team loses tough in tourney HaAMISH KNox As Canadians across the coun- try stopped and remembered their fallen and living heroes, the Douglas College field hockey team took part in its second Remembrance Day tournament. Going into this tournament last year, the Royals were playing on grass in the Burnaby League and destroying their opponents by scores of 5—, 6— or 7—O. Because the tournament was played on the faster turf surface, Douglas was at a disadvantage to its university opponents—and it showed, as DC finished with a 0-3 record. This year, however, the Royals went into the tournament with a lowing an entire season on turf. The first match kicked off at I lam against the UBC junior var- sity team, the feeder squad for the recently crowned Canadian Inter-universtity Athletic Union champions, and who play one level above the Royals in Vancouver Division I. Douglas, who looked much more familiar on the artificial sur- face than last year, © kept the play even until UBC managed to slip in two goals at the 1S and [8 minute marks. The Royals didn’t back down from the Thunderbirds’ challenge, however, as they contin- ued to pressure the net, barely missing a great chance at 30 min- utes. Despite constant pressure Don’t whistle while you HE WHO WALKS BEHIND THE BENCHES An old proverb in sports goes something like this, “the best official is the one you don't notice during the game.” Sadly, this phrase has, in recent months, gone the way of the leather helmet and maskless goal- tenders. Today, tt seems, officials in the professional leagues— NHL, NEL, MLB—have been trying to compete for as much air time as the athletes whom they are watching. Obviously, if fans have to see the Zebras more often Pests es ss SF SF SF SF SF SF SF SF SS SF SS ST SS STS SS SSE SS SSS SS SSS ES SEE EE eee WORK OVERSEAS With the Student Work Abroad Program Here is your chance to have the adventure of a lifetime! than Alan Jackson's Ford commer- cial during a game, something is wrong, If the pro leagues wanted Mr. Rulebook to preside over their games, fans would be seeing a flag or hearing a whistle on almost every play. Players do break the rules most of the time—it just matters how much their infraction helped or hindered that moment of the game. Vor instance, take the penalty called on Marcus Nash's 23-yard catch on Monday Night Poorball last week. He caught the ball legally and the from DC, UBC held its ground and led at the half, 2—0. The second half started very much like the first, with both teams displaying excellent offen- sive movement, but UBC capi- talized early and knocked in its third goal four minutes in. Douglas still wouldn't back down, sending one after UBC went up 3-0, but still came away empty. The ~ Thunderbirds _ notched their fourth goal six minutes after their third, and contin- ued to keep the pressure on the Royals, who, despite several short corners (think cor- ner kick in soccer) could not find a way behind the UBC keeper. The T-birds knocked in the fifth and final goal of the match three minutes from time, to complete the match and send the Royals skidding into a match with the work play resulted in a first down for his team, but the defensive back covering him was still called for illegal contact. Now, the DB clearly broke the rules, but the pass was completed, so did the penalty really have to be called? Probably not, but if the pass was incomplete the official would have had every right to throw his flag because the infraction would have put the offensive player at a clear disadvantage. The problems with officiating this year cannot be placed solely on the heads of the officials; A work abroad experience is a fantastic way to enjoy an extended holiday and gain an entirely new perspective on life! Programs are available in Britain, lreland, France, Germany, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Jamaica & USA. SFU varsity squad. “We did make some mistakes,” said Coach Ann-Marie Fearn, “But we had some really good. forward charges and some short corners, it was- | n't like they were in our end the whole time.” The next match, against the premier division SFU could have varsity team, let up the began with offensive Douglas dis- pressure, playing none Coach of the energy | Fearn wasn't they hadin —_ Someday, wars will be settled this way. concerned their previous with the match against UBC. SFU found the back of the net two minutes into the match and took control from there, leading the Royals 4—0 at halftime. _ The second half was a display in offensive execution by Simon Fraser as they hammered three some of it has to go to the leagues themselves. In pro base- ball, umpires have almost total discretion over the size of their strike zone, and because an umpiring crew will rotate during a series, a team could send a half- blind rooster to the mound and get a perfect game one day then send a pitching automaton to the mound the next day and get IS walks. Baseball needs to tighten up its strike zone rules, and not just for the blood pressure levels of managers and pitchers. Hitters must also adjust their plate posi- Find out more! Come to an information session. Thursday November 26% - 12:00pm Student Society Lounge, 2nd Floor Student Union Bldg. For more information or a 1999 brochure visit Travel CUTS: ca FRAVEL CUTS The Student, Youth & Budget Travel Experts SWAP is a program of the Canadian Federation of Students SFU - 659-2850 Down Town - 659-2830 Granville Island - 659-2820 more goals past Douglas to win 7-0. The score could have been much more embarrassing for the Royals as SFU missed several stoned on a breakaway midway through the second half. Although it seemed that Simon Fraser score, “It [the score] doesn't bother me. The team we played is a premier division [team] that’s two levels above us. I think we played better in this game than the last.” tion to compensate for an ever moving strike zone. The same holds true for the NFL with its helmet to helmet contact rule, or the NHL and its rule on players in the offensive crease. Think of rulebooks as Internet search engines—you write the book or type in the words you want to search for, and the entity receiving those words can interpret them in any way it wants. When each of the pro leagues mentioned above reviews its offi- ciating at the end of their respec- tive seasons, they should consider the one thing that keeps them in business—fan interest. Nothing is more painful or boring to a fan than sitting through a penalty announcement. Not only do these five seconds of fame for the head referee slow down the game, they cause fans to think “God will this ever end” after the ref has just called his ninth penalty—of the first period. In a recent NFL con- test, the entire officiating crew huddled over a disputed call for two and a half minutes, or 150 seconds. Going by a 40 second NEL play clock and the assump- tion that a play, once started, lasts about 8 seconds; the huddle, which resulted in nullifying penal- ties, wasted roughly three plays. While that may seem insignifi- cant, that huddle extended the game in TV time by almost half an hour. Officials are human, that much is true, but can't they disappear more often? Page 12 November 25 1998 (eye Pith hehe See RRM ERE RRR e ROSE REE S SKE RRS EMHE TERRE De eRe ee dered eee eae wwe ese gene se ewcee The Other Press