Seen the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

This past hockey season has brought me to over 100 games as an evaluator for the hockey referees.  If you were to ask me prior to the season if I would enjoy my time watching the zebras all winter long, I would have said "most definitely."

You can take that level of enjoyment and multiply it 10 X's over...that's how much I love Referee Camp!

I love the game of hockey.  Like the MN Wild slogan says, "it's in my blood." 

I also love teaching/coaching.  I love watching guys grow their potential AND their accomplishments throughout the season.  The success of our Late Season and Early Season Referee Camps have been the best part of it = tons of playoff assignments for our boys in stripes!

So...spending all of this time in the stands allows you the opportunity to see some pretty interesting sights.  Just using the past two weekends, I've gotta relay "the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly".

The Good

Over the past few weeks, I have taken in 10 USA Hockey games, 5 High School games, and 5 MJHL games, 75% of which have all been playoff games.  So, do you know what was so good about all that playoff hockey?  It was refereed with officials who busted their butts all year long...guys who did the 8 am "suck wad" games...guys that did the late shift on a Friday night...guys that busted their butts through 12 weeks of SWAT Team Training...guys who skated until they puked (oh ya...there was a couple..I was almost one of them) on a skating treadmill...because it is all about getting to this special time of the year -- the Push for the Playoffs!...the push for Bigger and Better games!

(the really good part?  there are almost 10 hockey referees from the UO Ref Camps who are going to be working MN Youth State Tournaments and USA Hockey Nationals in the next few more weekends = that's beyond 'the Good'!!!).

The Bad

I actually heard, for the first time in my life, about an official "f-bombing" another official.  Well...I have heard guys get upset (heck I even blew a gasket of epic proportions once) at their partners...but...usually...it is provoked.

THIS WAS AN ALL-OUT UNPROVOKED *EFF*YOU OVER WHO IS DROPPING A COUPLE OF FACE OFFS!

This past season, I have taken part in nearly 200 games at all levels.  I have seen all kinds.  I have seen guys who were clueless.  I have seen guys who needed some direction, but didn't know where to turn.  And, unfortunately, I have seen some lazy, no-good-for-nothing guys simply going through the motions to collect a pay check.  I would place the guy who "effed off" his partner in that category.  That guy needs to join a bowling league rather than ref hockey.  Seriously.

The Ugly

Just check out the video link here: disgrace to the game.  'Nuff said.