Fraser undaunted by hairy situations

[M. Beaux-Eaux]

By ALLAN MAKI
From Wednesday's Globe and Mail

Tampa, Fla. — He was sitting outside Gate 29 at the Calgary International Airport yesterday morning, fleeing the city, when a television commentator recognized him and said, "Kerry, are you wearing sunglasses so you won't be recognized?"

Kerry Fraser laughed, then took off the glasses.

- article

[blaise]

What would it be like if Mike Commodore or Daniel Alfredsson became an NHL official and retained his hairdo?

[CentreHice]

Kerry Fraser quote from the artice:
"The biggest cheer I got was when the puck hit me in the head," Fraser said. "[Calgary's] Chris Simon came over and asked if I was okay. I told him: 'I'm all right. I put on some extra hairspray.' "

I hear they're thinking of naming the thin sections of the ozone layer "Fraser-domes".

So he pokes fun at himself.....but his hair says it all to me. That he is so concerned with his "perfect shell" that he doesn't wear a helmet in this day and age speaks volumes.

IMO, he and his agent have realized that his "do" is the one thing that's going to feed his family for years to come at all the rubber-chicken dinners he'll be attending.

I would imagine de-helmeted refs don't do nearly as well as players on that circuit. So why not bank on an instantly recognizable Kerry Fraser looking like he just stepped off the ice?

I'd rather be known as an official who consistently called a fair game. To me, he'll always be the guy whose off-ice prep was spent looking in the mirror instead of at tapes of his blown calls.

[Deleted]

Believe it or not, despite the big gaffs that Fraser makes once in a all-the-freakin'-time, he's not that bad of an official.

[blny]

Mattias said:

Believe it or not, despite the big gaffs that Fraser makes once in a all-the-freakin'-time, he's not that bad of an official.

Sorry, but far too often you know he's doing the game. The anonymous the official is the better. Fraser likes to asert control of a game early. He looks to make calls. He looks to be a focal point. I couldn't tell you who reffed game five. That's a good thing. That's the way it should be.

[Montrealer]

BLNY said:

Sorry, but far too often you know he's doing the game. The anonymous the official is the better. Fraser likes to asert control of a game early. He looks to make calls. He looks to be a focal point. I couldn't tell you who reffed game five. That's a good thing. That's the way it should be.

I think people b***h and moan too much about the officials in the first place.

It's not as if you need superior athletic ability to become an official - you need to be smart and have a lot of hockey sense.

Since I have the feeling a lot on this board would claim those two qualities, I don't see why they don't start refereeing immediately and try to make it to the big time.

Even older guys can still ref junior-B games, senior league games, etc.

Then again, most people enjoy criticizing much more than actually doing something.