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An Indictment of Colin Campbell? |
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A link to site, which I am not familiar with but certainly am now, was sent to me late last night. I had a quick read and after a night of sleep thought it might be worth putting it out for some discussion.
This particular piece revolves around the lawsuit filed by former referee Dean Warren. While the lawsuit is not anything spectacular, as the article states the juicy stuff
"lies in the alternate chair having pulled back the curtain ever so slightly on operations in the building housing Colin Campbell’s Wheel of Justice."
First off, let's give credit where credit is due, go here to read this:
http://www.mc79hockey.com/?p=3518
(site loads slowly)
It's the e-mails and testimony by others such as Kerry Fraser which is truly fascinating. I will quote the first one and let you read the rest for other truly amazing exchanges.
Stephen Walkom to Colin Campbell, Mike Murphy 10/#/2006 12:32 PM
Just a few updates: spoke with [general manager] from [club] and general manager from [another club]. some concerns, different guys and different situations………. Spoke with Warren about the hit in [city] he felt he left his feet….told him all guys leave their feet but this player glided and took care in hitting the player legally…he understood and further was instructed to see the whole play and that players look for calls which is what happened on this play….in regard to [player] both officials have been spoken with and that open ice hits are generally allowed on one on one battles and for him to have two over called is the exception and not good….
Here is the response to what appears to be a fair and honest effort to deal with a situation.
olin Campbell/NYC/NHL
10/#/2006 01:23PM
To “Stephen Walkom”
Subject Warren
Are you trying to f____ with my head? Sending this guy back into …..after the …..call and others? Have you talked to him yet and have you seen the penalty he called on [player]? Should I call him? Talk to [another referee] he will tell you the horseshit game Warren had and how hard it was to work with him. This guy is in serious trouble. He will be in trouble as soon as [coach or general manager] sees him tonight…they will think you are shoving it up their ass. Maybe you should call [general manager] as a pre-emptive strike but talk to Warren first.
Not so damaging but rather interesting. Where it gets interesting is the potential for Campbell's bias and position of influence to affect justice and the person who appears to have paid the price is Marc Savard. This is the part you must see. Again I encourage you to read through the whole exchange in this great piece of work.
Meanwhile, there were further emails between Mr. Walkom and Mr. Campbell which touched on Mr. Warren. The following exchanged occurred in relation to another referee. It suggests that at this time the League knew that Mr. Warren was likely to be released.
From: Colin Campbell
Sent: 11/#/2007 09:54 PM EST
To: Stephen Walkom
Subject: Penalty
Game not televised. Radio announcers said it was a bullshit penalty…you need to find out for me. How…I don’t know but this was awful. 1:30 left in 2-1 game for [team] and [player] scored with 2 second left to tie it up them won in OT. FUCK
From: Stephen Walkom
Sent: 11/#/2007 09:56 PM EST
To: Colin Campbell
Subject: Re: Penalty
ok ill find out….
Re: Penalty
11/#/2007 10:48 PM
Colin Campbell to Stephen Walkom
Did you find out anything? It was [another referee] that made the call. Keep Warren and gas this shithead. 90 seconds left and he calls a weak penalty…tripping. Makes me sick. If I was at the game I would have had to fine me.
So we know that this game took place in November of 2007. I went through and looked for November 2007 games in which a penalty was called late in a 2-1 game and the team that went on the power play scored and won in overtime. I found this Florida-Atlanta game, which looks to be the only one that meets the description. After a Panther was penalized late, the Thrashers won it up and tied it in overtime. The player who was penalized? None other than Gregory Campbell. Brian Pochmara and Don VanMassenhoven were the referees in that game and both are, as far as I can tell, still NHL referees.
(Update: As @KenTalent5000 points out, Campbell was apparently emailing Walkom to complain about a call that he heard on the radio which the announcers didn’t like. I wonder if he ever listened to Rod Phillips call a game and, if so, what Walkom’s inbox looked like at the end of the night.)
The morals of this little tale? There are many. Never put anything into an email that you wouldn’t be fine with seeing in print on the front page of a national newspaper. If you’re a Bruins fan, you’re now forever justified in bitching that every call went against you because Colin Campbell hates Marc Savard. If you want your team to be treated favourably, acquire Greg Campbell, because Colin Campbell will watch all your games and bitch about bad calls. Also, it would appear that if you’re a GM and you’re not constantly filling Campbell’s ear in an attempt to get the refs you like you like, you aren’t doing your job.
Oh and one more - if you suspect that the NHL is run by bozos (in fairness to Walkom, I don’t think he comes off poorly in the emails, although he wasn’t found to be a particularly credible witness), Campbell’s emails aren’t going to do a lot to convince you otherwise. Funny stuff.
If these exchanges add up to what most with half a brain would make of them then there are some serious issues within the NHL's Halls of justice. Frightening really. I have never liked Campbell, ever. I think he is the epitome of why the NHL cannot improve it's reputation and product. After reading this I feel he should be removed and some one with the courage of a lion needs to expose the NHL's old boys network for what it is: back slapping chuckleheads destroying an honourable game.
I'll be back with more later on the Canucks and Sabres tonight. Don't believe Garth's blog the Canucks are not that good...yet!
Enjoy the day.
Vancouver Canucks Blogger • 
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