Here you go.
Quote:
Who did Colin Campbell call “a little fake artist”?
By Tyler Dellow
As I’ve mentioned before, I troll CanLII for interesting cases involving the NHL. It’s generally lousy stuff - a lot of bad divorces - but every so often you find something awesome. Like Dean Warren’s labour relations case with the league after it fired him as a referee. The gist of the case was this:
Mr. Warren alleges he was a well known advocate for officials’ rights because over the course of his career he assisted NHL officials whose employment was terminated by the League. He alleges that when in 2006 he was elected to the executive board of the National Hockey League Officials Association (the “OA” or “NHLOA”), the League viewed his election as a threat to its plan, as sanctioned by recent amendments to the collective agreement, to retire a number of senior officials through what was called “succession planning” and the League terminated his employment as a result.
The League denies the applicant’s allegations. It asserts the applicant was a mediocre referee whose employment was terminated for reasons unrelated to any work he did on behalf of other officials. Moreover, the League argues that it had the collective agreement right to ask senior officials to retire through succession planning, a right which had recently been negotiated into the collective agreement between the League and the OA, and Mr. Warren could not have been any threat to that process. As a result it says, Mr. Warren’s claims about the League’s motives do not even make sense.
BORING. The sexy stuff lies in the alternate chair having pulled back the curtain ever so slightly on operations in the building housing Colin Campbell’s Wheel of Justice. There are a bunch of fun emails in the decision that let us see just how Colin Campbell and Stephen Walkom (fellow Laurentian University graduate!) go about doing things.
There are some fun findings by the alternate chair too. Like this: “…In my view, Mr. Walkom’s testimony in this case was influenced by his desire to be vindicated in his decision to release Mr. Warren.” That’s a polite way of saying that the alternate chair was not completely convinced.
There are many NHL referees who gave evidence. Kerry Fraser is described as “…clearly angry about his treatment by the League. He also appears to hold animosity to Mr. Walkom because Mr. Walkom released Mr. Fraser’s son-in-law, a decision he also did not agree with.”
Anyway, let’s look at the emails. There’s been an attempt made to wipe the dates so that we don’t know which games are being discussed - It has not been done well enough.
Stephen Walkom to Colin Campbell, Mike Murphy 10/#/2006 12:32 PM
Just a few updates: spoke with [general manager] from [club] and general manager from [another club]. some concerns, different guys and different situations………. Spoke with Warren about the hit in [city] he felt he left his feet….told him all guys leave their feet but this player glided and took care in hitting the player legally…he understood and further was instructed to see the whole play and that players look for calls which is what happened on this play….in regard to [player] both officials have been spoken with and that open ice hits are generally allowed on one on one battles and for him to have two over called is the exception and not good….
Reasonable. Seems like Walkom is working to manage the situation. What happens when Warren is assigned to work another game in the same city though?
Colin Campbell/NYC/NHL
10/#/2006 01:23PM
To “Stephen Walkom”
Subject Warren
Are you trying to f____ with my head? Sending this guy back into …..after the …..call and others? Have you talked to him yet and have you seen the penalty he called on [player]? Should I call him? Talk to [another referee] he will tell you the horseshit game Warren had and how hard it was to work with him. This guy is in serious trouble. He will be in trouble as soon as [coach or general manager] sees him tonight…they will think you are shoving it up their ass. Maybe you should call [general manager] as a pre-emptive strike but talk to Warren first.
Stephen Walkom to: Colin Campbell 10/#/2006 01:26 PM
Spoke with [general manager] and spoke with dean ….
Dean Warren’s schedule in October of 2006:
Chicago at Nashville Oct. 5
Nashville at Minnesota Oct. 7
Colorado at Vancouver Oct. 8
Vancouver at Minnesota Oct. 10
Boston at St. Louis Oct. 12
Rangers at Buffalo Oct. 14
Pittsburgh at Islanders Oct. 19
Florida at Atlanta OCt. 21
Toronto at Montreal Oct. 28
…Mr. Campbell emailed a clip of a play in a game worked by Mr. Warren [where, presumably, Mr. Campbell finds Mr. Warren missed a call] and the following occurred:
From: Stephen Walkom
Sent: 11/#/2006 10:24 PM
To: Colin Campbell
Did you call him…not going to help he’s just like [referee] a nice guy but very little natural talent.
From: Colin Campbell
Sent: 11/#/2007 10:56PM
To: Stephen Walkom
Subject: Re:
No, called Bob Hall. [A general manager] just e-mailed me. I had to tell him the truth.
Stephen Walkom to Colin Campbell 11/#/2006 11:07 PM
Good he was the boss when warren was hired…rated real low as a trainee and they gave him a contract because he mentioned discrimination…you know the story on [another referee] neither one ever had the natural skill set to be on our team…..especially [the other referee] sad really cheapens the profession…
In mid-February Mr. Campbell sent Mr. Walkom a clip and said:
Colin Campbell to: Referee Chief Stephen Walkom
02/#/2007 09:56 PM
Can we use this shit [the emailed clip] to remove him or is there an HR excuse.
A couple weeks later Mike Murphy or Mr. Walkom (it was not clear which) wrote to Mr. Campbell (and Mr. Walkom) that Mr. Warren had “missed high stick on [player] with 130 left in the game…..hard for a Ref to see….[general manager] will be whining’. Mr. Campbell replied:
To Stephen Walkom/Tor/NHL@NHL
Subject Re: Delayed Penalties/High Sticks 02/#/2007 4:24 pm
A bend in the road is a dead end if you round the corner and Dean Warren is standing there. Your answer re: his high stick calls and the score of the game were horse shit. The 3rd call on [player] was while they were down 5 on 4 and on a def zone face off vs that little fake artist [player] I had him in [city] biggest faker going. And Warren fell for it when he grabbed his face on a face off. Your supposed to see the act, not call the embellishing act. Dean Warren has to go with [referee] There must be a way to get rid of this guy. Is there a way we can tract (sic) and total minors called by referees this year. We could then get the minors they call per game. … or with 2 [referees on the ice] it is impossible? Warren and [referee] out of [club’s] games. Give them to [referees].
Stephen Walkom to: Colin Campbell 02/#/2007 04:39 PM
that’s funny yet not funny….I think we have that data but it may work in his favour….that’s why I’m against data and more about IT….he doesn’t have it, never had it, and is average at best, probably never get it,
OK I’m going to stop it….
From: Stephen Walkom
Sent: 02/#/2007 08:09 AM
To: Mike Murphy
Cc: Colin Campbell
Subject: Re: ….. / …….
Terry ran into …….after the game who was upset, linesmen…………..viewed the play but no injury could be found therefore no call [player] was saying to Terry that he was injured but the guys didn’t see anything but spit and gatorade residue….therefore no double minor….
Re [player]
Colin Campbell to Stephen Walkom, Mike Murphy
02/#/2007 09:21 AM
I know Murph and Kinger like [player] as a player but my view of him is this exactly…he puts his whining ahead of the game. I don’t think this is a regular occurrence (…..getting screwed) and …..exploded ………over the disallowed goal. He may be uncontrollable by ………….and……………..as I think his frustration level has hit a high point. He hates officials as well. He is still pissed off at [referee] for a call he missed in the playoffs years ago as I remember him bugging Murph about it. Let’s give him Warren and [referee] than (sic) he will really have something to whine about.
OK - this one I think we can nail down. We know that Campbell is upset about a situation involving a team that was already down to 5 v 4, on a defensive zone faceoff against a “little fake artist” who Campbell had (presumably in New York when he coached the Rangers. We also know that it was that player’s third penalty of the night. We can assume, from the chair’s description of this as being a few weeks after some earlier February emails, that it was in late February.
As it so happens, there is a game featuring players that meet this description. On February 24, 2007, Dean Warren reffed a game between the Bruins and the Panthers. At 13:29 of the second, Alexei Semenov was called for high sticking. Marc Savard, who played for Colin Campbell when he coached the Rangers, came out over the boards. He glided towards the dot where he faced off with Panthers penalty killer…Gregory Campbell. The puck was dropped and Campbell was called for high sticking. His third penalty of the game.
This is the only game from February, 2007 that meets the description.
I mentioned the Savard thing on Twitter and @Texas_Gal, a Boston lawyer (I think Twitter is made up entirely of journalists, bloggers and lawyers) points out that Matt Cooke wasn’t suspended for concussing Marc Savard last year. Did Campbell’s apparent loathing of Savard play into it? Who knows. In fairness to the NHL, it’s amended the rules with respect to hits to the head since then. This, though, is one reason that you don’t want people judging cases in which they have personal relationships with parties; if nothing else, the optics are terrible.
In March the criticism continued after Mr. Walkom distributed an email to referees and management which discussed issues about high stick calls. Mr. Campbell replied:
Colin Campbell/NYX/NHL
03/#/2007 12:21 PM
To Stephen Walkom/TOR/NHL@NHL
Subject Re: High-sticks & Video-Review
Someone (Warren) was real quick to call….3x for high sticks one night.
Re: High-sticks & Video-Review
Stephen Walkom to Colin Campbell
03/#/2007 12:25 PM
Good point…he [Warren] phoned me and asked how he was doing….told him he’s been inconsistent and can’t skate but his effort is there….
There are a couple of games that this could be. Can’t be nailed down.
In May there was an email exchange where in the end another sarcastic reference to Mr. Warren was made in the context of a game which Mr. Warren did not officiate:
From: Stephen Walkom
Sent: 05/#/2007 10:03 PM EDT
To: Colin Campbell
Subject: Re: ……
It put them down 2 men that’s what makes it tough……. [player] knew it was a penalty….. would have screamed if it was the against them….plus their player would have dove and sold the call…that call is easy to defend….this has been a good upbeat game…
From: Colin Campbell
Sent: 05/#/2007 10:04 PM EDT
To: Stephen Walkom
Subject: Re: …………..
I hate soft penalties…remember that when I am a GM!
Re: …………..
Stephen Walkom
Colin Campbell
05/#/2007 10:06 PM
Have to give you warren a bunch……….
If Colin Campbell is ever a GM, I will have to make a note to pay attention to who gets assigned to do his team’s games. Hilariously, while researching this post, I learned that he turned down a five year $7.5MM deal with the Flyers in 2006 because he wanted the Leafs job. Some day…
Meanwhile, there were further emails between Mr. Walkom and Mr. Campbell which touched on Mr. Warren. The following exchanged occurred in relation to another referee. It suggests that at this time the League knew that Mr. Warren was likely to be released.
From: Colin Campbell
Sent: 11/#/2007 09:54 PM EST
To: Stephen Walkom
Subject: Penalty
Game not televised. Radio announcers said it was a bullshit penalty…you need to find out for me. How…I don’t know but this was awful. 1:30 left in 2-1 game for [team] and [player] scored with 2 second left to tie it up them won in OT. FUCK
From: Stephen Walkom
Sent: 11/#/2007 09:56 PM EST
To: Colin Campbell
Subject: Re: Penalty
ok ill find out….
Re: Penalty
11/#/2007 10:48 PM
Colin Campbell to Stephen Walkom
Did you find out anything? It was [another referee] that made the call. Keep Warren and gas this shithead. 90 seconds left and he calls a weak penalty…tripping. Makes me sick. If I was at the game I would have had to fine me.
So we know that this game took place in November of 2007. I went through and looked for November 2007 games in which a penalty was called late in a 2-1 game and the team that went on the power play scored and won in overtime. I found this Florida-Atlanta game, which looks to be the only one that meets the description. After a Panther was penalized late, the Thrashers won it up and tied it in overtime. The player who was penalized? None other than Gregory Campbell. Brian Pochmara and Don VanMassenhoven were the referees in that game and both are, as far as I can tell, still NHL referees.
(Update: As @KenTalent5000 points out, Campbell was apparently emailing Walkom to complain about a call that he heard on the radio which the announcers didn’t like. I wonder if he ever listened to Rod Phillips call a game and, if so, what Walkom’s inbox looked like at the end of the night.)
The morals of this little tale? There are many. Never put anything into an email that you wouldn’t be fine with seeing in print on the front page of a national newspaper. If you’re a Bruins fan, you’re now forever justified in bitching that every call went against you because Colin Campbell hates Marc Savard. If you want your team to be treated favourably, acquire Greg Campbell, because Colin Campbell will watch all your games and bitch about bad calls. Also, it would appear that if you’re a GM and you’re not constantly filling Campbell’s ear in an attempt to get the refs you like you like, you aren’t doing your job.
Oh and one more - if you suspect that the NHL is run by bozos (in fairness to Walkom, I don’t think he comes off poorly in the emails, although he wasn’t found to be a particularly credible witness), Campbell’s emails aren’t going to do a lot to convince you otherwise. Funny stuff.
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