Re: RPI 2010-11 Part II: RPI, the Other Team, the Refs -- We're outnumbered 10 to 6.
I understand the outrage, but I can't say I think this is a wrong move by the league. Granted, I see ECAC hockey through garnet colored glasses, but take a look at a few things that are being missed or ignored. The first thing to look at is in sports at the next level (read professional) coaches speaking out against and/or showing up officiating are met with substantial financial penalties. While college hockey is considered an amateur sport, the coaches and so on are paid professionals, so perhaps they should be expected to live to the standards of their counterparts in the ECHL, AHL, and NHL. A 1 game suspension to be enforced on a game which is essentially a throw away, makes the point by the league, but it is not putting undo pain/suffering on the team or Seth who is not seeing any money come out of his pocket. One might even say that he got off easy.
Secondly, the comparison to other coaches actions is a little bit of apples and oranges. Coaches screaming from the bench, throwing objects on the ice, or as so many posters put it "Nate whining about calls," is certainly not the same as showing up to a press conference with video to show. Seth walked into the press conference knowing that he would show up the ref and make him look bad for making what may be perceived as in incorrect call. This is not answering a question with a quip about calls, it is premeditated with the sole intent of tarnishing (perhaps further) the integrity of the official.
Was the call at the end of the game a bad one? Seems like it from all accounts, but that would be the consensus even if there were not a press conference. Seth did not need to go out of his way to intentionally humiliate the officiating and that's where he stepped over the line. I appreciate a coach that backs his team, but these actions were a bit classless.
RPI fans will support their coach, others may not like what has transpired, but all need to look at the situation and make their evaluation based on their head and not their heart. There are many examples of poor behavior that we can all site...from every coach in NCAA hockey, from every team. Some are punished and some are not. This particular event is about Seth and how he acted by showing video as an example of what he was not happy about. Don't compare this with anything else as discipline is case by case. Just as there should not be payback penalties called, this should not be about what others do or have done. This given, I would think that Seth should recognize that he was able to make his point without significant repercussions. He forced the hand of the league and they responded appropriately without imposing a punishment that will negatively impact RPI to much of a degree
I'm sure he was very aware of what he was doing and what the likely repercussions would be. To his credit, he took a principled stand and was willing to accept the consequences. Your comments with all due respect, trivialize his actions.
