The Girls Hockey Mess of 2015

Champions. All of them (Mar 7, 2015)

Four years ago today, I called one of the most important games of my career.

It was a broadcast that nearly didn't happen.

We were scheduled to broadcast the boys FCIAC hockey championship on that Saturday at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford. But I discovered that the girls state* championship game was scheduled for earlier in the day.

* It is a state championship, but it is not sanctioned by the CIAC. It was created by the CHSGHA (the Connecticut High School Girls Hockey Association).

Me being me, I wanted to call the game. Despite attempts to talk me out of it to save my voice and energy, I prevailed. Eric Gendron, Jake Zimmer, and Chris Kaelin (eventually) joined me for the call.

And what a call it was.

Two great teams -- Simsbury and ETB (East Catholic/Glastonbury/South Windsor) gave us an exciting game. ETB built up a 2-0 lead before Simsbury rallied to tie the game. Two overtime periods weren't enough to resolve the issue.

We waited for the third overtime to start.

It wouldn't happen. The game was announced as a tie.

Co-champions.

The outrage was strong. There were charges of gender bias, which I didn't buy then (or now). This summary from USA Today (including a tweet from a broadcaster/podcaster/blogger) does a nice job of explaining everything.

Oh, my tweet included a link to the final stretch of the play-by-play. HAN took most of our old audio down, but I have the audio and I've reloaded that on Chirbit (the full game broadcast is at the bottom of this post).

Check this out on Chirbit

I repeat, the game was not stopped because the boys game was coming up, and USA Today tackled the issue again a day later.

FCIAC girls hockey chairperson (and New Canaan head coach) Rich Bulan came on Nutmeg Sports a few days later with Paul Silverfarb and me and explained exactly what he said to USA Today.

Basically, it was a misunderstanding of the rules, which were sketchy at best. But nothing nefarious happened.

Some of the athletes also came on Nutmeg Sports and spoke with the class and eloquence that indicated what a sad result this was.

I offered to broadcast the game if they ever wanted to play again, but of course, that never happened.

I'll never forget the grace of the players. I'll never forget the rush to judgment (and the attention our broadcast received).

Jack Edwards -- yes, THAT Jack Edwards (of NESN and the Boston Bruins) -- was outraged enough to want to talk to me about all of it.

Headline News (HLN) used our audio one morning, and none other than Susan heard it and texted me.

The very same Susan who wrote an incredible editorial, that was inspired by the words of those athletes.

We all learned from it. The CHSGHA has made sure that it never happened again.

I felt a responsibility to broadcast the game the next year but got shot down.

The game was played in West Haven, and I felt I had enough time to get from our broadcast in Stamford.  But it wasn't to be.

Last year, Mick McGowan and I called it (along with Shawn Sailer).

We'll be back again this weekend, as Darien and New Canaan meet for the title.

None of us will make a dime. In fact, we lose money.

I do it for the girls, who have no idea that I'm even there.

But they deserve it.

(Here's the broadcast)