by Texas. Patterson, says Dallas Cowboys linebacker Stephen Hodge, a former Horned Frog, "wants guys with a blue-collar work ethic and a chip on their shoulders."
• Low maintenance. Patterson seeks self-starters, guys who watch video during their lunch periods, who don't have to be lassoed into the weight room. "It doesn't matter how bad I want it if they don't," he says.
• Not overly attached to the position they played in high school. In 2006 five of the 11 players on the defensive line were former high school running backs. Hodge, a strong safety for the Frogs, was a prep quarterback, as were three recent starting tight ends, two of whom ended up in the NFL. Another transplanted QB: Jason Phillips, a four-year starter at linebacker who's now a rookie with the Baltimore Ravens.

"When Coach Patterson asks you to change, you listen," says Phillips, who also played linebacker in high school. "His track record is pretty good. Plus, it usually means you're going to get on the field quicker."

How can this be applicable to hockey referees?  Well, I will insert my own bullet points and let you decide (maybe it doesn't apply anywhere but my mind):

• Hustle (fast helps).  You have be conditioned to FLYING (I mean FLYING!) to the net at stoppages, to the net, period, as a referee, if you are going to be on our team.
• From a place where you wear your heart on your sleeve.  You must reside in "Gumption County" to be a part of this team.  If you don't come from a place that brings your "A" game every time, if you get burned out working crappy 'checkbook' hockey games, then we aren't looking for you.
• Low maintenance.  You must be willing, through your own decisions, to commit to being better through training, accountability measures, and watching video.  If you ain't got time for that, go join the chess club for recreation.
• Not overly attached to your own perceived notions.  You must be "coachable".  There have been a handful of people "cut" from the Ultimate Officials roster, because they were either not coachable or they were not serious.  Don't waste your time (or mine).

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Belief

In order to change, you need to change.  Change your beliefs.  Change what you do.  Change who you hang out with.  Change something...and...you usually have to make a dramatic change to make a dramatic improvement.  Do you subscribe to the "7 Steps of Stagnation"?

Or do you believe?  Is this your year?

Ode to Funny Guys

OK, just to show I've got a sense of humor, too...I love these guys...funny...nothing to do with hockey referees, except that I've seen guys ref like these two guys...in fact, I saw it last year...no kidding...I'm serious...yep:

Ode to Tough Guys

If you know me, have read this blog for any length of time, or ever played with me, you know that I am waayyy more "lunch bucket" than "Great Gretzky"...so I thought I'd share this one.

** NOTE TO ALL: During the 2006-07 College Hockey Season, I had a goal of 'out-working' EVERY single linesman in the league.  Happy to report, it wasn't a contest.  Bring your lunch bucket! **

This One Makes the Grade

I'm putting this video clip in the blog, because I like fights.  I do.  I like going to a game and watching a good fight (I do think that some leagues have totally got the fight thing backwards, where you can't fight at the end of a shift, therefore giving you these staged numbers...you know...like the one I am showing??).  I also put this in because it has our MN boy, Macher #78.  In fact, there were 3 MN residents working that game last night - Chris Lee and Ryan Galloway both live in Minny.  Cool.

p.s. I remember working games with John Scott, playing for Michigan Tech, and he was HUGE.  I mean, he was a MONSTER.  I thought, "If you do anything, I literally will jump on your back." (note: he was pretty gentle back then...it took hanging around Boogaard to turn him into a beast. IALTO).

"Like an Assassin"?

Mental Toughness to the Extreme...good? bad? unhealthy? what's your take?

Being a Vikings fan, I watched with more interest than usual for Monday night's MNF game featuring Favre vs. the Packers.  Of course, the Minneapolis area has been buzzing about this match up all week, if not since #4 signed with the Purple.

So, on my drive home from teaching school on Monday, I hear the local sports station interview Mike Ditka, and ask him how much of a revenge factor is going through Favre's head.  Ditka said it wouldn't be like that at all, it's all about the will to win and treating the game like that (or something or other).  "Yeah right," I thought, "this guy is gonna wanna rip through the Pack to make a statement, maybe his biggest statement to wrap up his career.

So, I am then watching the pre-game show on ESPN, which has Ditka, Boomer, Keyshawn, Cris Carter, and Tom Jackson.  Once again, the topic comes up about "whether this game is a revenge game for Favre or not."  Ditka gives his same answer that he gave KFAN earlier in the day on the radio - "Brett is more focused about winning.  It's not about revenge."

The other guys laughed at that one...

Cris Carter -- Cris was let go by the Philadelphia Eagles and Coach, Buddy Ryan, who said, "All he does is catch touchdowns."  When he was picked up by the Vikings and they played the Eagles, he wanted nothing more than to DESTROY them.  Final result: 6 receptions for 151 yards and a 78 yard TD on MNF.

Tom Jackson -- He said that he "made stuff up" about the opposing team, just so he could get into a 'revenge-type' mindset (WOW!).

They all commented on Michael Jordan's Basketball Hall of Fame speech, where he called all kinds of people out, really surprising the entire crowd, and turning many of them off [Story Here].  A former assistant coach of his on the Chicago Bulls said that Jordan is "like an assassin", meaning he's a cold-blooded killer, approached the game that way, and, therefore, dominated the game.

It got me thinking about an interview that Tiger Woods did with Barbara Walters on 20/20, and she asked something like, "Do you go into each tournament expecting to win."  His response was something like, "I don't even know why the others bother showing up. (DOUBLE WOW!).

All of this gets me thinking about referees.  In 2007, I did a Thesis project on "The Mental Apsects of Officiating."  One of the 5 common characteristics among elite level hockey refs is that they possess the "Mindset of a Champion."  Well...I'd hate to tell you and others who get squemish about such things, but these people who think like champions do wonder why others show up.  They are arrogant in some regards (most never act so outwardly -- it would diminsh their character -- but believe so inwardly.  They are obsessed with winning and do what it takes.

So, the question finally comes down to: "How bad do you want it?"  Really bad?  Or only if it is easy?  Referees aren't playing to win or lose.  But many do play for keeps.  It's a unique world where a hockey ref is in a brotherhood that is constantly in competition with each other.  There are [percentages that are always present] in the hockey referee world...where does your mindset, competitive streak, and drive fall on that percentage?

Are you "like an assassin"?  I know I am. I know that Favre played like one on Monday. (One more WOW!).

[SWAT Team]

Motivated...Inspired...Amused...and Ready to Vent(*)

(there's a funny video at the end...hehehe)

A few posts [ago], I talked about the new "ADM", and I look at such stuff from the eyes of somebody who wants to really make changes in development of hockey referees.  There was a chance in those [posts] to sign up for a series of videos on how "My USA Hockey is Different from Yours".

That's the God's honest truth.  Nothing could mean more to me at this point going forward than righting a ship that seems to veer off course.  I proposed such action as "overhauling" the referee development world, and got the blessing from the Pope, the Bishop, and was even told to go light candles in my local parish for the "Good Ol' Boy Network", because they will be a dying breed (kind of like those 'Wiseguys' do in mob movies -hehehe).

What in the heck does all of this mean for you?

Well...if you are a "Good Ol' Boy", it is means you will be finished.  Kind of like Dan "the Common Man" Cole of KFAN, going off on how all of the competition in Major League Baseball is done, now that the MN Twins will sweep this weekend (toungue planted firmly in cheek).

Don't know the 'Common Man'?...Imagine you scream the team nickname, and me screaming the response.  Here goes:

Red Sox!....washed with a color-unsafe bleach!

Orioles!......de-habitated

Yankees.....Beaten by the South!

Blue Jays....Hawked!

Rays...........avenged by the "Crocodile Hunter" fans!

White Sox...Stained!

Royals........flushed!

Indians.......mistakenly labeled because Columbus thought he was going to India!

Tigers........de-clawed!

Angels.......demonized!

A's............moved to the end of the alphabet!

Mariners....lost at sea!

Rangers.....re-assigned to Border Patrol duty!

Marlins......blackened and served with rice pilaf!

Mets.........rural-ized!

Braves......coward-ed!

Phillies......Cheesesteak-ed!

Nationals..deported!

Cubs........tranquilized

Cardinals..demoted to Altar Boy!

Pirates......sunk!

Astros......Apollo I-ed!

Brewers...prohibitioned!

Reds........persecuted by McCarthy-ism!

Dodgers...Chevy-ed!

Rockies....foothill-ed!

Giants......dwarfed!

Padres.....translated!

D-Backs..made into Cowboy Boots!

"THEY'RE ALL DEAD!  NOTHING'S GOING TO STOP US NOW!" (IALTO)

Seriously, back to hockey...I was watching some tryout scrimmages last night, evaluating some local hockey referees, and I saw a Girls U12 and Bantam B tryout.  Some of these kids were "cooking with gas!"  It was fun...and it got me wondering, "Why don't more refs want it bad?!?"

I mean, I set up a Fitness Contest and I wonder why more people don't want to come out and just destroy the competition?!?  Does my brain have bad wiring?  Was I neglected as a child?  Was I raised by wolves?  I wonder stuff like this because I want to beat everyone in a competition....maybe I am unhealthy.  I don't know.  I thought I was like this guy:

Well, maybe you can help me...click on that link up there at the top to see my why "My USA Hockey is Different from Yours" on how I want to take as many hockey referees to Bigger and Better games as possible, doing it 'Herb Brooks-Style' (Caution: it will contain some adult content...it will be my attempt at seriousness and humor all-in-one...I will light a candle for myself when I go to my local parish while I am lighting candles for the "Good Ol' Boy" Network...stay tuned).

(*) Venting will be done on those who sit on their kiesters and do nothing.