04/16/24
December 28, 2010
Columbus Fans Claim NHL Ref Flipped Them Off: Several fans at Monday night's Wild-Blue Jackets game in Columbus, Ohio, claim that NHL official Paul Devorski invited them to self-fornicate. "[H]e put his middle finger up to his chin and acted like he was scratching his face," said Ritter Hoy, who was seated among a group of fans yelling at Devorski that he missed a call. "It was very, very blatant. The whole section saw it and went crazy."
Nobody in Columbus, OH has a cell phone with a camera in it? Or am I missing the photographic evidence somewhere?
posted by NoMich at 04:38 PM on December 28, 2010
Not saying that Devorski did anything, but if he had, would he be that out of line? You get some jackass who calls you a dumbass and blind and who knows what else for three hours, and he's shocked and appalled when he's given a subtle finger disguised as a chin scratch? Personally, I'd (a la David Cross) threaten to come down to his job and slap the dicks out of his mouth. Ritter Hoy and co., I advise you to get over it.
posted by tahoemoj at 05:57 PM on December 28, 2010
Not saying that Devorski did anything, but if he had, would he be that out of line?
If he were a player he'd be facing a huge fine.
posted by Ying Yang Mafia at 10:59 PM on December 28, 2010
And he still might get fined. I wasn't really making a statement about the wisdom of his (alleged) action, just saying that it, in the grand scheme of life, wasn't all that inappropriate.
posted by tahoemoj at 11:39 AM on December 29, 2010
If the sight of the face-scratch middle finger gesture gives you the vapors, you have no business being a hockey fan.
posted by rcade at 02:00 PM on December 29, 2010
Devorski's approximate score: Fingers given, 1. Fingers received 18,438.* I think he's losing badly. He gets paid to be a professional sports official, the heckling goes with the territory. He should find a better way of dealing with it.
*This is an estimated figure, based on nothing at all.
posted by Howard_T at 03:37 PM on December 29, 2010
Good for Paul Devorski! As a fellow referee although not at the pro level, it's amazing how people think just because you've got a striped shirt on they can treat you like a piece of crap. The guy is just doing his job and a tough one at that. At least when I get heckled by a fan or a coach I can can them removed from the rink, Devorski can't do that. I'm sure the Columbus fans got exactly what they deserved. Devorski has now become my favorite ref. And remember all you fans out there in hockey land, the guy with the whistle is always right.
posted by MGDADDYO at 05:26 PM on December 29, 2010
the guy with the whistle is always right.
That wasn't true when I wore the stripes. After playing hockey for my entire life, I tried to ref. I freely admit to being the worst referee ever in the history of the Miami University intermural hockey/broomball program. I even had a brawl in a co-ed broomball game.
posted by tahoemoj at 06:00 PM on December 29, 2010
Man, Hockey is different, huh? If this were any other sport, everyone would call for the refs head. Baseball? Forget about it. Basketball? No fucking chance. Football?.. Maybe.
I'm sure Devorski appreciates the support, and no doubt all refs get a lot more than they give, but he really shouldn't have done that.
Quoth the Burgandy: That's bush.
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:05 PM on December 29, 2010
How terrible! Everyone knows that these people pay good money to come and heckle players and officials. And to have to put up with something like this. Shameful! I am certain their feelings were hurt. Why else would they be there? It 's not like they came to watch a hockey game.