CenterIce 83 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 3. The officials: Bettman was also asked about the officiating in the playoffs -- a sensitive topic judging from ESPN.com message boards -- and whether the games are being called differently in the postseason."It's not the case," Bettman said. "They haven't been given a different set of instructions. The game is played a little differently, and the officials have to react to that. And there are adjustments that go on in the course of a series that you don't see over the course of the regular season, two teams will play and play different teams the next night. "The games now are probably a little more intense. ... But no, they're told to call it just the way they did [in the regular season]. I also think the scrutiny tends to be even a little greater and the passion involved in every call is probably greater because every call is important. Our goal is to have the officials get it right and overwhelmingly they do. Are they perfect? This is a game of mistakes. Coaches make mistakes, players make mistakes and, occasionally, even an official might." http://espn.go.com/nhl/blog/_/name/nhl_playoffs/id/5160335/games-not-being-called-differently 1 teebo reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Electrophile 3,554 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 "Occasionally" "Might" He admitted nothing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Bettman can't say much more then that, he realizes how horribly the game was officiated. Brad Watson has been a train wreck for long enough, he needs to go away. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest scottj Report post Posted May 4, 2010 occasionally might... does this guy watch the NHL? does he think that people are actually dumb enough to believe that? it's kind of insulting... you're acting like your customers are a bunch of ******* morons Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grypho 195 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Bettman has to use the word 'might', not so much to confer a cloak or illusion of infallibility onto the refs, but because fans from almost every team in the league would jump on it as vindication for their particular complaint, as if Bettman was specifically referring to them, and admitting something about their particular game grievances of choice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest mjtm77 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Did not need to post this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SouthernWingsFan 854 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Doesn't seem that way unfortuantely that he admitted they made mistakes. Just predictable from him, dodging questions and saying something along the lines of they have a hard job we have great refs, etc. Well you know what? Everybody's job is hard. I don't get what is so damned difficult in admitting you made mistakes. Nobody's perfect. I'd rather people come to me and say they screwed up or my bad instead of trying to cover things up. I will not hold it against you if or think less of you tell me the truth. 1 GoWings1905 reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 All I want is consistency... that's it... 1 Uncle Danny reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HOCKEY MATTERS 167 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 All I want is consistency... that's it... Exactly. Call the games consistently and let the better team win on their own merit. But, alas, my friend. We dream. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Exactly. Call the games consistently and let the better team win on their own merit. But, alas, my friend. We dream. It's just so maddening... if something is a penalty, fine, call it and have all the tickey tack calls every game, and have 15 PP's a game... just CALL IT ALL THE TIME... players don't know what they can get away with and it's frustrating when you're called for something that an opponent JUST got away with... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cusimano_brothers 1,655 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 "You have to know the difference between abuse and emotion. Emotion is good for the game. Do we make mistakes? Yes. Do we make more mistakes than the players? No."-- NHL referee Dan O'Halloran Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edicius 3,269 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 That's just his 0.1% of the time they're wrong. They're still right 99.9% of the time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Third Man In 2,091 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Bettman's never going to throw individual refs under the bus, and he shouldn't. No boss should do that to their employees in public. But like stevkrause suggests, the league's efforts to increase consistency have been laughable. Did anyone see the bit on the CBC a couple weeks back where Ron MacLean had the video the league showed to all the teams with examples of pucks legally and illegally deflected in off skates? Most of the examples were completely indistinguishable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wingfan13 44 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 What the hell is he talking about when he says they are not given a different set of instructions ? Didn't they make a big deal about calling more goaltender interference calls in the playoffs ? 1 55fan reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ami 273 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 what else would you expect from focking lawyer? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedLightGoesOn 81 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 They only make mistakes when they call penalties against PIttsburgh. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 What the hell is he talking about when he says they are not given a different set of instructions ? Didn't they make a big deal about calling more goaltender interference calls in the playoffs ? Yes, indeed. And they specifically said that they were going after diving/embellishment and too many men as well. Now they have been calling many more of those this post-season, so if he had said, "yes, we are calling it differently, and we had notified all teams that we would be doing so" he would be consistent with what he had said before. You'd think a guy who knows more about cross-examinations than cross-checks would not paint himself into a verbal corner by contradicting himself. 1 MidMichSteve reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MidMichSteve 1,115 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Being consistent with their calls could present another problem. Do we want Bert called for holding every time he skates by an opponent? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoWings1905 2,694 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 The lack of accountability in this league is sickening. I would give them more credit if someone (refs, league officials) would at least admit to any wrongdoing and make an effort to resolve the problem. I can live with mistakes, but damn don't act like everything is going well when it clearly isn't. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Electrophile 3,554 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 (edited) I've said it once, I've said it a dozen times. When Bud Selig understands the need for officials (umps) to be held accountable and for a system to be in place to insure right calls are made when necessary......and Gary Bettman doesn't.......that's a problem. Selig is a ******* moron but even a stopped clock is right twice a day. With Bettman, the hands fell off. Edited May 4, 2010 by Electrophile 1 edicius reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mitchmac33 103 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 Yes, indeed. And they specifically said that they were going after diving/embellishment and too many men as well. Now they have been calling many more of those this post-season, so if he had said, "yes, we are calling it differently, and we had notified all teams that we would be doing so" he would be consistent with what he had said before. You'd think a guy who knows more about cross-examinations than cross-checks would not paint himself into a verbal corner by contradicting himself. I was watching one game this post season (don't remember which) but it wass in the first round and the commentator said that the nhl had already set a record for most too many men on the ice calls for an entire post season. In one round! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Holmstrom96 347 Report post Posted May 4, 2010 All I want is consistency... that's it... Amen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites