26 replies to this topic

[edicius]

This could get interesting.... Oh, who am I kidding? Campbell will just "handle this internally" just like the Auger debacle.

In their shootout victory over the Minnesota Wild on Monday night, the Columbus Blue Jackets suffered a slight disadvantage in power plays: The Wild were 0-for-7, while the Jackets didn't have a single manpower advantage all game. According to the Columbus Dispatch, a few fans in Section 109 of Nationwide Arena got on 21-year-veteran referee Paul Devorski during the game for what they felt was a blown call.

Devorski's response to that criticism? According to eyewitnesses, he made a "crying face" and gave them the finger.

Full article here.

[Jesusberg]

This could get interesting.... Oh, who am I kidding? Campbell will just "handle this internally" just like the Auger debacle.



Full article here.

Not that I wouldn't put it past a ref to abuse his power, but I also don't don't BJ fans after our recent encoubter with them in the post-season. Either way, should be entertaining to see the outcome.

[titanium2]

Hold the refs accountable for their actions???

[Stolberg]

that's awesome

[Doc Holliday]

Don't know why he should be punished for that.

Refs get it bad enough as it is, and he just gave a little back to a fanbase that has a history of bitching about officiating (see: Detroit's game 4 gwg/Toronto War room).

[Din758]

No suspension and a raise for Paul would be nice. Its pretty lame how people sit there and provoke these actions then cry like girls when it happens. Its not like Devorski punched these guys in the face, all he did was something I do regularly when driving down the lodge during rush hour.

Cry me a river if you dont like it.

[Travis]

Hahah, the idea of that is hilarious - even if it'd be really unprofessional on the part of the ref. Columbus Blue Jacket fans are hyper sensitive, though, so I could easily see their claims growing far beyond reality.

[Electrophile]

My feeling on this is two-fold. One, Devorksi shouldn't have done it, if he in fact, did do it. It's just unprofessional. Two, if he did do it.............why would the fans get all butthurt about it? Get over it.

Edited by Electrophile, 28 December 2010 - 09:37 AM.

[GSBrooks13]

HA. Well, obviously a referee mocking people and flipping them off is totally unprofessional.. but I don't see much problem with it.. I think the only way anything would ever even come of it is if someone had the video evidence..

[Nevermind]

Hold the refs accountable for their actions???

What an absurd idea. Colin Campbell's laughing right now.

Don't know why he should be punished for that.

Refs get it bad enough as it is, and he just gave a little back to a fanbase that has a history of bitching about officiating (see: Detroit's game 4 gwg/Toronto War room).

He should at least be warned not to do it again. As many others have said, it's completely unprofessional.

If a ref makes an obscene gesture and mocks a fan, it makes the ref seem biased and lowers his credibility. Not that many NHL refs have any credibility in the first place.

[nate94gt]

if this happened to the wings, you guys would have an outcry and would want a public hanging.

the ref shouldnt have done it, plain and simple (if he did do it). the refs have to tune out the fans completely.

[Wings_Toledo]

I've never really liked Devorski anyway, but I'm guessing all of those penalties called on the Jackets were legitimate. I mean, hell, with how little Columbus fans know about hockey he could have had his arm up on a delayed penalty and they could have thought that was giving them the finger.

[commadore183]

IF he did do what he's being accused of, the worst he should get would be a fine or an ass-chewing for being unprofessional, but otherwise, not to big of a deal. But, again, if true, this would be yet another hit to the league's officiating quality to the eyes of the fans. The league really needs to get off of this "99.9999999999% WITE!" bulls*** mentality and actually be a bit harder on bad officiating in general.

[Electrophile]

if this happened to the wings, you guys would have an outcry and would want a public hanging.

Actually, I'd just start laughing. It's a hockey game -- refs are going to blow calls. Just line in baseball an ump will blow a call, in basketball a ref will blow a call, and in football a ref will blow a call. It's what happens when you leave this up to humans, not robots. Does it suck? Sure, especially when that blown call might cost you the game. Does it mean anything in the grand scheme of things? Nope.

[GMRwings1983]

7 powerplays versus 0?

What ever happened to evening it up?

Edited by GMRwings1983, 28 December 2010 - 01:25 PM.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros]

Maybe his wife was banging a guy from Columbus?

[sleepwalker]

7 powerplays versus 0?

What ever happened to evening it up?

Yeah, when the calls are 7-0, its pretty hard to argue that there was no bias involved, and the refs weren't trying to give the game to one team over the other.

[Electrophile]

Yeah, when the calls are 7-0, its pretty hard to argue that there was no bias involved, and the refs weren't trying to give the game to one team over the other.

"Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity" aka Hanlon's razor.

Edited by Electrophile, 28 December 2010 - 02:10 PM.

[edicius]

I just look at it this way - if it was a player that did it, there would be a fine and/or a suspension coming. Remember the new "rude gesture" rule from Campbell this season.

[BlueMonk]

They punished a player for making an obscene gesture to another player. So when one of the guys responsible for maintaining order on the ice does it, and to the fans no less, of course he should be disciplined for it. To do anything else would be indefensible. Which is sort of the NHL's thing, so don't be surprised.

Still kind of funny, though.