Alex Burrows slams referee in post-game interview

[Marshall]

http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=305786

Burrows, who was called for diving in the second period and interference in the third, also received a 10-minute misconduct with seconds left in the game, and he was not shy his post-game interview.

"It was personal. It started in warmup, before the anthem," Burrows said of Auger's penalty calling. "(Augers) came over to me and he said I made him look bad in Nashville on the (Jerred) Smithson hit and he said he was going to get me back tonight."

Some brutal accusations. I wonder what the league will make of it, regardless of how truthful it is.

[Devils731]

The league has to fine Burrows. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, everyone is barred from specifically criticizing the calls of referees. This isn't oblique in any way so the league can't ignore it.

[mddevsfan]

I find it hard to believe that a ref would be dumb enough to outright tell a player ahead of time, "I'm going to get you".

[NJDevs26]

According to a Canucks board, there is video evidence of Auger at least talking to Burrows in the pregame which is apparently in itself a no-no.

[eldon]

Thankful they're both from Quebec, or Don Cherry would probably blame

this on the Americans.

[squishyx]

The league has to fine Burrows. It doesn't matter if it's true or not, everyone is barred from specifically criticizing the calls of referees. This isn't oblique in any way so the league can't ignore it.

On the other hand, if he doesn't throw a hissy fit and this ref really does have it in for him it's never going to get addressed, at least not seriously. Can you imagine how that conversation would go down internally?

"hey, one of my players thinks one of your refs was trying to get pay back on him from a previous game"

"...lemme check... nope, I asked he said he didn't"

"oh ok thanks"

Yes he deserves a fine, but that doesn't make it wrong. It's out in the open now, I think Burrows did this to prevent it from being a future issue. Then again it could backfire and all the refs might now hold a slight bias against him. If Burrows doesn't say anything, there is a 0% chance anything happens to the ref, if he does there's a slight chance that something does. Even if the league just makes sure Auger doesn't ref any Canucks games for the rest of the year that could be a victory for him.

[Jerrydevil]

There should be an effective way to handle these things behind closed doors, but maybe there isn't. I don't know. If Burrows does get fined, there should also be an announcement that the league will investigate Auger. It's only fair.

[ThreeCups]

A Tim Donaghy scandal hits the NHL!

[DaneykoIsGod]

Maybe Burrows shouldn't have dived in Nashville.

I've heard it said a bajillion times that hockey players have long memories, and that stuff commonly carries over from one game to the next. I had no idea that applied to refs too.

IMO ... good for Auger.

[Jerrydevil]

Maybe Burrows shouldn't have dived in Nashville.

I've heard it said a bajillion times that hockey players have long memories, and that stuff commonly carries over from one game to the next. I had no idea that applied to refs too.

IMO ... good for Auger.

Oh, come on, LOL! The difference is that a ref is paid to call a game fairly. It's in the job description!

[DaneykoIsGod]

Oh, come on, LOL! The difference is that a ref is paid to call a game fairly. It's in the job description!

You could argue that Auger went overboard on the guy, dishing two minors and a misconduct. But overall I don't have a problem with the idea of refs making up for previous bad calls. It evens things out. We see it all the time during the course of a given game, where a ref makes a bad call against one team and later makes up for it by calling something soft on the other team. This is pretty much the same thing in my eyes, and that's damn near an every-game occurrence.

And really, in the interest of fairness, Burrows' dive drew a major and a misconduct, and this ref retaliation cost him two minors and a misconduct. Auger still owes him 1 PIM.

[jim777]

Maybe Burrows shouldn't have dived in Nashville.

QFT

[devilzibook]

I remember Auger when he was in the QMJHL and he was already doing this kind of thing

[Devs4LIFE]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkG0fyvAeA0 here's a video of the interview and it has a clip of the ref talking to Burrows during the pre game warmup.

[iamtheprodigy]

You could argue that Auger went overboard on the guy, dishing two minors and a misconduct. But overall I don't have a problem with the idea of refs making up for previous bad calls. It evens things out. We see it all the time during the course of a given game, where a ref makes a bad call against one team and later makes up for it by calling something soft on the other team. This is pretty much the same thing in my eyes, and that's damn near an every-game occurrence.

And really, in the interest of fairness, Burrows' dive drew a major and a misconduct, and this ref retaliation cost him two minors and a misconduct. Auger still owes him 1 PIM.

So refs should make up for incorrect calls by making more incorrect calls? I'm not buying this logic...

[DaneykoIsGod]

So refs should make up for incorrect calls by making more incorrect calls? I'm not buying this logic...

You don't have to buy it. It already happens. A lot. This just may be the first time the ref told the guy what he was gonna do before actually doing it.

You're telling me you've never heard the term "make-up call"?

[Prucenterrules]

You don't have to buy it. It already happens. A lot. This just may be the first time the ref told the guy what he was gonna do before actually doing it.

You're telling me you've never heard the term "make-up call"?

It's different when the make up call is in the same game. Not a totally different game.

[DaneykoIsGod]

It's different when the make up call is in the same game. Not a totally different game.

Same opponent.

Because Burrows is a diving sissy, Nashville lost a player to a misconduct and had to kill a 5-minute major back in December. Auger evened it out by handing Burrows a misconduct of his own and the Preds a pair of 2-minute power plays. If anything, Burrows got off light.

Auger isn't the bad guy here. If Burrows wasn't one of those pansies cheapening the game by diving, this never happens. You bet your ass Burrows is gonna think twice before diving when Auger is on the ice from now on.

If it was a personal vendetta, this would be messed up. But it was a referee leveling the playing field and punishing a player for doing something against the rules. I have absolutely no problem with it. Hell, I wouldn't mind it setting a precedent for how diving is handled from now on. Might finally get that crap out of the game (one can dream, right?).

[squishyx]

Same opponent.

Because Burrows is a diving sissy, Nashville lost a player to a misconduct and had to kill a 5-minute major back in December. Auger evened it out by handing Burrows a misconduct of his own and the Preds a pair of 2-minute power plays. If anything, Burrows got off light.

Auger isn't the bad guy here. If Burrows wasn't one of those pansies cheapening the game by diving, this never happens. You bet your ass Burrows is gonna think twice before diving when Auger is on the ice from now on.

If it was a personal vendetta, this would be messed up. But it was a referee leveling the playing field and punishing a player for doing something against the rules. I have absolutely no problem with it. Hell, I wouldn't mind it setting a precedent for how diving is handled from now on. Might finally get that crap out of the game (one can dream, right?).

Thats ridiculous. It's one thing if you think you blatantly missed a call and then the next time a questionable one comes up you side on calling it as opposed to not that's part of human nature, to compensate. It's another thing completely to be like "oh i fvcked up a few days ago, i'll somehow make the world even by making another bs call in this game".

It is not the Ref's job to establish perfect harmony in a game, they are going to blow calls, there's a human element to hockey. If it was such a sissy dive it should have been called on the play. You can't pin a 5 minute major on a player no matter how much he flops, and more over, you certainly don't take it out on that player the next game after you have had the chance to get a second look.

Can you imagine the terrible precedent you would be setting here? Every ref should start reviewing every questionable call they make and then extract some justice the next chance they get? The only shot Augar has is to deny all charges, he won't be allowed to ref again, or shouldn't be atleast in my opinion, if these accusations are true.

[Devils731]

On the other hand, if he doesn't throw a hissy fit and this ref really does have it in for him it's never going to get addressed, at least not seriously. Can you imagine how that conversation would go down internally?

You mean if he filed a formal complaint and then the NHLPA could take the cause up? That would be addressed just as much in the media and wouldn't cause him to be fined or the problem ignored.

[stevestevens]

Roberto Luongo even admitted that the officiating was a bit suspicious tonight, this WAS a personal attack on Alex Burrows.

For one, an officially should not talk to a player like that before a game begins (I am not sure if it is a rule but I also believe that they cannot), they are only suppose to relay information to the Captains and Assistants if anything.

This was the interference penalty called on Burrows. I would like to hear anyone say that this play IS a penalty because in my opinion I just don't see how it is.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkG0fyvAeA0

After game interview with Burrows, Luongo and Vigneault. It certainly looks like an unfair ruling against Alex.

[Devils731]

I don't know if it's a rule but I've seen refs talk to players before the game before. I wouldn't find it unusual to see it again.

[squishyx]

You mean if he filed a formal complaint and then the NHLPA could take the cause up? That would be addressed just as much in the media and wouldn't cause him to be fined or the problem ignored.

Either way chances are that nothing is going to happen to this ref in terms of his career (short of him confessing) regardless of how Burrows approached the situation. But at least he established some doubt about the ref publicly which would never have occurred if he just filed a complaint. Yes he will get a slap on the wrist fine, and I think he deserves one but I also think he picked the road with the highest chance, albeit small, of having a real impact. I don't think Augar will ref another Canucks game this season which is probably good enough for Burrows but we'll see.

[iamtheprodigy]

You don't have to buy it. It already happens. A lot. This just may be the first time the ref told the guy what he was gonna do before actually doing it.

You're telling me you've never heard the term "make-up call"?

Refs are going to make mistakes. They happen. If they tried to compensate for every mistake they made, that would lead to hundreds of unnecessary calls made every season. The game is much better off if the refs simply forget about mistakes they made and do their best to not make more in the future. It sucks when a call is blown against your team, but refs aren't perfect. They shouldn't feel obligated to make a bad call the other way to make up for it. I know it happens to some extent in all sports, but it's stupid. This incident is even more ridiculous because it's spanning over different games. There's no room in hockey for refs making stupid calls intentionally to make up for a mistake they made last season in order to "even it out".

[Devils731]

Either way chances are that nothing is going to happen to this ref in terms of his career (short of him confessing) regardless of how Burrows approached the situation. But at least he established some doubt about the ref publicly which would never have occurred if he just filed a complaint. Yes he will get a slap on the wrist fine, and I think he deserves one but I also think he picked the road with the highest chance, albeit small, of having a real impact. I don't think Augar will ref another Canucks game this season which is probably good enough for Burrows but we'll see.

A formal complaint gets it out in the media just as much as his postgame comments would. In fact, it may give Burrows more credibility that he officially presented his argument in a legal manner rather than just spouting off. I don't see how complaining to the media and getting a fine raises his chances more than just getting the word out to the media and avoiding a fine.

Refs are going to make mistakes. They happen. If they tried to compensate for every mistake they made, that would lead to hundreds of unnecessary calls made every season. The game is much better off if the refs simply forget about mistakes they made and do their best to not make more in the future. It sucks when a call is blown against your team, but refs aren't perfect. They shouldn't feel obligated to make a bad call the other way to make up for it. I know it happens to some extent in all sports, but it's stupid. This incident is even more ridiculous because it's spanning over different games. There's no room in hockey for refs making stupid calls intentionally to make up for a mistake they made last season in order to "even it out".

I think everyone believes refs shouldn't try to do make up calls. We all know they do though so we just have to accept that make up calls and player reputations come into play during the calls in almost every game.