The problem

he problem is: We're talking too much. Referee calls a penalty. Then you see him go over to the offending player's bench and talk to the coach for a minute. Then, of course, the opposing coach wants to know what's going on, so the referee has to go talk to him.

What is everyone else doing while that is going on? I'll tell you: They're standing around, waiting. There's no drill the players have in practice to make them get better at standing around. Why? Because it's not part of hockey. And neither is the yakety-yak.

Sure, sometimes, maybe once a game, you need to talk to a coach. You might have to tell him the clock ticked off a few extra seconds by accident, or there's a big sale at Wal-Mart. Other than those rare occasions, there really isn't much need for you to end up by the bench for extended periods of time.

Continued...