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
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):
2 comments:
First, I wantto say that it has been a LOOOOOONG time since I heard someone call this Tai Chi. A long time. Coach Peters is a great guy and a brilliant hockey mind. He was at my very first game as an official. I was 14 and working a peewee aged game at his hockey camp... and I blew a call where it was right in front of him at the Zamboni doors in John Glas Fieldhouse. He stood silently with his hand in the air. Afterwards he told me not to fear calling penalties and to keep working hard.
Like every official, I have some... But there are three that stick out in my mind.
1. The funny one. Working a Peewee game in Cloquet Pine Valley a player came around the back of the net with his head down. I tried to get out of his way and his 1 piece composite stick came up and hit me in the cup. Pain shot through my abdomen as I watched his stick flex and break in half. I hit my knees and the kid stood over his broken $200 stick like someone just crashed their Ferarri. It hurt... both of us I guess. LOL
The Sad One. Working an NCHA Women's game I dropped the puck in the end zone. Got out to the boards and powered out of the zone. The player behind the net shot it towards me. I knew all I needed was one more stride and I would be out of the zone. So I took it. My left leg shot out "BOOOOM" and CRASH. Trying to hold the zone, the UWSP defender (who I thought was backing out) caught my leg with her's as she was at the end of her stride at the exact same time. She fell and slid past the puck and the UWS player picked it up, hit her stride on a breakaway... And scored... the only goal of the game. Later I findout the UWSP defender... was the daughter of one of my Bantam coaches.
3. My best hit. Tai Chi at its finest... At the innagural MinnKota camp I was working as the Referee. I was following play when a player in the clear was taken down by an opposing diving player. I stopped, put my arms up and we had a penalty shot.
The player comes in, takes his shot, and the goalie makes a save. I signal the washout and the player turns to his off hand and right at me and with his head dejectedly up not really paying any attention to where I was. He ran into me. His legs split around me like a cartoon and I knocked the wind out of him as he continued to spin away from me.
And there I was, standing with my arms out, legs bent in a hockey position as I watched the kid slide around me. Oh man it was bad. I felt horrible, but from there... I could almost here the staff... JB you were there... laughing through the glass uncontrollably. Wow that was bad.
That's funny...I don't care who you are!
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