Wow – controversy surrounds sports like there’s no tomorrow, first it’s the World Junior’s and the suspension levied by the IIHF for the Head Butt to Joe Veleno, then it’s the reaction by the NHL on Tort’s rant, then we are hearing about the missed holding call against Hollister at the end of the game.

While we all know that the pressure is on the coaches to win, they first have to get the players ready when they come to play and this includes following the rules.

If anyone for one second thinks that the officials get paid by the number of calls they make, think again, because they could be some rich officials walking around the streets.

While we reflect to the “Head Butt”, that was not called when the official was mere feet away, he simply chose not to call it, only due to the level of game and if he did, realistically speaking, that might be his last game.

Like it or not politics plays a significant role in sports for all officials and we’ve all seen it from minor to the pro ranks.

In a statement issued from Hockey Canada which read as follows: “We believe it is not worthy of a suspension and we are disappointed in the IIHF panel’s decision and we look forward to Joe’s return to competition.” 

If this is the case, let’s look at Hockey Canada’s official rule book which states under Rule 6.1 (b) 1) A Match penalty shall be assessed any player or team official who injures an opponent with a Head Butt.

The rule does not mention if someone Head Butts someone and there is no injury such as in the game in question?

If Hockey Canada is mentioning that there should be no suspension, will a simple Head Butt as everyone saw in the game in question, be overlooked and if so, does this not open up a “can of worms” for each Branch in Canada?

Quite possibly the action taken by the IIHF was a reaction all caused by Team Canada Captain Barrett Hayton not removing his helmet for the playing of the Soviet Anthem at the end of the game for the post game ceremony?

Adding to this the Russians first and winning goal, against Canada was offside, not once but twice and adding insult to injury neither Germany’s Jonas Merten and Sweden’s Tobias Nordlander who were lining – caught it.

I for one know it’s a fast game, but we were taught that if your partner misses a simple call such as this – make it for him and that is what  the back Referee did and quite possibly he wasn’t watching that area of the ice.

Canadian coach Dale Hunter didn’t challenge the call because the team didn’t have a proper look at it upstairs.

Next on to “Torts” and his rant, which when you think about it, this may not mean anything, but what if this affects the team’s outcome at the end of regular season play as to who advances to the playoffs?

Next on to the Seahawks, who brought in “Beast-mode” for one final game in hopes of possibly making a redemption, but try as he might it never happened.

Seattle had the storybook finish they wanted and all they had to do was let Lynch march in especially since they had the ball 2nd and goal from the one. 

This with under a minute left that would have given Seattle the victory and the NFC West title but it wasn’t to be.

This season has been a struggle for Pete Carroll with his use of T/O’s and misuse of time in the final two minutes of halves and ends of games. 

But to see the Seahawks not get a play off with the ball was on the one-yard line as well as taking a delay of game penalty very likely changed the outcome of the game, the season and  beyond – but for who?

In pro sports and given the time of year, some coaches might be “canned”, but Carroll will be around for a while, but he’s made some timely or questionable calls this season.

Being down by a 13-0 at the half, you knew that the Seahawks and Wilson would work magic in the second half, but still coming up shy dropping the game by a 26-21 margin.

It’s interesting to point out that the 49ers had 186 total yards to the Seahawks 36, but the end result had the 49ers manage 398 to Seattle’s 348 going home with the win. 

The Seahawks have all the “guns” but they have to play a full game and not give up any foolish mistakes, like we’ve seen in the past!!