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WCHA director of officials Sheppard


AZSIOUX

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Are you kidding me? Do you watch hockey at all? NO league is consistent with the way they call games. From youth to adult hockey. From college to the NHL. Nothing is consistent. You can't just go around firing people left and right because they make HUMAN mistakes in a game that is extremely fast and you must make a judgement call in an instant. But man is it easy to "ref" a game from the stands or from your couch wearing whatever color glasses that fits your team. :)

Also.... If you don't think the coaches have input on how they want the league to be officiated as a whole, you are pretty clueless. They have tremendous influence.

As a side note.......

The WCHA is getting new blood when it comes to refs. Thul and Albers are two new guys that come to mind. There will be another new ref this year with Bill Mason being pushed out. So change is happening, it just takes time.

I have no doubt that you and other people that know Greg Sheppard personally would defend him as a friend. He has a great deal of friends in the Twin Cities and not very many elsewhere, and that could be part of the problem. All I want is some consistency and there isn't any. While I don't know him personally, his behavior doesn't surprise me that much, as he has always come off as a pompous person. Of course most of that is based on the days he was officiating, and as I said I don't know him, so I don't know if that is the actual person.

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I have no doubt that you and other people that know Greg Sheppard personally would defend him as a friend. He has a great deal of friends in the Twin Cities and not very many elsewhere, and that could be part of the problem. All I want is some consistency and there isn't any. While I don't know him personally, his behavior doesn't surprise me that much, as he has always come off as a pompous person. Of course most of that is based on the days he was officiating, and as I said I don't know him, so I don't know if that is the actual person.

I don't really know him, it's just been a few conversations in the press box at Mariucci and the X... I don't think he even knows my name. He probabnly just knows my face.

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While I don't know him personally, his behavior doesn't surprise me that much, as he has always come off as a pompous person.

I have met both of the Sheppards and of the two the son is the more pompous of the two. You could at least have a conversation with Greg Sheppard.

A few years back it was monday morning after the Sioux had taken three games to beat the Mavericks when Derrick came into GFK international airport and one of the first thing he did was complain about how he had to spend an extra night in this crappy town and it was the Sioux's fault. I told him maybe if the ref had done a better job we wouldn't have had to stay an extra day. :) There wasn't much of a response other than the Sioux had many chances to win the game in question.

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One thing that gets me with the officiating situation is that for some reason you're not supposed to complain about the officials.

You can criticize the other teams players, you can criticize the coach, you can criticize your team, your goalie, your goalies girlfriend.

I for one feel I'm much better qualified to judge whether that was a holding call or not (as compared to the one he called five minutes ago) then judging whether or not the coach has a good program.

I think it's much fairer to criticize someone in their 30's who's getting paid well for the job than to criticize a 19 year old amateur athlete.

Certainly the officials are human, can make mistakes and can't see everything. Any criticism of the referee's need to take that into account. But even so the professionals in the WCHA do a rotten job.

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One thing that gets me with the officiating situation is that for some reason you're not supposed to complain about the officials.

You can criticize the other teams players, you can criticize the coach, you can criticize your team, your goalie, your goalies girlfriend.

I for one feel I'm much better qualified to judge whether that was a holding call or not (as compared to the one he called five minutes ago) then judging whether or not the coach has a good program.

I think it's much fairer to criticize someone in their 30's who's getting paid well for the job than to criticize a 19 year old amateur athlete.

Certainly the officials are human, can make mistakes and can't see everything. Any criticism of the referee's need to take that into account. But even so the professionals in the WCHA do a rotten job.

Have you ever heard the old saying preaching to the choir?

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I have met both of the Sheppards and of the two the son is the more pompous of the two. You could at least have a conversation with Greg Sheppard.

A few years back it was monday morning after the Sioux had taken three games to beat the Mavericks when Derrick came into GFK international airport and one of the first thing he did was complain about how he had to spend an extra night in this crappy town and it was the Sioux's fault. I told him maybe if the ref had done a better job we wouldn't have had to stay an extra day. :) There wasn't much of a response other than the Sioux had many chances to win the game in question.

I'd hate to see Derrick unhappy. Perhaps there might be some arrangements made so he doesn't have to come back to GF again?

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ok, I found this kinda of funny. but it is over and he apologized. I don't always agree with refs but I wouldn't want to do their job. Though, there is two Albers reffing in the WCHA, at least there was last year...Brad and Jeff. And there is a third Sheppard who is an AR. Just pointing that out.

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Though, there is two Albers reffing in the WCHA, at least there was last year...Brad and Jeff. And there is a third Sheppard who is an AR. Just pointing that out.

I know there are 2 Albers, but I thought one was still a linesman. I could be mistaken.

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Mr. Shepherd's public mistreatment of officials, even if of a different sport, and even though he apologized, should disqualify him from continuing in his role as head of officials of the WCHA.

Why stop there? Why don't we require some "sensitivity training," put him on house arrest for 30 days, never let him attend a little league game in Minnesota ever again, and petition our local congressperson to revoke his US citizenship?

I'm no fan of Shepherd, either, but this culture of apologize-three-hundred-times and lose your job is a bit much for me.

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One thing that gets me with the officiating situation is that for some reason you're not supposed to complain about the officials.

You can criticize the other teams players, you can criticize the coach, you can criticize your team, your goalie, your goalies girlfriend.

I for one feel I'm much better qualified to judge whether that was a holding call or not (as compared to the one he called five minutes ago) then judging whether or not the coach has a good program.

I think it's much fairer to criticize someone in their 30's who's getting paid well for the job than to criticize a 19 year old amateur athlete.

Certainly the officials are human, can make mistakes and can't see everything. Any criticism of the referee's need to take that into account. But even so the professionals in the WCHA do a rotten job.

VERY GOOD POINT.

Mafiaman- I agree. I don't think this outburst of Greg's holds any water as to why he should be fired. However, he still needs to take a permanent vacation from officiating even if we have together and buy Greg a beach house in California.

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VERY GOOD POINT.

Mafiaman- I agree. I don't think this outburst of Greg's holds any water as to why he should be fired. However, he still needs to take a permanent vacation from officiating even if we have together and buy Greg a beach house in California.

How about a tent?

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I watched quite a few games last season with Shep sitting either next to me or two seats away....

I can tell you that the guy knows his stuff! I can also tell you that he is not always thrilled with the calls that his guys make. I saw him roll his eyes and shake his head many times this past season. One thing that is nice is that when a controversial call is made, he explains what is going on and why the ref made the call. Once your hear his explanation, the call usually makes very good sense. It's too bad that the general public never gets to hear this type of information.

Jupiter you need to sit elsewhere and start seeing it again from our perspective :silly:

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Why stop there? Why don't we require some "sensitivity training," put him on house arrest for 30 days, never let him attend a little league game in Minnesota ever again, and petition our local congressperson to revoke his US citizenship?

I'm no fan of Shepherd, either, but this culture of apologize-three-hundred-times and lose your job is a bit much for me.

How does Shepherd deal with fans that are abusive to his referees when those same fans can turn to him and say, "You've done the same to game officials."

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