Pull Strings

[onpoint]

Watching this UNC vs. Maryland game and after the first two UMD goals, you can see the goalscorer immediately going to their sticks to adjust them, knowing that they are going to get called for a check. I thought the point of the new procedure was the eliminate pull strings and the predictable stick check calls so that players wouldn't know when they are coming. Thoughts on this?

[Sonny]

Watching this UNC vs. Maryland game and after the first two UMD goals, you can see the goalscorer immediately going to their sticks to adjust them, knowing that they are going to get called for a check. I thought the point of the new procedure was the eliminate pull strings and the predictable stick check calls so that players wouldn't know when they are coming. Thoughts on this?

Noticed the same thing after the first goal of the game (UMD score). You could clearly see the player adjusting something on this stick as he ran away from the goal (toward the sideline) away from the field. I don't know if it was a pull-string, though.

[Sonny]

# 5 for UMD just did it again after the 4th UMD goal.

[LaxRef]

Watching this UNC vs. Maryland game and after the first two UMD goals, you can see the goalscorer immediately going to their sticks to adjust them, knowing that they are going to get called for a check. I thought the point of the new procedure was the eliminate pull strings and the predictable stick check calls so that players wouldn't know when they are coming. Thoughts on this?

They punted and eliminated all language about pull strings from the rule changes out of concerns that officials couldn't properly identify them, I believe.

The quick fix here is to change the rule so that adjusting a cross after scoring a goal wipes out the goal even if the official hasn't asked for the stick yet! Currently, we can't do a damn thing even if we see the adjustment if we haven't already asked for the stick.

OTOH, the new procedure, with more "random" checks, is effective in rooting out other stick violations besides a pull-string deep pocket.

[horn17]

Watching this UNC vs. Maryland game and after the first two UMD goals, you can see the goalscorer immediately going to their sticks to adjust them, knowing that they are going to get called for a check. I thought the point of the new procedure was the eliminate pull strings and the predictable stick check calls so that players wouldn't know when they are coming. Thoughts on this?

They punted and eliminated all language about pull strings from the rule changes out of concerns that officials couldn't properly identify them, I believe.

The quick fix here is to change the rule so that adjusting a cross after scoring a goal wipes out the goal even if the official hasn't asked for the stick yet! Currently, we can't do a damn thing even if we see the adjustment if we haven't already asked for the stick.

OTOH, the new procedure, with more "random" checks, is effective in rooting out other stick violations besides a pull-string deep pocket.

Sometimes you need to adjust though after a goal for fixing something broken, you are saying to penalize a scorer for attempting to fix a broken or loose string? Say a string breaks, or the bottom falls out entirely, or more importantly as I witnessed this weekend...you're playing in a mud pit, you score, and you then realize you have to scrape 3 lbs of crud out of you stick so they can even check it! I hope they dont make it illegal to touch your stick, I think the new procedures on conducting stickchecks are great, however we dont need to police the enitire game like Stalin and the KGB......

[LaxRef]

Watching this UNC vs. Maryland game and after the first two UMD goals, you can see the goalscorer immediately going to their sticks to adjust them, knowing that they are going to get called for a check. I thought the point of the new procedure was the eliminate pull strings and the predictable stick check calls so that players wouldn't know when they are coming. Thoughts on this?

They punted and eliminated all language about pull strings from the rule changes out of concerns that officials couldn't properly identify them, I believe.

The quick fix here is to change the rule so that adjusting a cross after scoring a goal wipes out the goal even if the official hasn't asked for the stick yet! Currently, we can't do a damn thing even if we see the adjustment if we haven't already asked for the stick.

OTOH, the new procedure, with more "random" checks, is effective in rooting out other stick violations besides a pull-string deep pocket.

Sometimes you need to adjust though after a goal for fixing something broken, you are saying to penalize a scorer for attempting to fix a broken or loose string? Say a string breaks, or the bottom falls out entirely, or more importantly as I witnessed this weekend...you're playing in a mud pit, you score, and you then realize you have to scrape 3 lbs of crud out of you stick so they can even check it! I hope they dont make it illegal to touch your stick, I think the new procedures on conducting stickchecks are great, however we dont need to police the enitire game like Stalin and the KGB......

If they just made it a rule ("Immediately after a goal, do not touch your stick; hold it out so the official can inspect it if needed") there would be no problem. I mean, if those guys can learn to pull the string immediately after they score, they can learn not to touch the stick after a goal.

[Beta]

I agree with LaxRef...I don't think the first thing on a person's mind after they score a goal is "man I hope I didn't mess up my mesh/strings on that shot".

Rules are rules.