Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Being A Ref

06/07/2016 at 10:22am EDT

from Kerry Fraser at the Players' Tribune,

What I want people to take away this story, especially as they’re about to watch the puck drop in the Stanley Cup finals, is how much stress everyone is under out there. You’re watching human beings, most of whom are giving everything they have despite incredible physical pain.

Mistakes will be made. Calls will be missed. Players will do dumb things. But what’s so genuinely great about this game is that, no matter what happens, when it’s all said and done, the players line up and look one another in the eye. You shake the hand of the man who has been trying to kill you for seven games.

After my father passed away in 2001, I was going through some of his old memorabilia when I found this newspaper clipping.

The article said that my father had been suspended for punching a referee in the face.

What was that poor zebra’s name?

Frank Udvari. The man who had given me my big break.

Hockey. That’s all I gotta say about that.

more, some great stories....

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About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]

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