THURSDAY CAT COUNTRY COMMENTARY – YOU SUCK REF!

IT USED TO BE A RIGHT OF SPRING. NOW, IT’S A RIGHT OF SUMMER.

I’M TALKING ABOUT COMPLAINING ABOUT OFFICIATING IN THE STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS, AND TWO DAYS INTO ROUND 1, IT’S WELL UNDERWAY.

AND IT’S QUITE A CONUNDRUM; SHOULD THE REFEREES BE ALLOWED MISTAKES BECAUSE THEY’RE HUMAN? OR SHOULD THE ADVENT OF VIDEO REPLAY MEAN WE CAN EXPECT 100 PERCENT ACCURACY ON IMPORTANT CALLS THIS TIME OF YEAR?

COLUMBUS COACH JOHN TORTORELLA WISELY WOULDN’T COMMENT ON A “NON-CALL” IN GAME 1 AGAINST TAMPA WHICH ASSUREDLY WOULD’VE GIVEN HIS TEAM A PENALTY SHOT IN THE FIFTH OVERTIME. MOMENTS LATER THE OPPOSITION SCORED THE WINNING GOAL, OFF THE STICK OF THE LIGHTNING’S BRAYDEN POINT, A FORMER MOOSE JAW WARRIOR.

AND THEN WEDNESDAY CAROLINA COACH ROD BRIND’AMOUR – A FORMER NOTRE DAME HOUND – WAS DINGED 25-GRAND FOR CALLING THE NHL “A JOKE” AS IT RELATES TO OFFICIATING.

THERE WAS A HAND PASS AND POSSIBLE GOALIE INTERFERENCE ON A BOSTON GOAL IN A GAME THE BRUINS WENT ON TO WIN OVER BRINDY’S HURRICANES.

VIDEO REPLAY SHOULD’VE SOLVED BOTH BUT IN THE NHL COMMAND CENTRE, COMMON SENSE ISN’T THAT COMMON.

JUST REMEMBER IN LAST YEAR’S STANLEY CUP FINAL, COMMISSIONER GARY BETTMAN SAID HIS HEAD EXPLODED OVER A CONTROVERSIAL CALL ON A WINNING GOAL IN THE BRUINS-BLUES SERIES.

EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME AND ENERGY WAS SPENT ON BUILDING THE PLAYOFF BUBBLES, THE NHL FORGOT TO FIX THE OFFICIATING MECHANISM.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY ON CAT COUNTRY 98.