The Henderson Effect - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

-TC- · 10-22-2016, 08:52 PM

Is it real, or am I just being a homer?

I'm curious what the board thinks...

Every fan of every team thinks the calls always favour the other team, especially when your team is on the road.

But I wonder, in this case, if the Flames aren't at a disadvantage as long as Wideman continues to be on the roster.

I'm trying to be objective and take every call, or non call, in isolation and evaluate. It's hard though, I'm a huge Flames fan, so I always see the calls through that lens.

Finger Cookin · 10-22-2016, 08:55 PM

It is not real.

GirlySports · 10-22-2016, 08:56 PM

flames were lucky to only take one penalty in the first. and the pietrangelo penalty was a phantom one.

TheScorpion · 10-22-2016, 08:56 PM

Good, good. My shares in the tinfoil industry with become more valuable fivefold before dawn!

nik- · 10-22-2016, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Good, good. My shares in the tinfoil industry with become more valuable fivefold before dawn!

The markets aren't open on Sundays IDIOT!

TheScorpion · 10-22-2016, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nik-

The markets aren't open on Sundays IDIOT!

That's what the government wants you to think!

(puts on tinfoil hat)

Cali Panthers Fan · 10-22-2016, 09:19 PM

Every fan think their team is punished more than other teams with penalties. This is especially true if you think the refs have an axe to grind with a team. You'll look for this phenomenon to occur more often than you normally would. It's called confirmation bias, and it means your perceptions can't be trusted.

So, no, it's not real.

TheoFleury · 10-22-2016, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan

Every fan think their team is punished more than other teams with penalties. This is especially true if you think the refs have an axe to grind with a team. You'll look for this phenomenon to occur more often than you normally would. It's called confirmation bias, and it means your perceptions can't be trusted.

So, no, it's not real.

I don't have the exact numbers but we were the least penalized team in the league in 14/15 and again in 15/16 until the Wideman incident IIRC. We ended up with the sixth fewest in 15/16 which means we took a ton of penalties after Wideman. This year, we are the MOST penalized team.

I'm not usually a conspiracy guy, but those are some very curious numbers considering the team is relatively the same. How do you explain it? Coincidence? Team just got way more undisciplined? Maybe a coaching factor? It just seems so weird to me, and tough to explain. Probably a bunch of things but I can't imagine the Flames as an organization are exactly loved by the refs after the Wideman debacle.

BACKCHECK!!! · 10-23-2016, 06:54 AM

It absolutely WAS real last year, and I can't imagine anyone could deny it.

This year, I'm less convinced. The calls have gone against the Flames more often than not (the Oilers games being stellar examples), but that does happen sometimes by chance.

We'll have a better idea in another 20 or so games.

Poe969 · 10-23-2016, 07:08 AM

I think so...

Wideman wears #6 but he wore #26 at least 3 times...23
Wideman has scored 23 points while wearing #26...23
Wideman has missed at least 23 games...23
The refs blew the whistle 23 times in the game
Wideman has 23 sticks
The refs only like 23 teams
Henderson was once 23
There are 23 letters in "give Wideman a penalty soon"

23!

Toonage · 10-23-2016, 08:00 AM

Kelly Hrudey certainly thinks it's real.

One thing bugged me last night about the officiating. The number of times Flames were thrown out of the face off. Not a conspiracy mind you but maddening none the less. Hated that linesman by the time the game was done.

Badgers Nose · 10-23-2016, 09:21 AM

Games have lots of penalties this season, both ways. Lots of rust.

Anduril · 10-23-2016, 12:31 PM

Go to any fan board and feeling like the refs are against your team is a common thing.
Post game threads will have each side crying about the their side's missed call well into the next day while only acknowledging that we got away with less than what the other side is crying about in the moment of the game.

No doubt there's some level of bias that the refs will have but that's strictly between them and the players. Fans will hardly ever hear about it one way or another.

nik- · 10-23-2016, 12:34 PM

How many other teams have commentators calling ref bias out on the national broadcast?

N-E-B · 10-23-2016, 01:35 PM

I don't think it's real, but I would like to see the refs being held more accountable for bad games. Fining players and coaches for calling out horrible officiating is ridiculous.

GGG · 10-23-2016, 03:58 PM

I think burrows got penalized for diving more and drew real penalties less as a result of his altercations with referees.

So I think it can be real. I think we need a larger sample size as outside of the first game of the season I haven't seen it

FlamingHomer · 10-23-2016, 04:02 PM

This actually happened to me. I was reffing a Jr. B game and I gave a penalty to an out of town player. He fired the puck at me (missed) so I gave him another 10. He then charged at me and cross checked me to the ice. He was suspended for I can't remember how long but I still hate that player even though I have never seen him since and still hate the town the team was from. That was over 40 years ago.

Having said that, I doubt very much that any of my fellow officials even slightly felt the same way. I know we weren't in a union or had much of a brotherhood so there may be that aspect that isn't comparable. If I had to weigh in with an opinion, I can easily see the NHL officiating fraternity subconsciously having a bias against Calgary. I also think this isn't the reason the Flames record is what it is this year.