March 21, 2008

An Outrage!

5 seconds is all it takes! Or is it 3? What the hell just happened last night is beyond me... all I can say is that it is an absolute outrage and totally scandalous. How this can happen at the top level of sports is simply not acceptable.

Lets start by telling you the basics. The play offs in the Swedish hockey league are in progress. Quarter finals are being played out - best of seven. Hockey is the number one sport in this country (close second would be soccer).

I am a huge fan of FBK, and they are currently battling it out with Frölunda for a semi-final spot. FBK lead the series 3-2, and went on the road to hopefully finish them off.

Game 6 was an absolute thriller - and a tremendous game to watch. At the start of the 3rd period, FBK seemed to have done enough, taking the lead 4-2. Then, with two men in the penalty box Frölunda get back in the game. 4-3 scores... they go crazy, playing hockey like mad. The equalizer and the go-ahead goal are scored in rapid succession, and FBK have completely lost control of the game.

This is when things start going crazy in this memorable hockey match.

Frustrated, an FBK player tackles a Frölunda player in the back - the supporters go berzerk. Security at their home stadium - which by the way is a secondary, much smaller stadium than their regular one, and certainly not equipped for play-off ice hockey - has failed and a glass bottle end up on the ice, shattering. Apparently it was thrown right at the player, but thankfully missed him.

Ok. So these things happen - and they are scandalous enough. This was just the beginning of the craziest night in sports I've ever witnessed.

They redo the ice, to make sure there is no glass left on it - so we have about a 10 minute break with five minutes on the clock. This actually gave FBK a chance to regroup and try to get back into the game.

When things really started going crazy is when there was 5 seconds to go on the clock. A face-off in Frölunda's defensive zone, and FBK still down by the one goal. Now, try to follow this crazy shit:

5 seconds left: The ref drops the puck. Frölunda wins the face-off, and the puck goes down in the corner behind their goal.

4 seconds left: Four players, two from each team, battle it out in the corner - trying to get possession of the puck.

3 seconds left: Still a jumble of players trying to get the puck out of the corner. It's a total brawl... AND THEN THE FUCKING BUZZER GOES OFF! The one that signals the end of the game!!!

2 seconds left: The puck comes loose. A pass out to FBK's Mikael Johansson in front of the goal. Frölunda's goalie is just standing there not understanding what the hell is going on... but the game is NOT over!

1 second left: Mikael Johansson shoots and scores, quite easily, and FBK players celebrate like mad for another second... all the while the buzzer is sounding.

Then, the ref signals something - FBK players point to the scoreboard where the clock reads 19:59... they scored the goal before time was up. Fighting among players behind the goal ensue. Others are hunting down the referee demanding to know what's going on.

Mind you, this is a very important game too.

Fifteen minutes later, it is decided there will be a face-off in the Frölunda defensive zone again - with (now hear this out) 3 seconds to go??? No goal!

How can it not be a goal? How can there only be 3 seconds to go if they want to replay the face-off because the Gawd damned buzzer went off too soon? How can that fucking buzzer go off before the time on the clock is up, unless someone manually pushes the son-of-a-bitchin' button?

I'm telling you... this is absolutely crazy.

A decisive 7th game will be played tomorrow, and I sure hope we kick their asses then. I was furious last night! How can something like this happen in professional sports? I've never seen anything like it!

If you want to see a clip of the craziness - click the picture below... unless you understand the Swedish language you won't understand what they're saying... but you'll see the crazyness in pictures.

36 comments:

Casdok said...

My ex husband was an ice hockey ref, so i have seen many a crazy thing!!!

Jo said...

Maybe Buzzer Man got over-excited & then feared rabid hockey players would bludgeon him if he fessed up to spazzing out on the button? It's okay, your boys will come back with the vengeance of injustice in the next game.

I love ice-hockey! I have a collection of pucks that magically zoom towards my head at some of the games I've been to. Plus I married a former hockey-player, it's a kick-ass sport.

Dana said...

What's that saying?? You've got to love it when an ice hockey game breaks out in the middle of a boxing match? Thanks for the link - it was fun to try to figure out what the hell they were saying!

Knight said...

I'm surprised the fans didn't rush the ref. Seriously, how did the buzzer go off early? I smell a conspiracy.

Anonymous said...

I'm a big Soccer fan and I remember watching Hendrik Larson (Sweden) play on TV :)

In soccer to similar incidents happen

Liv said...

if i knew at any level what you've been talking about, i'd totally weigh in. until then, just pretend i said something wicked intelligent!

Dianne said...

I'm with liv! although I can respond to the frustration and passion of your feelings! so my wicked intelligent response would be

You Go REH!!

Now if we were talking about (American) football - well I would have more than a few choice words.

Or our beloved baseball :)

Anonymous said...

I know a few people who are "that" into hockey. They get all angry and it ruins their day. They even yell at the TV like the players can hear them or something. They spend the rest of the day in a foul mood. It makes no sense.

The guys I know who actually play hockey in their spare time are way more relaxed when it comes to stuff like that.

I know a few guys who tried out for NHL teams. When someone gets that upset around them they always say "relax buddy it's just a game."

Jay said...

I've seen some crazy stuff in sports. Two years ago in a college football game between Oregon and Oklahoma, Oregon tried on a on sides kick. There was a big pile up on the field as players on both teams were scrambling for the ball. The refs pulled players off the pile and announced that Oregon has recovered.

The only problem was that an Oklahoma player was actually sitting on the ground 10 yards behind the pile up holding the football. The refs completely missed the whole thing.

Of course, Oregon went on to score and win the game. Very strange.

I enjoy ice hockey too. I've only ever been to one game but would love to go to an NHL game. It's very expensive though.

L.P. said...

sports.... zzzzzz....
wake me when it's over okay?

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

Cool. I listened to the video link. I could recognize the word scandal. Well, it sounded like scandal but who knows what that interprets to in Swedish.

I will say, when I read you now I think I'm gonna' hear it with an accent ;)

Sparkling Red said...

Don't cross the sports fans! To say people feel strongly about their sports is an understatement.

I'm not a fan, but I've seen the intensity, and it's impressive!

R.E.H. said...

Casdok: So he wasn't a very good one? ;) *kidding* No seriously - it's a really tough job, and they aren't in a position where they can please everyone - opposing fans will never have the same view.

Jo: That's what I'm thinking... or that the buzzer man did it on purpose as soon as he saw FBK win the puck in the corner.

And flying pucks can be dangerous. A girl I know who works as a photographer was rinkside for a magazine, and took one in the jaw only about a month ago. Knocked her and a couple of teeth out - she still was lucky, had it struck her up by the temple it might have killed her.

Dana: Yeah, I think the game tomorrow will be more of a boxing match than a hockey game - there will be some lingering emotions among certain players.

Knight: The ref ruled in favor of the home fans... else he would probably have to run for his life. I wonder if he'll be the ref tomorrow... that could spell T.R.O.U.B.L.E.

Joel: Yeah, I've seen some crazy shit in soccer too, but this one takes the cake.

Henrik Larsson was an outstanding soccer player though.

R.E.H. said...

Liv: I would've never thought of that - right on! So insightful... ;)

Dianne: Yeah, baseball is the number one sport of all! No question... hockey... I only turn into a fanatic supporter once the play-offs begin.

Unsigned: I can assure you that the players on this team did not shake it off... they were absolutely outraged, and interviews still have them fuming.

Oh, and I'm one of those who get into sports a little too much. Once I even started crying... maybe I'll tell that story, and others some day ;) You gotta love sports... and if you don't get totally into it - then you're not going to enjoy it... it's no sunday matinee.

It's like an old Scottish soccer (football) coach once said: "Football is not a matter of life and death... it is much more important than that!"

Jay: Yes, there is another one of those situations that would make me holler and scream, while gesturing wildly at the TV screen.

Isn't sports wonderful? ;)

I'd love to go to an NHL game too.

Naughty Lakota: Sports is a never ending event - always something going on... so, will you be my sleeping beauty? Or should I wake you anyway ;)

R.E.H. said...

Farmer's Wife: That word was probably scandal indeed, since it's the same word in Swedish (except it's spelled with a K, instead of the C of course).

Sparkling Red: Yeah, a real sports fan will be very passionate about his team. If not - why watch it? A lot of fun...

Jen said...

I love the fighting with a bit of ice hockey play thrown in!

Those are always fantastic nights! Yours sounded like one of the best.

Enjoy your upcoming fight. . . . errr. . . I mean, hockey game!

Jen said...

Oh! I forgot to tell you, I was sitting about 20 people over when a fan got hit in the head with a 90-mile-an-hour hockey puck.

It took about 3.2 seconds before that blood began to swiftly gush. 10 more seconds before the guy fainted (not me - I was very brave and watched the whole thing in fascination). Those things are vicious!

He got to keep the puck and get additional tickets to upcoming games.

Hockey is great! Waaaaa-ay better than baseball!

R.E.H. said...

Jen: Yeah, Fight Hockey is a good game indeed, but it falls short compared to baseball! ;)

Ouch - that must've hurt like mad. Wouldn't have wanted to witness that even... but, he did get those extra tickets - might be worth it?

Uh, No!

Anonymous said...

HONEY I'M HOME!!!!!!! Hockey? Baseball? I don't know anything about it... I think I need to know about hockey to move to Canada!!

Missed you sweety!
Blog on the way about SB!!

Smooches
Single

R.E.H. said...

Single In The City: Thank, God you're home safe... you had me worried there for a while ;)

Can't wait to read up on your Spring Break adventures!

tt said...

So, do people go to Hockey games for the 'sport'...or to watch a fight break out? I heard one sportscaster say something like " people love a good crash during a race', referring to the Indy 500. I thought that sort of bizzar myself. It drives me nuts when things change in the last few seconds of anything I'm watching...sports wize. Unless it's in MY teams favor. ha ha

I've been waaayyy to busy lately. I've got a lot of reading on your blog to get me caught up! My week was completely thrown off b/c I didn't have time to read you. Shame on me!

R.E.H. said...

TT: Actually, there's a lot less fighting going on in Swedish hockey than there is in the NHL. Except now that the play offs are under way... There is, however, a lot more fighting in the stands than there is in the states... supporter groups tend to be violent over here in Europe.

BTW. It is more and more looking as if it was a setup... the equipment which they blamed to be faulty is functioning perfectly - someone simply must have started the buzzer too early on purpose... it's a media frenzy over here right now... the game tonight will likely be a violent one - both on the ice and up in the stands... I sure hope they have enough cops present or things could turn ugly tonight...

Scarlett said...

Well, I'm not a hockey fan, rather I don't follow the sport, but I hope your team wins!

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

Enjoy your game & player/fans bashing! It actually does sound exciting because everyone's really revved and anxious.

Oooh, new PFC peoples. I'm gonna' go link up and read! Happy Saturday!

R.E.H. said...

Scarlett: Well, thanks for lending your support to my team even if you're not a fan of the sport.

Farmer's Wife: It's going to be one heck of a game, I'm sure.

We did get a few new participants to the PFC this time - lotsa fun!

Farmer*swife a/k/a Glass_Half_Full said...

So, I tried to comment last night but blogger kept eating my comment and my computer locked up and started wiggin' out again.

This morning, after church and Easter Egg hunting -- It locked up again...then I got a warning about some software trying to install.

So, my spy ware blocked it.

R.E.H. said...

Farmer's Wife: Spy ware! I hate that stuff... good thing it was stopped... do a virus scan on the discs to make sure it didn't get something onto it!

Jill said...

This is why I don't watch hockey!!
The last time I went to see an hockey game, we were right beside the players bench and it stink like hell!

R.E.H. said...

Jill: That's the smell of sweat, Jill. ;)

Jill said...

There is a way more pleasant way of smelling a man sweat than the one that is trap into hockey gear!

Elle said...

Uh, hockey. Um. Well, go team. I guess. (We don't have that here in the boondocks, so I have no reference point, sad to say, and well, frankly, no true inrterest in flying pucks and flying teeth/blood/ whatevers.) I hadn't been around the blogdom lately so I felt compelled to at least leave some mark... feel free to do the same when I post about water weight or go on about my groovy new mixer or whatever over at my place.

R.E.H. said...

Jill: I couldn't imagine what way that is... ;)

Elle: Well, we can't all love sports...

Jill said...

Go see the answer of your comments on my blog, that might gave you an idea of what I was talking about!

Elle said...

But, I DO! I watch baseball, basketball, football... hockey just never really made it to the sunny South, I guess. They have NASCAR, after all. Which I don't get into either.

Anonymous said...

I only had one post on this? Cant be I think you deleted some of my post! Hmmmmmm Well I guess I will have to leave this one!!!

R.E.H. said...

Jill: Ok.

Elle: So you DO watch sports... baseball is number one!

Single In The City: Now you have two in this post ;)