Badger Bob would have shed a tear or two today. The NHL has paused their season, along with the AHL. The ECAC has cancelled their Division1 playoffs, with other collegiate divisions taking similar measures. The IIHF has scrapped the Under-18 World Championships, and admitted that the men's World Championships in May are in jeopardy. Some European leagues have either halted or canceled the remainder of their seasons.

Meanwhile, real life has intervened. All the world is a lather about the coronavirus.

This is a time that is trying man's soul.

When I was a small boy, we all lined up for the Salk injection-based polio vaccine or, later, the Sabin oral vaccine. I was 5, in 1958 at St. Gregory's School in Dorchester, Lower Mills. The Nuns lined us all up to receive the vaccine.They gave me a little Dixie cup and I drank it down.

Polio was the enemy then. Two boys succumbed in my neighborhood with their leg braces, their walking style crutches, their special shoes. Theirs was a challenge that no one envied and all feared could happen to them.

Thoughts of Franklin Roosevelt, Eddie Miller, Baseball player and Sports Information Director from Boston College, Itzhak Perlman, the famous violinist, Donald Sutherland, Johnny Weissmuller the actors and the Olympic athlete plus all of the patients I saw at the Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain, Mass which was dedicated to only polio patients with their iron lungs and the rocking beds.

The fear was there for all of us because the disease was devastating. Eventually, the polio vaccine did the job. Life and the world and all games went on.

Our hope is that someone, anyone, like Dr Salk who did in polio can come up with a vaccine for coronavirus. I am neither a doctor, nor one given to panic. I am also not a conspiracy theorist. This situation is very serious, and needs to be treated as such.

There was another event that took place this past week. Some may say that this video of an attack on a referee is minuscule in comparison to all that is happening in our world today. BUT, it happened in my world, your world too. Now is the time that we pay attention and address this ugliness once and for all.

During a USA Hockey Midget game at The Bog Rink in Kingston, Mass, for conduct and language unbecoming and contrary to the rules, a coach of a Midget Hockey team from NH was ejected from the game.

Allegedly, even though the video shows all that happened, Brian Pouliot, the "coach," -- I use that term reluctantly, because he failed to live up to the most basic of expectations of the post -- was dismissed from a midget hockey game for language used on the bench for all to hear. He was rightly ejected from the game.

The coach decided to leave the bench and the game by crossing the ice instead of walking around the outside of the rink. After he left the bench, he approached the referee and spat on him. The referee, Aldo Binda, put his hands up to push the coach away, in a defensive method. The coach fell. He then got up and attacked the referee with punches, driving him to the ice.

Subsequently, the coach left the rink. This being his second fight of the day. He is alleged to have fought someone else prior to the game starting outside of the rink. Who knows about that -- it has not been officially confirmed -- but so it is alleged.

Watching the video of this scene, especially sickening, is the player tapping his stick on the ice as if to applaud the coach, I'm told, his father is the coach who was ejected. The player should be suspended for his horrendous conduct and lack of respect.

The coach was fired immediately by his organization, The Monarchs of New Hampshire. The referee has filed criminal charges -- as he should -- with the Kingston police. USA Hockey is rightly involved.

I will not offer my opinion as to what they should do but I am trusting that they will do something. That something should be so profound that it puts the fear of the Lord in any who might mimic this behavior.

Let's look at who is really to blame for this behavior. It's the leagues, all of them, going back since the puck was rounded. All leagues were not dealing with this type of behavior emphatically and drastically.

As a referee, when a coach or a player got out of line with his behavior, we referee were told to not have "rabbit ears" and to go along to get along. In other words, if you want to keep your job, don't pitch that coach, player or GM.

Blackhawk Tom Lysiak deliberately tripped linesman Ron Foyt. Lysiak got suspended for 20 games. Foyt then got fired.

Jim Schoenfeld allegedly pushed Don Koharski, The tape is still there for all to see. Jersey got an injunction, The NHL officials didn't work the next night and the yellow sweaters came out. Black eye for Hockey and the NHL and the wrong message sent to all those that coach and were watching. It's OK to berate a referee. It's ok to make physical contact. All is permissible and actually now sanctioned by the lack of decisive punitive action taken by The league.

You don't believe me? Have you ever met a guy named Donny Henderson? He used to have a job as an NHL linesman. He now has a history of surgeries, pain medication and a result of being attacked that does not allow him to lift his arm over his head. His career is done. He can look forward to handicaps that resulted from an entitled player who is getting a pass.

I know that somewhere out there are some lawyers trying to bleach the culprit of any blame.
Careful, lawyers,there are people watching and waiting to see what you are going to do. The player who hit Henderson, his excuse is weak.

Excuses are for losers, so Hall of Fame referee Frank Udvari told to me.

It gets manifested even more when Leagues allow Coaches to come off the bench after games, getting into the shaking hands line, all the while yelling at the referees for everyone in ear shot to hear about how F___ing terrible the official was. You think that people in the stands, kids and coaches aren't watching and hearing you? Your accepted behavior just leads them to believe that if you can disrespect officials, they can do it too.

What happened to Aldo Binda is just another example of the lack of courage historically leagues have in dealing with this type of behavior.

It's now time for all Leagues to stand up and make a statement, "This will never happen again."

It all must stop, NOW!!!!!!! If you behave in this manner you can no longer be a part of the game"

It''s about time because you Leagues are running out of people who want to officiate in Hockey,actually in all sports. I think it's time I get up, I go to the window and yell, "I'm mad as hell and I'm not taking this anymore."

Coach Brian, whatever happens to you, you earned it.

I do think you're lucky, though. If that was me reffing -- no offense to Aldo -- Spitting Chicklets might have been the least of your worries.

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A 2018 inductee into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games.

Visit Paul's official websites, YaWannaGo.com and Officiating by Stewart.