TSSAA OFFICIALS

[cycloneproud]

Classic exzmple of tonights game with Elizabethton vs Happy Valley, bad calls on both ends but fans from other schools who were awaiting their game said Eliz got robbed! Eliz kids were knocked down and beat on most palys under the basket but couldnt get a call. Elizabethton had every chance to win the game but could not hit the shots from 3 to 6 feet inside.The game went to 3 overtimes with HV winning 50-48

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

/rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> I've watched high school basketball in Morristown, Rutledge, Cocke Co, Sevier Co, Claiborne Co, Cumberland Gap, and most of the schools that existed before some of these were formed. I've seen basketball come from 6 ladies on the court and men who played with diginity and sportsmanship. I've also seen some really good officials in all these years, but have seen quite a change in them as well. Bob Pratt, Wimp McDaniel, Roy Noe, Lon Thornton just to name a few were all characters in their day. I always enjoyed watching them and interacting with them at the games when I was in high school and later on before they retired. Thanks guys. Back then it only took 2 officials to get the game underway and finished. Now we have 3 officials on the floor, unless one doesn't show up, and things have changed. What we usually see now is 2 good, or fairly good, officials and one who needs to go back to Upward Basketball. Everyone is going to miss calls from time to time, and we all expect that. But, when one official constantly makes bad calls, and often between the same two teams, and makes them one way, respect for the "Men In Stipes" begins to wane. I want to say up front a big THANK YOU to all you officials who get out there, care for the kids, do a little coaching for both teams on the floor when necessary, and in general keep things moving along as it should. You guys have a tough job without that "third leg" tripping you up. How about it TSSAA, can we get rid of all these "third legs" so things can get a little better for all the other officials. I'm not advocating going back to 2 officials, but getting a little more strict on these guys who wear the "stripes" and spend the game flirting with the lady players, cheerleaders, and ladies in the crowd. Think I'm making it up? Get out and watch what some of these clowns are doing! I don't mean to make life difficult for all of you.....just the opposite. I appreciate what most of you are doing. But let's get rid of all these "third legs" that are taking much of the fun and sport out of a wonderful game. Come on coaches and athletic directors! If all of you will start making the call on some of these Upward guys that somehow made it to high school ball, then maybe things would improve. Just my thinking. Again, thanks to all you "Men In Stripes" who are still making a difference. I salute you!

[ernieg]

Classic exzmple of tonights game with Elizabethton vs Happy Valley, bad calls on both ends but fans from other schools who were awaiting their game said Eliz got robbed! Eliz kids were knocked down and beat on most palys under the basket but couldnt get a call. Elizabethton had every chance to win the game but could not hit the shots from 3 to 6 feet inside.The game went to 3 overtimes with HV winning 50-48

 

Believe it or not......good post earlier, Dick.... /hungry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":hungry:" border="0" alt="hungry.gif" />

[dick vitale]

Believe it or not......good post earlier, Dick.... /hungry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":hungry:" border="0" alt="hungry.gif" />

 

 

thanks, when you get people more concerned about the refs than the actual game, then it's time to quit going to the games becasue they are obviously obsessed with officials.....I go to a game to enjoy it........who cares what the refs are doing...there will never be a perfect officiated game and also there will never be a perfectly coached or played game....in life everyone has obstacles to overcome....do the best you can and get through it!!!!!

[BEARCLAW]

thanks, when you get people more concerned about the refs than the actual game, then it's time to quit going to the games becasue they are obviously obsessed with officials.....I go to a game to enjoy it........who cares what the refs are doing...there will never be a perfect officiated game and also there will never be a perfectly coached or played game....in life everyone has obstacles to overcome....do the best you can and get through it!!!!!

 

 

/popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> Dick, to a point I agree. Believe it or not, I don't go to the games to watch and critique the officials. I usually have a good time joking and kidding with them. I've got to know and enjoy talking with many of them. I also agree that the game can be a good example/lesson in life with obstacles to overcome. But, what I can't live with is the blatant, intentional, outright bad/missed calls for which there is no excuse. Now, you tell me how you can sit there and enjoy a game where one official out of the three gets off on what has been called a "power trip" in this post/thread, and not be mad/upset? Tell us all what you would do, how you would handle, an official who taunts one of your players, or you, trying to "push you" over the line so a technical foul can be called? Or, how about a game where it is obvious one team is allowed to be more physical than the other team? Evidently you "have it made in the shade", and get to go to a game where it doesn't matter whether the kids get a fair shake on the court or not. Maybe some day I'll be there, but for now, I'm held accountable for my performance, and so are/should be the officials. /roflolk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflolk:" border="0" alt="roflolk.gif" />

[easttnboy]

The college style is different...you know that...the quality of play is better...you know that....coaches make a lot more money and have more clout in college....you know that....high school officials are requested by the state office to call more fouls...attend a state meeting and you would become more enlightened on what the states wants refs to call.....Some college officials also call high school ball, too, and that may change their style of calling from time to time...who knows...

 

I'm not saying it is right or wrong, it is just the way it is...With your major playing experience, maybe you need to join and association and put on the stripes...If you can't beat um, join um!!

 

That is the biggest form of horse**** I have ever heard. I wouldn't never down grade myself to be part of that sorry organization. lol! The TSSAA is out to get money and that is that! If we want to have a real champion in any sport...we need to have it like kentucky and indiana...No classifications. Shoot...in football, you can have a loosing record and make it to the playoffs! How lame.

[ernieg]

That is the biggest form of horse**** I have ever heard. I wouldn't never down grade myself to be part of that sorry organization. lol! The TSSAA is out to get money and that is that! If we want to have a real champion in any sport...we need to have it like kentucky and indiana...No classifications. Shoot...in football, you can have a loosing record and make it to the playoffs! How lame.

 

u sir, r ignorant 2 the powers that be.... we can't call it the eastnboy way.... tssaa is bigger than your pony ######...

[bluedevildad]

Let's see if I understand what you are saying. You think we should keep three officials on the court, but make sure they are all veteran officials with lots of experience, so there is no question about the quality of the officiating. Then we should take all these "third legs" and throw them out of the association, or at least not let them work high school ball. Is that correct?

 

Let me ask you this. What happens in five years, or ten years when all these veteran officials decide to retire, and all we have left are these "third legs" who have no experience on a high school court? Do you think that would make the officiating better, or worse?

 

How about cutting these newer, younger officials a break? They are learning. They are getting experience. They might make some bad calls, or miss some calls, but I guarantee you that at half time, or after the game, the veteran officials they are working with are talking about it. They are teaching them things they could have done on specific plays. They are teaching them game management. The whole ride home from the game, they are talking about missed calls. These young guys don't need you beating them up. They are beating themselves up enough already. They are learning. These guys will be the veteran officials eventually that will be training the new "third legs" that you so often refer too.

 

Officiating is a brutal, unappreciated, underpaying job. If you think any of these guys are out doing it for the money, or the glory, or to flirt with the ladies in the crowd, I would say you are 99% wrong. And trust me, the 1% who are never make it more than a couple of seasons. So, to all the "third legs" who see this thread title and read the original post, don't worry. We have faith in you and your ability. Otherwise, you wouldn't be out there gaining the experience that you will need for the duration of your officiating career. Apparently, you would be working Upward basketball instead.

 

 

SOME ARE GREAT A FEW ARE GOOD AND ALOT ARE COMPLETE IDIOTS AND WE HAVE SEEN ALL THIS YEAR....SOME NEED MEDALS,SOME NEED MONEY AND SOME NEED A GOOD OLE COUNTRY A--KICKING

[daddypops7]

haven't read most of the post, so if i repeat, my apologies...

 

there should be three or so games in which the officials should be evaluated. this would create accountability on their behalf... as it stands the officials for tennessee high school sports have no one to be accountable to. this is the only area in life in which this is the case. after the evaluations, officials then can be randomly evaluated to keep the "eyes on them".

 

this is the only way in which we are sure to get officials who have continually displayed fairness and an unbiased officiating crew. Without this we will continue to see what we all have seen.

 

yes, there are good, bad and all sorts in between... let's keep them accountable so they will at least not have a free reign to continue to mess up without being accountable.

 

this evaluating committee could be made up of a variety of people, not necessarily "school employees".

[dick vitale]

/popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> Dick, to a point I agree. Believe it or not, I don't go to the games to watch and critique the officials. I usually have a good time joking and kidding with them. I've got to know and enjoy talking with many of them. I also agree that the game can be a good example/lesson in life with obstacles to overcome. But, what I can't live with is the blatant, intentional, outright bad/missed calls for which there is no excuse. Now, you tell me how you can sit there and enjoy a game where one official out of the three gets off on what has been called a "power trip" in this post/thread, and not be mad/upset? Tell us all what you would do, how you would handle, an official who taunts one of your players, or you, trying to "push you" over the line so a technical foul can be called? Or, how about a game where it is obvious one team is allowed to be more physical than the other team? Evidently you "have it made in the shade", and get to go to a game where it doesn't matter whether the kids get a fair shake on the court or not. Maybe some day I'll be there, but for now, I'm held accountable for my performance, and so are/should be the officials. /roflolk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflolk:" border="0" alt="roflolk.gif" />

 

 

Now who has it "made in the shade"????? Most of officiating is judgement. Everyone's judgement is different as mine is to yours.....I know for a fact that it is easier to "see" the game from the bleachers rather than run up and down the court. I agree with certain posts on here to a point.......as in every job some people are better than the others, just as teams have their starters. They start because they are the teams premier players on that team.....All officials have a peak in their careers and can only go so far.......I do not agree with every call, but at the same time I do not think these guys are biased. Most of these guys love the game and being around kids. Parents in the stands are the biased people, as they get pi$$ed off if their "little baby" doesn't get every call that mom or dad wants........You guys need to give it a go or quit talking about some of these so called "third legs". As I see it, one shouldn't whine and cry about officiating until you my friend have tried it.....

[luv2ref]

SOME ARE GREAT A FEW ARE GOOD AND ALOT ARE COMPLETE IDIOTS AND WE HAVE SEEN ALL THIS YEAR....SOME NEED MEDALS,SOME NEED MONEY AND SOME NEED A GOOD OLE COUNTRY A--KICKING

 

 

I don't want to come across as to say that all officials are great officials, because they are not; but there are more genuinely good people in officiating than some people that post here think. The guys that I have encountered through the years have good reputations and do great things for people in athletics and out. Coaches give a lot of time preparing for the upcoming season. Going to watch younger players at the middle school level, watching game tape to prepare for the games, going to summer camp with the varsity and the j.v.; spending hours away from home; etc... just to name a few. Officials watch younger officials at the middle school level, good officials watch game tape to get better for the next game; go to summer camp to work and get better, spend hours away from home; etc... just to name a few. Not making a point against coaches at all, just using some of their work to make a point to fans that don't think officials try to get better. There are coaches that don't go to the gym in the summer; there are players that don't go to the gym in the summer, and there are officials that go to the gym in the summer. The team personnel that don't go the gym in the summer are usually as good as the officials that don't go to the gym in the summer. So, it works the same for all aspects of the game. We have to go to the gym and get better before the upcoming season or we will be playing catch-up when the season starts; regardless of your level of officiating. Those that don't really care have a way of weeding themselves out. Every game is not played the same, so every officiating job can't be based on the night before. More times than not, we are the only entity in this equation that is expected to be the same each night. We strive very hard to be; but sometimes it just doesn't happen. Coaches have bad nights; players have bad nights; and guess what?, officials have bad nights. Coaches that have bad YEARS are asked to move on; players that have bad nights are expected to have them at some time; officials that have bad nights should expect to be put under a microscope and every movement, word, call, look scrutinized. The majority of these men and women work hard and I don't care who you are; these players at all levels are smarter and quicker than the average fan can imagine. I love officiating and enjoy watching officials work. But, I have found that I miss good players because I go to the game and get caught up in watching officials and leave not feeling good about the actual game experience. The next time you attend a game, try to focus on the players and not the officials. Decide that you are going to give them the benefit of the doubt. By the way, we often get a kick out of people yelling at us and we even have some gyms that we go into and know certain people are going to yell and have fun with it. We enjoy those fans that like to have good clean fun. But we don't like to be threatened or made fun of. No one likes that, I don't care who you are. I don't think you could have deaf ears when someone attacks you personally. Remember we send our kids to same school that your kids attend and they don't like it when your child comes to school and talks about how bad my child's mom is at officiating.

[BEARCLAW]

Now who has it "made in the shade"????? Most of officiating is judgement. Everyone's judgement is different as mine is to yours.....I know for a fact that it is easier to "see" the game from the bleachers rather than run up and down the court. I agree with certain posts on here to a point.......as in every job some people are better than the others, just as teams have their starters. They start because they are the teams premier players on that team.....All officials have a peak in their careers and can only go so far.......I do not agree with every call, but at the same time I do not think these guys are biased. Most of these guys love the game and being around kids. Parents in the stands are the biased people, as they get pi$$ed off if their "little baby" doesn't get every call that mom or dad wants........You guys need to give it a go or quit talking about some of these so called "third legs". As I see it, one shouldn't whine and cry about officiating until you my friend have tried it.....

 

 

/popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> Dick, I've been there, done that, and got the scars to back up my words. No one is talking about judgement calls here. No one would argue that we've all made mistakes with judgements. However, when you have two players on the floor for a loose ball and one comes up with the ball, and the other comes up with the other player's head in a head lock, there is no judgement on that one. When a player steps out of bounds and the official does not make the call, that is not judgement. When a player lays so much on another player's back to the point that that player steps sideways and the "leaning player" falls down because his "prop" is gone, that isn't judgement. "Third leg officials" make judgement calls. Good officials make their calls by the rulebook as they should. No whining here, just wondering why an official would choose a judgement call over the rulebook where a walk is a walk, a foul is a foul, out of bounds is out of bounds, a push is a push, and 3 points are 3 points. Where's your judgement? Are you one of those officials who has several "blank pages" in his/her rulebook so they can make up a few judgemental calls? Therein lies the problem and thus is born the "third leg". You have just made everyone's argument justified by your judgement statement. Thank you for finally agreeing that some calls are outside the TSSAA set rules. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[luv2ref]

/popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> Dick, I've been there, done that, and got the scars to back up my words. No one is talking about judgement calls here. No one would argue that we've all made mistakes with judgements. However, when you have two players on the floor for a loose ball and one comes up with the ball, and the other comes up with the other player's head in a head lock, there is no judgement on that one. When a player steps out of bounds and the official does not make the call, that is not judgement. When a player lays so much on another player's back to the point that that player steps sideways and the "leaning player" falls down because his "prop" is gone, that isn't judgement. "Third leg officials" make judgement calls. Good officials make their calls by the rulebook as they should. No whining here, just wondering why an official would choose a judgement call over the rulebook where a walk is a walk, a foul is a foul, out of bounds is out of bounds, a push is a push, and 3 points are 3 points. Where's your judgement? Are you one of those officials who has several "blank pages" in his/her rulebook so they can make up a few judgemental calls? Therein lies the problem and thus is born the "third leg". You have just made everyone's argument justified by your judgement statement. Thank you for finally agreeing that some calls are outside the TSSAA set rules. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

Aren't rules made to keep the game safe and to keep one player from gaining an unfair advantage over another?