Beer League Frustrations Vent Thread.

[ChiTownHawks]

As a beginner player, sometimes I do this accidentally

I'm trying to skate hard and push myself, as I don't have a league team so pick up is my end all, and I don't mean to get physical but sometimes I bump someone or get my stick stuck where it doesn't belong. I always apologize and I'm getting better at preventing accidents, but they happen and sometimes I can tell the other guy is pretty jerked off. I feel bad but what can I really do besides keep practicing and try not to make the same mistake?

You can almost always tell when a beginner does it by accident and when someone is juts being an overly aggressive *****. Also the guy being overly aggressive will not apologize like you do. I can always tell the difference and someone running into you by accident is not a big deal IMO.

 

[ganave]

I'd much rather having a goalie play hard then not hard. I like it when goalies don't give up and every once in a while make a crazy save.

I'd rather get stopped by a good save than score on a poor effort, in pick up at least

As a still novice goalie, I use pick-ups to work on moves that aren't ready for real games. A lot of garbage goals go in, but I'm working on technique. I'll play hard, but I've been injured enough in pickup that yeah, I won't go all out if I think it will result in an injury.

 

[Malarowski]

You can almost always tell when a beginner does it by accident and when someone is juts being an overly aggressive *****. Also the guy being overly aggressive will not apologize like you do. I can always tell the difference and someone running into you by accident is not a big deal IMO.

I have the same issue. I am not a great skater yet, but I try to contribute and hustle for pucks which causes me to get into the way of people at times. Most notice that it is not on purpose but there is always that one guy taking exception. Last time I stretched out my leg to stop a puck (won't do that again, seemed dangerous in retrospect) and made an opponent have to dodge it. Apologized but still got a ****** look from him. The rest of the day he spent tripping me against the boards and just generally being rather untactful, shoving when he could. That definitely was fun...

 

[mistrhanky]

I don't apologize unless I truly, truly regret it. I am not a very good skater and am pretty new at it, but hockey is a contact game even in no-check. In fact, one of the biggest things I had to learn was not to back off when I see contact. Whenever I do that, it usually winds up leaving me on the ice and the other guy skating away. So, I only apologize if it is something I think went over the top. Now, in a pickup, I still avoid that. But in a game... I just play it out.

 

[Malarowski]

Oh no doubt. In a game I can't care less what my opponent thinks. My stuff happened in a scrimmage that's part of a clinic. Nobody said anything about my play being to rough or anything, in fact the coach praised the hard work multiple times, but I guess people get cranky if you don't make it easy for them and show effort beyond your skill.

 

[SacredPetra]

As a beginner player, sometimes I do this accidentally

I'm trying to skate hard and push myself, as I don't have a league team so pick up is my end all, and I don't mean to get physical but sometimes I bump someone or get my stick stuck where it doesn't belong. I always apologize and I'm getting better at preventing accidents, but they happen and sometimes I can tell the other guy is pretty jerked off. I feel bad but what can I really do besides keep practicing and try not to make the same mistake?

I'm also a beginner player, but I've had the opposite experience. The harder I try and the more I push myself, the more the other players try and give me opportunities to get the puck and the more advice they give me. I've had other players get peeved at me for missing really solid passes, but never for accidental contact.

 

[JoeyB]

I'm also a beginner player, but I've had the opposite experience. The harder I try and the more I push myself, the more the other players try and give me opportunities to get the puck and the more advice they give me. I've had other players get peeved at me for missing really solid passes, but never for accidental contact.

Oh yeah sure, I get those guys too. In fact most of the people I play with are really laid back and know that I'm just starting out so I get a good bit of leeway. But every now and again there's a guy who's less than excited at playing with/being bumped into by a beginner player.

 

[OpenIceHit42]

Yesterday in a beer league roller hockey game with some buddies...

We're up 4-3 with under a min to go, scramble in front and I end up getting tripped and puck ends up underneath me. Officials blow it dead, other team is yelling I covered it with my hand (even though the puck is under my stomach) so after the whistle I push the puck away from myself and my glove flies off, about 3 secs after that some idiot takes a slap shot and hits me in the hand as I was still on the ground. Guy says "I didn't hear the whistle" but the other three guys on the rink from his team all asked him what the hell he was doing.

Needless to say I wasn't too happy and my hand feels WONDERFUL today.

 

[Korpse]

I've seen a lot of ranting about better players running up the score, celebrating and what not. Ill give my 2 cents.

Most guys will let up and maybe try to set up teammates who aren't as good and take the foot of the pedal. But if the opposing team is starting to get chippy, no chance. I'm guilty of it, and the only reason is cause the actions of the opposing team. If you are gonna run me me or my teammates, ill try my hardest to score until the buzzer goes and ill have a nice celebration while I'm at it. I say most guys cause some are just gonna run up the score cause they are dicks.

Anyways looking forward to using this thread once my summer league starts this week. Ill be mostly ranting about teammates acting like clowns. Cheers.

Edit: my first rant, **** guys who don't change when their linemates change ("cause they dont feel tired") and get trapped on the ice for another 30 seconds or a minute. If you see your line ate dump it in and go off its usually a good time for you to change or not. I don't care if you are tired or not at the moment, chances are you will feel it later in the game. Everyone deserves an equal chance to play.

 

[ChiTownHawks]

Edit: my first rant, **** guys who don't change when their linemates change ("cause they dont feel tired") and get trapped on the ice for another 30 seconds or a minute. If you see your line ate dump it in and go off its usually a good time for you to change or not. I don't care if you are tired or not at the moment, chances are you will feel it later in the game. Everyone deserves an equal chance to play.

If you're not tired you're not skating hard enough. Get off the ice!

 

[wondeROY]

I've seen a lot of ranting about better players running up the score, celebrating and what not. Ill give my 2 cents.

Most guys will let up and maybe try to set up teammates who aren't as good and take the foot of the pedal. But if the opposing team is starting to get chippy, no chance. I'm guilty of it, and the only reason is cause the actions of the opposing team. If you are gonna run me me or my teammates, ill try my hardest to score until the buzzer goes and ill have a nice celebration while I'm at it. I say most guys cause some are just gonna run up the score cause they are dicks.

So if the opposing team is chirping because you are playing in a league that you are clearly too advanced to play in, you retaliate by running up the score. Got it, cool guy.

 

[ChiTownHawks]

So if the opposing team is chirping because you are playing in a league that you are clearly too advanced to play in, you retaliate by running up the score. Got it, cool guy.

I think he is saying they are getting chippy, i.e. overly physical or aggressive, not chirpy.

 

[wondeROY]

I think he is saying they are getting chippy, i.e. overly physical or aggressive, not chirpy.

Well that is a result of a team showing frustration because they are playing a team with a bunch of ****ing ringers. Play in your own damn skill level, don't drop to a level below yours because you want to groom your ego. I absolutely hate that crap, ruins mens league.

 

[TieClark]

Well that is a result of a team showing frustration because they are playing a team with a bunch of ****ing ringers. Play in your own damn skill level, don't drop to a level below yours because you want to groom your ego. I absolutely hate that crap, ruins mens league.

The problem is 2 fold:

1. Most leagues don't offer individual signups for all the levels... it's usually reserved for the lowest level so you get guys way below they're actual level on some of those teams. This usually balances out though.

2. The more prevalent issue, it's hard to get a full team together for hockey. It's damn near impossible to get a full team of guys all right around the same skill level. This results in either teams getting lit up playing at their best players level, or teams with ringers playing at the middle or lower guys level.

 

[wondeROY]

The problem is 2 fold:

1. Most leagues don't offer individual signups for all the levels... it's usually reserved for the lowest level so you get guys way below they're actual level on some of those teams. This usually balances out though.

2. The more prevalent issue, it's hard to get a full team together for hockey. It's damn near impossible to get a full team of guys all right around the same skill level. This results in either teams getting lit up playing at their best players level, or teams with ringers playing at the middle or lower guys level.

I can tell you that neither of those are issues at my local rink, nor the last rink I played at. Here we have 5 divisions every season and there is always roster spots available on each team. If you request to be put on a team here, you are very likely to be placed there. Regardless of your skill level. Here it is simply guys that are capable of playing in advanced or cup league, but play in intermediate so they can see their names on top of the score sheet every night. Bunch of clowns.

 

[not a troll]

I can tell you that neither of those are issues at my local rink, nor the last rink I played at. Here we have 5 divisions every season and there is always roster spots available on each team. If you request to be put on a team here, you are very likely to be placed there. Regardless of your skill level. Here it is simply guys that are capable of playing in advanced or cup league, but play in intermediate so they can see their names on top of the score sheet every night. Bunch of clowns.

You have a lot of pent up anger issues. Ever thought maybe they have friends they want to play with?

 

[CunniJA]

I can tell you that neither of those are issues at my local rink, nor the last rink I played at. Here we have 5 divisions every season and there is always roster spots available on each team. If you request to be put on a team here, you are very likely to be placed there. Regardless of your skill level. Here it is simply guys that are capable of playing in advanced or cup league, but play in intermediate so they can see their names on top of the score sheet every night. Bunch of clowns.

I am totally with you here, man. Same issues where I play, despite the fact that we have a whopping 17 divisions during winter season (all theoretically at slightly increased/decreased level between each step). Ringers are still a problem mostly due to a lazy commissioner. That said, he's finally starting to weed out some ringers and forcing them to play higher or quit (and most of them, with their fragile egos, are choosing to quit it seems). Official league policies guarantee that ringers won't be tolerated as well. And yes, they are a bunch of clowns. It's pretty stupid when a team that's 0-10 goes and gets a couple of fresh Midget AA players to come play in low C division and then has those two combine for almost 60% of the team's points (and that's with one of the ******** playing HALF the season!).

@PinkEye: That's wonderful! Then the guys who are bad play up... you don't have the good ones play down. That's just common sense, no?

At any rate, I just don't understand the satisfaction of being a ringer. It's like noob bashing or playing games with a rigged controller. Where's the challenge and where's the fun? Anybody could just find some willing ringer and start pounding every team's face in, but that's not the point.

 

[Clarkington III]

It is also very possible to be down 5-1 in a beer league game early with teams of relatively equal skill. Why is the automatic assumption it's ringers?

Edit: I use 5-1 as an example. It easy for a game to get out of hand if they stop focusing no playing hockey and start focusing on running people.

 

[Ozz]

My team has come back to win from a 4-goal deficit against the most skilled teams in the highest divisions, yet sometimes we can't overtake a mediocre team when down by 1-2 goals. **** happens.

 

[Korpse]

So if the opposing team is chirping because you are playing in a league that you are clearly too advanced to play in, you retaliate by running up the score. Got it, cool guy.

Chirping is fine, it's the slashing and running guys. There's no need. Wouldn't say I'm playing down a level, there's guys on my team and other teams that are better than me, when the game is out of hand most guys ease up and that's what I'm referring to. If the other team are being clowns ill give it my all to score, simple as that.

 

[Korpse]

It is also very possible to be down 5-1 in a beer league game early with teams of relatively equal skill. Why is the automatic assumption it's ringers?

Edit: I use 5-1 as an example. It easy for a game to get out of hand if they stop focusing no playing hockey and start focusing on running people.

What this guy said. Teams don't always have a full roster, sometimes they are missing their better players. Doesn't mean me or my team are playing down a level. We have gotten blown out before it happens, be an adult and deal with it.

 

[Korpse]

Well that is a result of a team showing frustration because they are playing a team with a bunch of ****ing ringers. Play in your own damn skill level, don't drop to a level below yours because you want to groom your ego. I absolutely hate that crap, ruins mens league.

Guys who take runs at other players make me sick. Everyone has a job to go to in the morning. It's too bad your feelings got hurt, but act like an adult.

 

[Frankie Spankie]

We got smoked this morning by a bunch of guys that take the game way too seriously. We lost something like 12-4, with 2 minutes left one of their "star" players, I say that only to humor him, skates hard to back check a guy in his 30s or 40s who has only been skating for a year or so. Steals the puck, and tees up for a slapshot from the faceoff circle. He has one powerful shot but it doesn't matter because he has no accuracy on it at all, almost took our goalie's head off. He must be so proud. He clearly wasn't smart enough to realize I was making fun of him either when I yelled, "Who didn't see that coming?" as he takes a really hard shot that missed the net and wrapped around the boards into his own zone. He only does it like 5 or 6 times a game, you'd think he'd learn that it's not worth it to put everything you have into a shot when you have worse accuracy than our guy that I mentioned earlier in this post that has only been skating for 1 year...

 

[Danko]

Chirping is fine, it's the slashing and running guys. There's no need. Wouldn't say I'm playing down a level, there's guys on my team and other teams that are better than me, when the game is out of hand most guys ease up and that's what I'm referring to. If the other team are being clowns ill give it my all to score, simple as that.

The more you run the score, the more you incite the other team to continue trying to play like idiots and retaliate. I wasn't involved with the game but recently saw a team playing in C beat another team 22-1. Something like that sometimes transcends hockey and is just completely disrespectful...certain guys don't take to being embarrased to well.

Guys who take runs at other players make me sick. Everyone has a job to go to in the morning. It's too bad your feelings got hurt, but act like an adult.

See above...it basically ruins the game for certain guys and makes them feel like they are waisting money. I agree it shouldn't result in violence but I can see how thats going to make someone pissed off...bring in all the ringers after your seeded so the other team playing by the rules has no chance.

 

[CunniJA]

What this guy said. Teams don't always have a full roster, sometimes they are missing their better players. Doesn't mean me or my team are playing down a level. We have gotten blown out before it happens, be an adult and deal with it.

Short benches are one thing. It's a completely different issue when one team is regularly putting up double digits or 8s and 9s to 0s and 1s against every other team in their league or when a couple guys are the team's entire offense. At that point, you know the problem is them, not you. I am a man of peace, so I don't take runs at anybody though and our team just writes e-mails and apparently it's finally starting to work.