Okay, so the NHL doesn't want me to work on anything else because they keep releasing stories that grab my interest. This is the third breaking news story involving discipline within the hour.
New York Rangers Coach John Tortorella was fined $30,000 by NHL VP Colin Campbell. This comes hours after Coach Tort issued an apology for proposing a conspiracy theory about the officiating during the NHL Winter Classic in Philadelphia.
Apparently, Campbell doesn't like for the NHL to be critized during such an important event.
As a reminder: In the press conference room at Citizens Bank Stadium in Philadelphia, after the Rangers' Winter Classic victory over the Philadelphia Flyers, Tortorella blasted the officiating in the third period with hyperbolic aplomb, wondering if referees Ian Walsh and Dennis LaRue were working in concert with NBC to orchestrate an overtime while calling their work in the game "disgusting."
I personally do not feel the officials nor the NHL are involved in a conspiracy to make for better TV. First of all, I agree that the penalty shot should have happened. If NBC was in-cohoots (spelling?) with the League to have a penalty shot, maybe they should have informed their announcers. The announcers kept saying they couldn't see the puck being covered by a hand when the rules clearly state they don't HAVE to be covered by a hand. The announcers surely would have explained that better if they know needed it to happen to fit the grand script of an overtime.
Second, I will admit the officiating was rotten there towards the end of the game. Especially the hook/hold call. Many are claiming that because the official that made the call, Ian Walsh, was from Philadelphia that he called it to benefit the Flyers. That would mean that the NHL had selected Walsh well before the game to make sure the Flyers benefitted throughout the game therefore giving the home team the advantage. Have they ever done that before? Do they "plant" officials from the home region?
Why yes. Almost every year in fact.
It's a common practice to assign officials from an area the opportunity to officiate in their home town for big events. Tim Nowak was a linesman in 2008, born in Buffalo. 2009- Linesman Andy McElfman was from Chicago. 2010- Referee Chris Rooney was born in Boston while Linesman Brian Murphy was from New Hampshire. 2011 was the only year that the officiating crew didn't have at least one member from the area for a Winter Classic game.
But the reason is because it is a reward for the officials so they can officiate near their families, where their roots are. It does not have to do with some overriding conspiracy to benefit one particular side.
The NHL likes to reward good referees with unique experiences, like the Winter Classic or All Star Games. Veterans, absolute cream of the crop are choosen for the playoffs. But other games are a chance for their families to see them in a special moment as well. After all, if one has decided to become an official, one of the most unique and possibly awesome experiences they could have would be officiating a Winter Classic and the best venue to do it in would be one's hometown or where they grew up.
Let me put it to you this way: If the NHL is planting officials from the home region to intentionally sway the game in favor of that team, they are screwing up big time. The home team has a 1-3-1 record in the Winter Classic.
Let me get back to the penalty shot for a second. I believe that if the penalty shot was not a good call and somehow shows examples of corruption, they would have removed it from the NHL.com homepage by now. I just checked and there is a picture and a link to the penalty shot right there for all to see.
If they believe it was really giving evidence to conspiracy theorists, they would have removed it by now.
I could be wrong on all this, but I really don't see a cover-up conspiracy here. That being said, I cannot explain the hook/hold call. A hook/dive maybe MAYBE, but even that's a stretch. The way I saw it, the Rangers should have been awarded a goal making the final score 4-2. I cannot explain the rationale behind that call. That was a horrible call anyway you slice it. Still, I don't think it shows signs of an underlying plot to force the game into overtime.
If I wanted to give Philadelphia an advantage, I would have called Callahan for diving or holding stick claiming that it was Callahan's action of holding the stick that restrained him, not the hook. It was going to be a poke-check except that Callahan embellished the actions and held the stick. That would have given Philadelphia a powerplay.
Hell, you could have made a really questionable call in favor of the Flyers and claimed later that, "after reviewing the tape of the game upon returning to the locker room, you missed the call on the ice and there should have been a hook called as well." The cold weather effected you. The wind was in your face. The stadium lights played tricks on your eyes as it got darker. The reflections in a ballpark are different than a hockey arena. Whatever. One shouldn't also issue a coincidental penalty to the team you are trying to help. That's Rigging-The-Game 101.
Do you see my point? A lot more could have been done by the officials if they wanted to help Philadelphia. I don't believe they were trying to deviously effect the game and a hooking penalty was certainly committed, but I'm just pointing out some reasons against the conspiracy theories. Sometimes Referees make mistakes because they are human and just screw up.
Not that I'm saying there has never been attempts to influence before...
I'll have to give my take on those old Colin Campbell emails later.
For now, I'm trying to go to bed. Unless something else breaks about discipline. Let me check.
Hold on a minute...
...I think I'm good.
