To the guy at OS: My staff and I are really tired of your coaches complaint columns. There are so many refs that don’t know the rules, so why don’t you write about that?

OS: I’m going to give you a strong piece of advice. Every day, there are four separate traffic court calls in Cook County. Now, let’s suppose that some of those rookie judges may not be savvy about every single traffic statute. Let’s say a judge makes an erroneous ruling on a piece of evidence. Let’s then say that you and your low-level JV coaching fraternity boys are appearing before that judge and the erroneous ruling goes against you. Let’s further say that you start cussing out the guy in the robe just like you cuss out us guys in the zebra stripes. 

Advice: Take the game misconduct and shut up, or take the civil contempt and spend up to 180 days in the cooler.

Dear OS: Thank you for exposing the abuse of officials in your last few columns. It’s disgusting to see this stuff go on and I fully agree that harsher penalties are warranted.

OS: Looking at the responses received from all over the country, you’re definitely in good company. Now we just need level-headed guys to monitor the civil boorishness and then correspond with their respective local associations. The more public input from the hockey community, the more likely the association is to clamp down on this abuse. And then more young refs will stay in the ranks.

Mr. OS: Here’s what I am tired of – you referees acting like you’re the judge and jury. I think you guys are just power hungry.
OS: I’ve got news – we are the judge and jury. And you know how trials are won? By garnering favor with the judge or jury. Ever seen a defense lawyer Rule 601 a circuit judge? That’s how to blow up a case. So what gives a coach the right to 601 a zebra? Got to be real dumb to do that.

Dear Ref Writer: I’m a coach. I volunteer my services and I’ve seen so many bad calls that sometimes I can’t control myself. I’m human, so lay off.

OS: Let me explain this to you the way I would portray it for a third grade classroom. If your mother is on trial for running a Chicago red light camera, and Dad shows up at the hearing just to cuss out the judge, Mom is gonna skin Dad alive because he just blew the case, resulting in traffic school and a $150 fine. Similarly, if a smart coach is looking to win a game, the last thing he’s going to do is grandstand for the suburban Mite Silver parents and take an unsportsmanlike 601 penalty, just because a teenage referee in her second game made an erroneous icing judgment call.

You get that? Right?

To OS: Okay, I’m one of those beer league guys and as far as I’m concerned, I have every right to complain about you guys because I am tired of watching you wash out icings, and keep play moving every time our game starts after 10 at night. As far as I’m concerned, without us, you wouldn’t be reffing most nights so lay off.
OS: What’s the point?

Dear OS: Thank you so much for the columns. My son is one of those younger officials and he used to be scared to take the ice. But I showed him those last two columns and now he realizes that it’s the coaches that have the problem. 

OS: Look, I appreciate the compliment. But actually, we shouldn’t label all coaches as the problem. There are many coaches that have pleasant dispositions, never utter a negative adjective, and understand the entire amateur hockey perspective. Those guys are in the overwhelming majority. But good news doesn’t make journalistic fodder.

Questions and comments can be sent to editor@letsplayhockey.com, via Twitter @OSpeaking or through the Let’s Play Hockey Facebook page.