Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Are NHL Goal Judges Being Downsized?
by Jes
Reader "Progressive Rocker" sent me a quick email this morning...
I was watching the Wild/Ducks game last Friday night (yes, I am VERY lonely), and heard something strange from the announcers doing the game (I think they were from the CBC): Anaheim is no longer stationing the goal judges directly behind the goal; in fact, they're selling the seats directly behind the goal and stashed the judges way up in the rafters!
I wouldn't put it past an NHL owner for greed, but have any other teams started this practice?
If I recall correctly, Don Cherry recently ranted about the Leafs (I think it was them) planting a goal judge above the seats in the lower bowl!!
Umm, just how is a goal judge supposed to do their job when they are farther away from the play than half of the people in attendance? It is silly, and I'm amazed that the NHL has actually allowed this. Technically, the teams are breaking the rules by not having following the standard officiating configuration.
Do the owners want the extra ticket revenue? of course they do, but the goal judge is supposed to be a working official, and it's just a disgrace to have them sitting far away from the game. What is the point of even having them, then?
Are teams trying to press the issue with the NHL? If so, I wish they'd do it in less disgraceful means. The poor goal judge (from Cherry's clip) looked like he was depressed and embarressed to be there. Can you imagine the ribbing he got from the fans around him? It was bad enough that the goal judges lost their nice little glass box, but now they have to sit behind some drunk yahoo screaming "Sorry, am I blocking your view? Didn't you see that go in? Hahahaha! WOOOO!!!"
Look, with today's technology, there is no real need for goal judges in the NHL. In the other leagues? Yes, but not the NHL.
Has anyone else seen goal judges in weird places?
Reader "Progressive Rocker" sent me a quick email this morning...
I was watching the Wild/Ducks game last Friday night (yes, I am VERY lonely), and heard something strange from the announcers doing the game (I think they were from the CBC): Anaheim is no longer stationing the goal judges directly behind the goal; in fact, they're selling the seats directly behind the goal and stashed the judges way up in the rafters!
I wouldn't put it past an NHL owner for greed, but have any other teams started this practice?
If I recall correctly, Don Cherry recently ranted about the Leafs (I think it was them) planting a goal judge above the seats in the lower bowl!!
Umm, just how is a goal judge supposed to do their job when they are farther away from the play than half of the people in attendance? It is silly, and I'm amazed that the NHL has actually allowed this. Technically, the teams are breaking the rules by not having following the standard officiating configuration.
Do the owners want the extra ticket revenue? of course they do, but the goal judge is supposed to be a working official, and it's just a disgrace to have them sitting far away from the game. What is the point of even having them, then?
Are teams trying to press the issue with the NHL? If so, I wish they'd do it in less disgraceful means. The poor goal judge (from Cherry's clip) looked like he was depressed and embarressed to be there. Can you imagine the ribbing he got from the fans around him? It was bad enough that the goal judges lost their nice little glass box, but now they have to sit behind some drunk yahoo screaming "Sorry, am I blocking your view? Didn't you see that go in? Hahahaha! WOOOO!!!"
Look, with today's technology, there is no real need for goal judges in the NHL. In the other leagues? Yes, but not the NHL.
Has anyone else seen goal judges in weird places?
Labels: goal judge, NHL, referees
