Ref You Suck

Make the NHL great again! Election 2016

2016-10-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

With so much talk about which crazy person is going to run the US of A- we decided to ask the fans, in your mind, what would make the NHL great again?

Send your ideas to refusuck@gmail.com or by social media @RefYouSuck

New Soccer Referee t-shirts from RefYouSuck.com just in time for World Cup 2014!

2014-06-19T10:24:00.003-07:00

Get your special edition World Cup 2014 green soccer referee t-shirt at RefYouSuck.com!
This color will only be available during the World Cup so get yours today! $19.95 plus shipping
(save $5 when you enter promo code: refyousuck)

World Cup Referee stories in the news!

World Cup referee gets snubbed for handshake, reacts pretty smoothly

World Cup 2014 referee Joe Fletcher suffered the embarrassment of having a handshake fail with a FIFA official televised around the world during the Spain v Chile match last night, though to his credit he handled it pretty coolly. Read more here

World Cup 2014: What is that foaming spray used by referees?

If you're watching the FIFA World Cup this year, you may have seen a free kick where the referee took out a spray can and proceeded to draw a line on the grass in front of the players.

Paul Devorski calls Vancouver Canucks coach John Tortorella a f@#$#@#$!hole!

2014-01-16T15:25:00.000-08:00

by John Dujay

During last night’s epic 9-1 blowout loss to the Anaheim Ducks, the Vancouver Canucks began losing their collective cool as the penalty minutes multiplied.
In addition to players losing it, referee Paul Devorski, was caught on camera mouthing some choice words about Canucks coach John Tortorella. Watch the GIF and see if you can figure out the two words Devorski uses to describe Torts.

In case you missed it, Devorski is telling fellow referee Dan O’Rourke that Tortorella is a “f@#$ing a$%hole.” Now far be it from me to disagree with Devorski (Torts being called an a$%hole is about the tamest thing he has been called in past and of course, Devorski probably had good reason) but shouldn’t officials be above the fray?

Cindy Crosby Dive Team Hoodies and T-shirts are here!

2013-12-26T16:30:00.001-08:00

In 2014, RefYouSuck.com will be launching our brand new "Diver series" designs! First on the list of course, is for #87! For fans outside of Pittsburgh, this was by far the most popular request. As the season goes on, we will be watching for the next NHL diver! Special edition hooded sweatshirts will be available for orders received before January 2nd 2014 or feel free to reserve your t-shirt! To purchase your hoodie or t-shirt, click here

Ref You Suck t-shirts (free shipping promo code!)

2013-09-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

Carpet on the ice is almost as good as a solid REF YOU SUCK chant!! If you haven't picked up your t-shirt yet, now is your chance! Every season opener, we pay for shipping! All you have to do is pick out your favorite shirt at REFYOUSUCK.COM, then enter the promo code "gamekillers" for free shipping! What are you waiting for? Check out our latest designs for guys and girls!

Gary Bettman says the NHL referees are ‘the best in the world’

2013-06-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

by Mike Halford Pro Hockey Talk
To nobody’s surprise, Gary Bettman was asked about the quality of playoff officiating during his Stanley Cup Final press conference.
And, also to nobody’s surprise, the commissioner was ready to answer.
In a reply that sounded like it was prepared for that very question, Bettman stuck up for referees and linesmen, saying he felt NHL officials were the best in the world — regardless of sport.
“The officials in this league are the best in the world, I believe – not just in hockey, but in any sport,” Bettman said. “I believe they have the most difficult job, and it always seems to undergo even more intense scrutiny this time of year.

continue reading here

New from REFYOUSUCK.com

Fire Gary Bettman t-shirts are a huge hit in USA and Canada

2013-03-19T14:26:00.002-07:00

Oh Gary Bettman. The guy hockey fans hate more than Sid the kid. Well, Ref You Suck has gotten hundreds of requests to give the commish a little more of our attention! So we came up with this!
Sure to be a hit if you happen to live in Canada or the USA! World famous cartoonist/yo gabba gabba creator Parker Jacobs came up with the concept and we couldn't be happier with how great it turned out! If you'd like to purchase one of these beauties, Ref You Suck will pick up the shipping! Simply go to RefYouSuck.com, pick out your size, and enter "gamekillers" upon check out.

Shanahan should explain why/why not a player is suspended or fined

2013-03-02T13:00:00.001-08:00

If the REFS don't suck, this guy will...

In his season and a third on the job as the NHL's doyen of discipline, Brendan Shanahan has set a new and commendable standard for transparency by explaining to the hockey world why this guy or that guy deserves to sit out a few games for an on-ice transgression. The next step might be for him to explain why sometimes players don't deserve a suspension.
Let's take the case of Canadiens winger Max Pacioretty, who always seems to be in the news for something unusual. Pacioretty eluded a fine or suspension on Sunday for his Saturday night boarding of defenseman Ryan McDonagh of the Rangers. It was a game in which the Canadiens -- who are playing the way the Rangers did last season -- continued their unlikely rise from worst to first in the Eastern Conference, but that's another story.
Pacioretty has already endured an appendectomy, a skate laceration to his side, and an alleged bite from Toronto's Mikhail Grabovski (video) this season. Of course, he was also on the receiving end of one of the NHL's most intensely debated hits, the vicious run taken at him by Boston's Zdeno Chara in 2011, and was deservedly suspended for a head check to Kris Letang last season. Obviously, Pacioretty is magnetized for controversy.

WEEK 3: Replacement Refs still suck

2012-09-24T18:24:00.003-07:00

I found this over at Foxsports- Review some of the highlight blunders:
CHAOS: A state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order.

Webster, meet Week 3 of the NFL. If you thought things were bad last week with "The Replacements," it only got more confusing Sunday. It simply comes down to this: The replacement officials don't know the NFL rules, they don't know how to enforce what they don't know and they don't know how to manage the games. I want to be clear — it's not the replacement officials' fault — they are doing the best they can in a very difficult situation. But here are four examples from Sunday that are a microcosm of the bigger, overall problem.

1. San Francisco at Minnesota
2. Philadelphia at Arizona
3. Cincinnati at Washington
4. Buffalo at Cleveland

Read more here

Ref You Suck! is having a NFL replacement ref sale! Get 50% off on your favorite t-shirt at RefYouSuck.com Just enter promo code: nflrefssuck

Babcock rips NHL game 1 officiating- & the $2500 Zetterburg pancake smash!

2012-04-12T18:27:00.004-07:00

"These are the two least-penalized teams in NHL. What's different? ... The referees are trying to get to Stanley Cup Final like the rest of us," - Mike Babcock

REF YOU SUCK!

and if you haven't seen enough of Shea Weber helping Zetterberg's face get onto the glass- bookmark this vid:

For this moment of WWE in the NHL Playoffs- they hit Weber with a HEFTY $2500 fine.

The NHL, rather than suspend Shea Weber for bouncing Henrik Zetterberg's head off the glass, fined the Nashville Predators' captain $2,500, proving, among other things, how much stock the league puts in whether a player is injured by a particular illegal act.

"We felt this was a reckless and reactionary play on which Weber threw a glancing punch and then shoved Zetterberg's head into the glass," NHL director of player safety Brendan Shanahan said in a release explaining the move. "We reached out to Detroit following the game and were informed that Zetterberg did not suffer an apparent injury and should be in the lineup for Game 2.

"This play and the fine that addressed it will be significant factors in assessing any incidents involving Shea Weber throughout the remainder of the playoffs."

Read more here

Basketball player assaults referee during game!

2012-03-16T11:29:00.002-07:00

One way to deal with calls not going your way... I doubt this guy is playing these days!

A Kuwaiti basketball player hits the referee in the Asian Cup game after losing to Saudi in a game that should have been easy for them and would've qualified them to 2nd round, unnecessary & stupid act.
More at http://bahrainbasket.blogspot.com

Why do NHL officials suck this bad?

2012-02-10T12:31:00.000-08:00

by sean gordon Globe and Mail Update

Here’s a touchy one, hope we don’t get fined by the league.

But several incidents over the last few days have dredged up a persistent, vexing question: why are NHL officials so bad?

The most egregious blunder this week was the non-call on Corey Perry’s overtime winner for the Ducks on Wednesday night after he plainly tripped Carolina’s Jussi Jokinen behind the net to create a turnover.

There were a couple of phantom goalie interference calls against the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins that negated goals - in the Blueshirts’ case a late tying goal against a division rival, New Jersey.

On Thursday night, the zebras missed at least one high-stick goal (on Long Island) and probably another in Newark.

That both stood up after replay makes it all the more puzzling.

And do we even need to bring up Clock-gate in L.A.?

In any case, some people in hockey are doing their best Peter Finch impression: they’re mad as hell, and they’re not going to take it any more.

But they’re also going to speak elliptically so as not to get socked in the wallet by the humourless suits at head office. To wit, one John Tortorella.

It’s always easy to blame incompetence, but what if the issue is the game itself?

Everyone always talks about how much faster the NHL has become since the lockout, and maybe it’s now moving too quickly to be adequately officiated by two refs.

What is already a fiendishly hard job is rendered nearly impossible to do well despite the best efforts of men who, by and large, are top professionals.

One offshoot of trying to keep up with the chaos is that refs develop an unusually close proximity to some players, usually veterans.

None of the foregoing in any way excuses blowing easy calls like the Perry situation.

But that incident does show how people will modify their behaviour - Perry had been slashed on the hand a few moments earlier but there had been no call.

Former NHL ref Kerry Fraser, he of the Alain Cote disallowed goal (1986) and Wayne Gretzky high-stick-that-wasn’t (1993) incidents, pulled the cover back on that whole can of worms in his TSN column.

Money quote: “In an attempt to be ‘fair’ you ultimately become an accountant trying to balance the books instead of a referee. Usually the second infraction you feel you must allow is worse than the first one.”

Footage from HBO’s 24/7 is particularly revealing - refs have conversations with players, who are often referred to by nickname, that have the feel of negotiations.

The NHL is a reputation league, and refs also sometimes make flash judgments influenced by a player’s rep.

Best example: Dan O’Rourke calling Erik Karlsson a diver in a conversation with Ottawa coach Paul MacLean - nice work Rourkie.

At least MacLean has big brass ones and smashed the usual omerta by going public and ratting him out.

So in addition to having competence issues with certain refs - ie. Tim Peel, Stephane Auger and, most egregiously, Chris Lee - the NHL is dealing with complicated psychology.

There are no easy fixes to this, but there are a couple of things the NHL could do.

First, they could be more transparent about ref discipline - the English Premier League issues lists of which refs and assistants have been dropped and why.

Teams can send players to the minors if they don’t perform, why shouldn’t refs suffer the same treatment?

Why not give refs from a lower league a little hope that they might gain access to the exclusive NHL club?

That seems callous and antithetical to hockey tradition, but maybe it’s a way to create distance between ref and player (although soccer players disrespect officials at least as much as hockey players).

More refs could be hired from European leagues, more resources could be spent on training and professional development at all levels - the minor pro and major junior leagues are also dealing with a dearth of top officials.

Another option would be to mike the refs like they do in international rugby - a sport where players rarely, if ever, talk back at the officials any more.

Rugby refs also explain how certain subjective rules - like the breakdown - are going to be called so it’s clear to both sides and the viewing public.

Make the soundtrack available to the television networks to use in replays - it might even clean up some of the homophobic and bigoted language that is tolerated all to often on the ice.

None of this, of course, will ever happen.

But here’s something that might, or at least should: remove some of the discretion and judgment calls that make refs’ lives harder.

Do away with touching the puck with a high stick or kicking it or punching it into the net.

Enforce unsportsmanlike and misconduct offences, make all contact with the head an automatic minor penalty, give a game misconduct to players who fight, enforce the instigator rule.

This will be met by fierce resistance by the refs, who it should be pointed out, nearly went on strike a season or two back.

But something needs to happen.

Credibility is hard-won but easily frittered away, the reputation league should want to avoid gaining a reputation for poor officiating.

Being a hockey ref isn't always easy...

2012-01-26T22:17:00.000-08:00

originally posted at thestar.com

They have been spat upon, cross-checked in the head and sucker-punched. They have suffered sexual and homophobic comments and been grabbed by the throat.

Players have fired pucks at them and parents have threatened them, sometimes making good on their violent promises.

Those are just some of the incidents of abuse listed by hockey referees — almost all from Ontario amateur leagues — who took part in a survey whose findings are published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine.

Some 374 of 632 anonymous respondents, 92 per cent from Ontario, listed specific examples that ranged from a parent breaking a referee’s finger to a fan threatening to “carve out a linesman’s eye” and an ejected player head-butting an official.

The study — titled Violence in Canadian Amateur Hockey: The Experience of Referees in Ontario — was co-authored by Dr. Charles Tator, a Toronto neurosurgeon at Toronto Western Hospital who is founder of the group ThinkFirst Canada, a charitable organization dedicated to the prevention of brain and spinal cord injuries.

The other co-authors were Dr. Alun D. Ackery and Dr. Carolyn Snider.

The study’s objective was “to determine the perception and roles of referees about violence and injury in hockey games.”

“We found that hockey referees in Canada perceived a lack of discipline and obeying of hockey rules leading to an increased aggression and injury,” the study concluded.

“Referees suggest that they are both physically and verbally abused. Referees feel that coaches are the most important individuals for determining player safety. This potential lack of respect and hostility for referees from coaches, parents, and fans creates an environment that may put all on-ice participants at higher risk for injury.

“These responses give new insight on the potential need to give referees more support, authority to discipline, and ability to educate participants with respect to on-ice safety.”

The authors used a web-based study, contacting 21 referees-in-chief from all provincial and territorial Hockey Canada organizations as well as several private adult hockey leagues from April 1 to May 18, 2010.

Nine agreed to distribute the survey link to their referees. The NHL did not allow its officials to participate, the authors said.

read entire article

Cyber Monday Ref You Suck t-shirt deals = FREE STUFF!

2011-11-28T10:05:00.000-08:00

Cyber Monday & Holiday promos!

We are offering 2 amazing deals so you can give the gift of Ref You Suck!

Deal #1
2 for 1 deal! That's right- buy one get one free- simply choose 2 shirts and enter promo code: freeshirt

Deal #2
Buy any t-shirt, get a free Ref You Suck rally towel!
Choose your shirt and towel, enter promo code: freerallytowel

T-shirts are always $14.95 plus shipping.

Boston Bruins rack up some serious penalty minutes and lose to the Canes

2011-10-19T13:28:00.000-07:00

By Mike Loftus
The Patriot Ledger

BOSTON —

If it’s remembered and discussed today solely for things like coach Claude Julien getting ejected, Zdeno Chara spending 17 consecutive minutes in the penalty box after instigating a fight, and goalie Tuukka Rask skating the length of the ice to challenge Carolina goalie Cam Ward, the point has been missed.

Last night’s 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes was really more a case of the Bruins turning from a team off to a poor start to one that made itself look bad.

“We have to take responsibility for our own actions here,” said Julien, who was at first mystified, then infuriated when he learned he’d been assessed a 10-minute misconduct with just 3:44 remaining.

“What I see is frustration setting in, and the minute we start getting frustrated we lose focus on our game, and then it gets worse and worse. And that’s been a bit of a pattern this year.”

True enough, but the 2-4-0 Bruins had never reacted as they did last night – and their worst behavior was saved for the worst possible time. Although outplayed well into the third period, they cut Carolina’s lead to 2-1 when Rich Peverley scored a power-play goal with 9:01 to play – and then went on to spend most of the time left trying, often unsuccessfully, to kill unnecessary or retaliatory penalties.

“We stuck up for each other; that’s important,” Peverley said. “But at the end of the day we lost the game, and we’re 2-4.”

The Hurricanes iced their second win over the B’s in less than a week with a pair of 5-on-3 goals at 13:26 and 14:58.

The key penalties went against winger Nathan Horton, just 31 seconds after Peverley scored. Angered, as linemate Milan Lucic had been earlier and would be again, by Hurricanes defenseman Jeff Gleason, Horton took four minutes worth of roughing penalties. Chara followed with a high-sticking penalty on Jeff Skinner, and Dennis Seidenberg then ensured that Boston would remain two men short by taking a boarding penalty.

On or around the same time, Brad Marchand (11:49), Lucic (16:16, after an unsuccessful attempt to get Gleason to fight) and then Julien were assessed misconducts.

“When they announced the misconduct on Lucic, I just shook my head,” Julien said. “I guess that was the merit for being kicked out.”

Read more here

UMP gets tagged by a pitch

2011-10-05T10:36:00.000-07:00

People keep wondering why these guys are so inconsistent with their strike zones. Well, here is why:

yankees vs. tigers game 10/1/11

Free REF YOU SUCK or UMP YOU SUCK t-shirt offer for first 50 people!

2011-09-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

Football and Hockey seasons are upon us- so RefYouSuck.com has decided to send some love to you sports fanatics just in time for the 2011-2012 season!

Buy 1 shirt for $14.95 - Get another for FREE! Choose from any of our shirts, any size! (add $3 for 2XL) ENTER COUPON CODE "freeshirt"

This offer is only good for the first 50 orders so act fast!

Thanks for making RefYouSuck.com the best job, ever.

Brian Gilmore
founder
RefYouSuck.com
Ref You Suck on twitter
Ref You Suck on facebook

Dutch Grandpa Hooligan tries to run over referee with his scooter

2011-08-24T18:32:00.000-07:00

Foxsports.com

The angry would-be hooligan wasn't happy with the performance of Edwin van der Graaf, who handed out six yellow cards to FC Oss in their 4-3 loss to Almere City.

Rather than pen a letter or call to make a complaint, the three-wheeled footy fan took aim at the man in yellow and attempted to run him down.

FC Oss ply their trade in the Dutch second division and are currently 13th.

full story

(like most of us) Astros' Downs wants umpires held accountable

2011-08-18T18:51:00.000-07:00

By C. Trent Rosecrans

Astros infielder Matt Downs vented about the umpires and echoed the thoughts of many fans when he said he wants Major League umpires to be held more accountable for their calls.

"My stats are put in the paper every day, everybody knows if I fail or succeed, and I feel like some kind of action has got to be taken where we realize if a guy's blown a call or not and he's accountable," Downs told Zachary Levine of the Houston Chronicle.

Downs was frustrated after he felt a 3-1 pitch from Diamondbacks closer J.J. Putz was called a strike by umpire CB Bucknor and he felt it was inside. He then struck out swinging on the next pitch for the second out of the ninth inning in an eventual 11-9 Diamondbacks victory.

"I get tired of umpires going back to the hotel and thinking they did a good job on the night and I have to go back to the hotel on a failure night after I feel like I walked 3-1 instead of punching out 3-2," Downs said. "Some kind of action has to be taken on just a bonehead call like that."

Pitch F/X showed the ball was well inside and even Diamondbacks TV announcer Mark Grace was surprised it was called a strike and said, "Oh my goodness, J.J. got a big break there -- and the Diamondbacks. That pitch looked six inches inside. Holy mackerel."

Story can be found at CBSsports.com

Please help Zach fight cancer!

2011-07-26T11:31:00.000-07:00

(above) Jim giving Zach his new cane.

Recently Refyousuck.com donated a Anaheim Ducks Lubomir Visnovsky
hockey stick to an amazing organization called Canes4vets.org. Canes4vets makes canes for people in need out of broken hockey sticks. Owner and founder Jim Pull contacted us on Facebook and told us he needed to make a cane for a 9 year old boy named Zach.

Zach is a Fountain Valley 4th grader whose life changed overnight when doctors at CHOC diagnosed his aching knee as Osteosarcoma. The bone cancer quickly spread. Zach has a long road ahead to fight this aggressive cancer and his medical expenses are extensive and growing. Zach went from being an avid soccer player running the fields in his signature #4 jersey not too long ago, to being very sick spending countless hours at CHOC.

For the months of August & September, RefYouSuck.com will be donating $5 from every t-shirt purchased to Zach's family. Brian Gilmore (owner of RefYouSuck.com) said, "we are just glad we could do our part for Zach's family. If everyone who reads this can tell 10 people, imagine what good we could do?"

(above) Zach's cane and some RYS goodies.

Fundraiser for Zach -
July 30th, 2011
Fire Station One
17737 Bushard St.
9am to 11am
Come join Fountain Valley Firefighters Association at Fire Station One for a pancake breakfast fundraiser for Zach Zeissner. The Firefighters will serve pancakes and juice. Donations will be accepted at the event or by mailing your donation to P.O. Box 9200-411, Fountain Valley, CA 92708-9200

To contact Canes4vets mail@canes4vets.org
If you want to help out in some way info@refyousuck.com

Ref You Suck presents: Hockey hotties (summer edition)

2011-06-22T15:46:00.000-07:00

Time to put all those photos you pervs send in to good use! Enjoy the vids at the end, too ;)

Ducks Ice Girl calendar photo shoot

Panthers Ice Girl calendar photo shoot

Kings Ice Girl calendar photo shoot

and we can't forget everyone's favorite ice girl...

Sean Avery

Vancouver fans display one of the finest REF YOU SUCK chants, ever.

2011-06-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

Can't say too much about the fans outside- but the fans inside rocked the chant!

Jeremy Roenick takes on NHL playoff referees

2011-05-04T11:42:00.000-07:00

by RefYouSuck.com

Think what you will about Jeremy Roenicks commentaries on Versus during the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. I personally like to mute (or fast forward) the TV during intermission!
I'm sure he was hired to be the edgy retired NHL'er opinion that goes against the grain---blahblahblah... He usually doesn't add much to the topics being discussed in my opinion until he said this:

Props to you Mr. Roenick. The officiating in this years NHL Stanley Cup playoffs have been awful. Half the games they seem to be calling anything while the other half they seem to ignore EVERYTHING. The League needs to somehow make these guys accountable for their inconsistency. There is nothing more frustrating than watching the stripes give one side all the calls. Maybe if more of these commentators and announcers started to speak up, the outraged fans would start to act on it. Disgusted fans won't by NHL merch or buy tickets to the games. Keep pissing of the fans and you'll see what happens. More empty arenas and more teams claiming BK.

C'mon Bettman- This is why you make the big bucks.

Proof that NHL officiating is giving the series to Chicago

2011-04-26T10:35:00.000-07:00

NHL.com have recently posted an article where Vancouver General Manager Mike Gillis is quoted at length. Gillis has made statements regarding what he views as biased or incorrect officiating in the series between the Vancouver Canucks and the Chicago Blackhawks.

According to Gillis: "we're going to be very hard-pressed to win hockey games if throughout an entire series when the score is tight, (the Blackhawks) get 75 percent more power plays than we do."

He continued: "You look at the game (Sunday) night, you guys all watched it, you don't need me to comment about what occurred in that hockey game. But when you break down the video, there are some extraordinary plays to explain given what's gone on."

"The Torres hit was determined to be an interference call. Their team called for him to be suspended for multiple games, all kinds of people called for him to be suspended for multiple games," Gillis said.

for more on this, go here.

RefYouSuck.com is offering FREE shipping on Ref You Suck t-shirts ordered during the Playoffs. Enter coupon code "gamekillers" during checkout!

REF YOU SUCK! 50 shirt give-away @ Honda Center

2011-04-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

We had a great time meeting all of you Ducks fans before the Sharks VS Ducks game! Thanks to all 50 of you for showing up to our secret spot and representing Ref You Suck! at the game. It means a lot to us to see the shirts in the arenas because that is why we made them! Here are a few pics from the event.