Oh the pain. The raw emotion.

No, this isn’t a repeat of last month’s column about the dressing down of a teenage referee officiating just her second game.

Rather, this is the woe of a beer league zebra calling it quits. This account was forwarded to OS by another referee. Read on. (Names and locations changed to ensure absolute confidentiality).

Adult League Director,

Please rest assured that the following is not meant as a reflection of your program or the staff.

Tonight was by far the WORST night of my hockey career. Two games, one team in each game that did not want or know how to play hockey and they took it out on the officials. If we make calls, they whine. If we don’t make calls, they whine. Sure, it’s all part of beer-league officiating, but what occurred tonight went over the border of decency and I’m fed up with it.

The Lazy Hooligans obviously hate me and I’m OK with that. They don’t know how to play hockey and that’s fine as well. Game misconducts were issued to two players. I got screamed at because one of the players was a minority and I’m now accused of being a racist. After the game, their goalie was barking at me and I told him to be quiet and leave the rink and pointed to the door. He said he’s Jewish and was offended that I would make that sign like Hitler. Wow.

Second game had the Rubber Hosers. Plenty of barking, plenty of name calling, plenty of F-bombs and plenty of bad hockey. I was asked by them a number of times if I knew what was on the line and I said, “No.” They said they were playing for $150 and I was getting in their way. Whatever. The rules still apply, right? Unfortunately, I ended up tossing a few guys for 601 abuse.

But the real kicker was when I was heading to the locker room after the game. Hosers No. 55 was standing at his locker room door and yelled at me (loud enough that people in the stands could hear): “Why don’t you go somewhere and kill yourself!” Just so we are clear, that is a Match in my book, probably also worthy of calling the police and if it were my program, I would kick him out instantaneously.

Just a crap night. I’m done working men’s at this rink. Please take me off all future games.

Wow. Who needs that kind of abuse at midnight on a Tuesday? And what kind of lunatic calls an official a racist or asks a zebra to kill himself? I don’t care if it’s a playoff game and it’s totally irrelevant if a referee blows 20 percent of his or her calls. There’s a component of humanity and self-respect, right?

Yeah, even in butcher league, character ought to count for something.

You know the best way to counter this kind of insensitivity? Make all players pay up front for the season. I mean, you’d hope a player would think before yapping if he knew a multi-game suspension was on the line. No play and no refunds. That’s how to hit a guy in the pocketbook.

Meanwhile, OS is ready to report all instances of this kind of 601 abuse. Because that’s what this column is about. You know the slogan: the real gritty behind amateur hockey officiating. 

A youth coach dressing down a teenager or a drunken lumberjack lambasting a veteran Level 3. It doesn’t matter.

Adult league directors: Post this column in your players’ locker rooms. If just one guy takes it to heart, your league will be better off for it.

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