$400 in Busted Composites goes Viral

This one is a few days old now, but I just gotta put a video of this on a hockey referee website:
(I think the funniest thing is the player to Playfair's left is wetting-his-pants laughing the whole time, even trying to cover up his mouth with his glove)

Bracket Busters and Music

So...I asked my hockey refs in our UO Hockey Referee Camp for some music ideas to put together some highlight videos of our boys in action (guys: thanks for the input -- I am working on them and you will be pleased, but it will take a bit of time = due out Easter Weekend).

I got some interesting input.  Low Rider by War?  Really?

To each their own, I guess. 

Speaking of guessing...who'da thunk that Denver University would lose to Rochester Institute of Technology?  C'mon, boys!  Not only do you make the WCHA look bad, you totally busted up my bracket!!  I picked you guys to win for cripe sakes!

So, in a nod to music (I definitely did not say 'good music') and NCAA hockey, I found this gem floating around out there:
(side note: That first goal by Tony Hrkac, I remember being at the rink for that one, it was against University of New Hampshire, incidentally another team that lost last night that screwed up my NCAA hockey bracket!) -

Found this one in the Vault

You want to know how I know so much about video editing??  I took an elective class when I was going for my Master's Degree in Education on "Editing Digital Video". 

So...I am digging around my "stuff" in the laundry room storage the other day and I unearth this beauty!  Enjoy:

   

  Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io 

 

The Enforcer and Colin Campbell

A really, really good friend of mine asked me what I thought of the enforcer.  This was in response to the previous post, "March Madness".  I personally don't like the enforcer.  The guy just takes up too much space.  I mean...look at the MN Wild...they (are still trying to convince us) that they are fighting for a playoff spot and they have two guys in the lineup like Derek Boogaard  and John Scott ?  What is their combined 6 minutes of playing time going to do?  Little to nothing. 

BTW, I once gave John Scott a penalty when he was playing for Michigan Tech against St. Cloud State...it was for 'Holding the Stick' = hahaha.  Seriously, though, when he played, I told my lines partner that if he ever did anything on the ice (and he never did back then), I was just going to jump on his back!

So, let's get this straight: (1) I approve of fighting in the NHL and I don't want to pander to 'marginal' fans who don't like the 'violence' and want fighting out of the game, and (2) I believe in old school guys who take care of stuff themselves with passion, grit, and, yes, sometimes, knuckles.

Thanks to Justin Bourne, here is are a couple of old school guys taking care of Colin Campbell:

Playground Justice

You really want to know what I think?? (if you don't...well...you probably shouldn't visit my blog then, eh?).  I think those "marginal" fans of hockey who complain about the NHL and make comparisons to the Olympic Games, where there is no fighting or goons, are the type of people who don't really "get" hockey.  And I don't know if I would be willing to bend over backwards to win them over as fans, anyway.

Let's face this fact, please: Hockey is a regional sport that has it's own small niche (unless you are in Canada, where 50% of the public PASSIONATELY follows the game -- you know what the most passionate fan base in the United States is???  NFL Football at 30% = no comparison).

So, the long and the short of it is that I think fighting has its place in the sport.  I love some of the thoughts and sentiments that John Buccigross has had about fighting in the NHL:

"For some, this sanctioned pugilism gives a Wild, Wild West, Darwinism, Green Day mosh pit, uncivilized, circus vibe to the NHL. Well, duh ... that's what some of us like about it. That's the charm and uniqueness of hockey. No sport powered by humans is more dangerous. Sticks, boards, pucks, ice, razor-sharp blades and fists make hockey the most dangerous and unpredictable game. That's what makes for an excellent spectator sport. Hockey is best when it is played by crazy, fast and unpredictable young men trying to prove something."

And Bucci's 'safety' wrap up this way:

"I would still watch NHL games if fighting was "banned," and I certainly understand someone could actually get killed in an NHL fight; but I also get that people have died slipping in their own bathrooms, and they still haven't banned showers."

Here's the "Playground Justice":


And a bit more for good measure:



Watching hockey fights doesn't make a person violent.  I am sure some psychologist out there would disagree, but I don't feel any urge to rip the heads off doves, go punch my neighbor, or drive on the freeway with road rage.  I just like the intensity, the battles, the beauty followed by 'knuckle-dragging' neanderthal-ism of the game.  "It's a Great Day for Hockey".

All Kinds of March Madness

arch is great time of the year (especially when it is 64 degrees out, baby!).  There are all kinds of great hockey -- my backyard has the Minnesota State High School Tournaments, the Minnesota Youth Hockey State Tournaments, the WCHA Final Five...heck...even the Women's Frozen Four is in town at Ridder Arena on the University of Minnesota Campus!

It's just a fun time of the year ~~ WARNING...I am going to go back into my memory banks and pleasantly relive some memories from 1995 ~~ WARNING

Dateline - Moorhead, MN 1995, site of the Bantam A State Tournament

Rick Looker, Scott Engman, and myself were selected from MN District 16 to work the Bantam A State Tournament.  We travelled from Bemidji, MN (where we were all residing at the time) to Moorhead.  I remember checking into our hotel room on Thursday, prior to the banquet at the VFW Club, and checking all of the NCAA Hoops scores (just like I am doing now) to see how my bracket was doing.  We had a fun time connecting with the other officiating crews that night -  which included a District 5 crew (Brian Thul - WCHA ref,  IIHF ref, ECHL 5 year ref and Evonne Young (prior to Fix) - WCHA Women's ref, IIHF Olympics), a District 10 crew (Eric Olson - current MHOA President and Greg Anzelc - current editor of Minnesota Hockey Journal), and another crew from District 15 (Brian Mach - NHL Linesman) = WOW!  

I also remember working our early quaterfinal game on Friday and coming back to the hotel to clean up.  I remember watching the WCHA Final Five on T.V. and seeing Jerry Krieger wave off a goal against Minnesota (funny thing is, there quite a few who remember that incident :)  Out of all the fun we had on the ice -- our Dist 16 crew was selected to work the championship game -- I remember the people.  The bonding.  The commaraderie.  The memories.

Why bring up that story?  Because that's what we provide here at Ultimate Officials in our Referee Camps - a chance to relive GREAT MEMORIES over and over and over and over again.

I am so proud of the guys from the UO Camps who are participating in MN Youth State Tournaments this weekend:

Darren Glur and Shane Paskey (Bantam A)
Neil Missling (16U Boys Midget)
Kevin Cassidy and John Busch (Jr. Gold B Midget)
Joe Oberg (Jr. Gold A Midget)
Mike Diebold (19UB Girls)

and one guy working a Youth State Tournament in New Jersey:

Domenic Zecca (16U Tier I Midget)

******************************
More madness =


How about the Madness of no suspenion? 
(Even Grapes is incensed!)



How about this hit?:
(I love the comments from the NHL Network guys = right on)



Take a look at the game link for not only the Wisniewski hit, but I want you check out the play preceeding the game winning goal (OMG!): Chicago at Anaheim Highlights 

(Randy Carlyle, the coach of the Ducks, thought it was a clean hit?!?  And Wisniewski gets an 8 game suspension?!?  What about Matt Cooke?!?)
*******
(next day addition and edit):


OK...I am a teacher and I deal with kids who get in trouble all the time.  I am telling you, IT IS SO EASY TO TELL WHEN SOMEONE IS LYING to get out of trouble.  I am telling you, Wisniewski looks just like a 5th grade boy who got caught trying to steal something.  I love that the NHL Network put together a string of videos to back up any comments made...hilarious (or scary?...how about the cross check to the face?!).  By the way -- I think the term "HEAT SEEKING MISSILE" describes Frattin, too.



Madness...it's all Madness! 
(on a side note -- I think the playoffs this year is going to be better than last year, which was UN-BE-LIEV-ABLE!)