Time to leave the OHL and Branch behind?

Oshawa fan wrote:The instigator rule has very little to do with this. The game has always included legal blows to the head by a shoulder. That cannot continue.

If you leave your feet to make a hit it should be a penalty.

As to Dave Branch is the state of the game really so bad. I'm not one who thinks the sky is falling. I have watched some really good games this season.
As I said in an earlier post I do not agree with everything he does but I have to say he does a better job than Colin Campbell handing out discipline.

Nobody is disputing shoulder to head hits should be controlled. The question is, when a player comes nowhere near another player's head, should he get a five game suspension for a phantom head check? This has happened to Labardo. That's what you think should be done? You say Branch is better than Campbell at supplemental discipline, yet to me, five games for Labardo not hitting a goalie in the head but Gudbranson getting just eight for the most dangerous head shot I've seen in two years of OHL hockey shows to me Branch isn't really concerned about head injuries, he's just concerned about his profile.

As far as leaving your feet, thats always been a penalty -- charging.

Matia Marcuantoni left his feet and delivered a head shot to Windsor's Posa last night, getting a major penalty. If there is no bias as some say, I am sure Marcantuoni will be suspended, as will Kitchener's Rieder for a dangerous check from behind. A minimum of five games for each would be my expectation if they didn't play for Kitchener, but given their team, I anticipate no suspension.

ohagan wrote:I quit reading the Firebranch novels ( posts ) Reminds me of that hockeynightinontario guy that wouldn't give up on going on about the 11am Mississauga game. Wonder if its the same guy different name?

I was just operating under the assumption that it is the same guy under a different name. When I mentioned previous posts on the NOOF, that's exactly what I was referring to.

And I see one poster start criticizing another because he spelled the name of a ref wrong and somehow tried to tie it to officiating accuracy. That is the very definition of petty, and the reason I don't post on the NOOF.

The NOOF has over 49,000 registered users. In any crowd of 49,000 some will be petty (along with any other positive or negative character trait you can think of). One of them is your petty, tiresome vendetta against Dave Branch and pretty much everything that has to do with modern junior hockey from laser shows in Guelph to music to suspensions to officiating. Changing your username doesn't entitle you to restart your campaign.

If you like USHL better, go watch the USHL. I love the OHL as it is now and while some will agree with you on individual posts, anybody who hates it as much as you do would not still be paying to watch it.

First of all, I will no longer reply to things I never said, or things anyone said in the past.

Most of what I see on the NOOF is petty. I feel you're being petty by bringing up various topics that are irrelevant to this thread. I've tried to keep it on topic, but you keep hijacking the thread. Guelph lasers? Huh? I've been to Guelph, don't remember any lasers. But how is that connected to the OHL issues?

Second of all, fine, I'll go see the USHL. Where is the local team?

Now, can we get back to intelligent discussion of very real problems?

Are you hockeynightinontario?

If so, you did bring up laser shows in Guelph. And while it's not directly related to the topic at hand, if you are indeed this same person who has a vendetta against the OHL and its commissioner and complain about absolutely everything, no matter how mundane, it means that nobody should take you seriously. Therefore, it is related.

If you aren't hockeynightinontario, I apologize for the case of mistaken identity because the harshness of my posts are directed against that person. It sounds a heck of a lot like you are.

I already said I think Branch got the Labardo and Gubranson suspensions wrong. I just think in general terms Branch does a better job than Campbell (but then I am not sure that is so difficult).

I think we have come a long way from the bench-clearing brawls of the the 60's and 70's.

I don't go the hockey game to watch the fights. I go to watch good hockey with good officials. I sometimes get both.

vendetta against branch, well i wouldnt want any personal harm to come to the guy , but i sure wish he would move on , hes been around too long , he has screwed the gens on many many occasions , over the past 20 yrs , no doubt in my mind , in fact many fans that i have talked to over the years have felt , the same , that perhaps he goes overboard to try to look impartial , because he lives in whitby , or maybe like a lot of people in whitby , they just dont like oshawa
in any case thats how i feel .......branch is a pain !

hey hockey beats , instead of worrying about who firebranch , or hocketnightin ontario are , how about doing us all a favor work on turning the volume down on your "music " you play at the games , that would be very much appreciated

I shall try but I can't promise anything. It was lower last game. Some will want it louder and to some, it can never be low enough. To some also, it can never be high enough - such as the players during the warmup in particular. Nobody's blowing your eardrums for the fun of it, just trying to balance rather varied tastes.

players warmup , i understand , after a goal is scored no problem , its when it is really loud between every faceoff , is what i find difficult , it would be nice to have a rest for a moment or two and be able to hear what your neighbour is trying to convey ! .a few minutes of reprieve from the hype during intermission ......no joking since we are in the new building it has really gotten over the top ! .....thanks for whatever you can pass on to the powers that be

Isn't it quieter during the intermission? It's loud for the ads but the rest of the music is definitely at a way lower level than during the game.

I agree with mygens. I actually skipped a game earlier this year because I knew the too-loud music would induce a headache. The basic problem is, the system is lacking the bass to be played at that level. Therefore, it becomes an ear-piercing, treble-based sound. I have been in other arenas with loud music and yet it's less painful because the sound is balanced. But absolutely, it's too loud right now overall. As mygens says, talking to your neighbour becomes all but impossible.

I know one other issue is it's insanely loud at intermission and pregame (talking before the warmups) in the washrooms. Admittedly, it's not a place anyone spends much time (unless it's a sellout and you're in the long lines!), but I've heard several complaints about that. Seems like a simple issue to fix, I'd think. Another issue is, while the kids who play might enjoy the warmup music, it's headache-inducing, annoying, boosh-boosh stuff to many of us. therefore, if there was anywhere where we could turn the speakers off -- bar, washroom, anywhere -- during warmups, it'd be greatly appreciated! I've actually started the concept of still getting there early to get a parking spot, but staying in the car until 20 minutes before to avoid the headaches. I have no issue with loud pregame music, just can we turn it off in te bar or somewhere so fans can get away from it?

Hey hockeybeats don't know if you had anything to do with it but the sound at the Sudbury game was big improvement for me at least , the volume was way down from previous games for the most part .....much appreciated

If it was quieter for the main speakers, nothing different was done during the game as far as I know. I could tell you two things that were definitely different, one of which was me, the other was not:

- the concourse/washrooms was lowered rather dramatically
- the intermission ads were normalized so that there weren't huge jumps in volume from one commercial to the other

I don't know if lower concourse levels would be noticed from most of the seats although if you sit near the back rows or standing room, you would definitely notice the lower music although this could make it harder to hear announcements.

Thanks for the feedback.

Agree entirely with mygens. I noticed and appreciated it quieter on the concourse and washrooms as well. Thanks!!