Should referee work his Alma Mater?

[old24eagle]

They should only be aloud to do it if their alma matter is the team that I'm for lol

[sportman]

Absolutely NO!!!!!!!!!!! Why would you wanna put yourself in that position!!!!

[ksgovols]

On the TSSAA form that you fill out when you apply to referee, it asks your alma mater and where your children went to school. It doesn't ask referees which school was their most bitter rival. From a logic standpoint, the guy is more likely to call against a team or a coach or a player that he dislikes than to blow a call in favor of his alma mater. I can tell you that 30 years after the fact, I probably don't know anyone on my alma mater's sports teams and my children play against them and I don't seem to have a problem rooting against them. It's not as big a deal as you might think to a grown man that's been out of school for awhile. The SEC let Al Matthews who played for Vanderbilt make that pitiful call in the UT/Florida game a few years back. What's the difference?

 

I think there are many more reasons for a referee not to call a game for a particular school besides it being his alma mater. It is not human nature to cheat. When I'm umpiring baseball and into the flow of the game, I've got a lot more on my mind than who's playing. You have an ethical responsibility to make the right call. Not everybody is going to like the call either way if it's close and a judgement call. I don't think alma maters should have diddly to do with who gets to call the game. If I can't call a game every now and then close to the house, why call at all?

[slasher20]

Not only should they not ref for their alma mater... but they should not ref for the school in which their kids go... (if they have kids there)

[RonMexico]

NEVER!

[ogor]

KSGVOLS - this is the point I am attempting to get across to those who believe it is okay to referee your alma mater where you played. "It is not about you" it is about the "game". Despite the fact that many years after you graduated, you do not feel the dedication and loyalty to your alma mater that you sweated, cried, fought, defended, and loved in the past. The fan's trust in the referee must not be compromised, and I believe (and the TSSAA believes) that a referee should remove himself from these situations. Maybe this analogy will help. Nepotism (hiring family members). Why do most modern companies have neoptism polocies? It is not because the individual is a bad person or not capable of making the right decisions. This policy is in place because of the importance of the trust and moral of the other employees. The difference here, is that the TSSAA does not want the referee working his alma mater, but instead of taking action, the TSSAA takes no ownership. They leave it up to the referee to remove himself. If he does not, the coach (if he ever finds out) is the only person that can request the referee not be scheduled for future games.

 

Thanks for keeping the topic on point everyone.

[o-linefury]

Not only should they not ref for their alma mater... but they should not ref for the school in which their kids go... (if they have kids there)

A few years ago I played in a game against our most bitter rival and the head refs son was on the field playing for the other team. This ref was at the time the head tssaa official, and I never understood why he put himself in that situation. Don't get me wrong this official has always been above reproach, but I just don't think it is a good move.

[ksgovols]

KSGVOLS - this is the point I am attempting to get across to those who believe it is okay to referee your alma mater where you played. "It is not about you" it is about the "game". Despite the fact that many years after you graduated, you do not feel the dedication and loyalty to your alma mater that you sweated, cried, fought, defended, and loved in the past. The fan's trust in the referee must not be compromised, and I believe (and the TSSAA believes) that a referee should remove himself from these situations. Maybe this analogy will help. Nepotism (hiring family members). Why do most modern companies have neoptism polocies? It is not because the individual is a bad person or not capable of making the right decisions. This policy is in place because of the importance of the trust and moral of the other employees. The difference here, is that the TSSAA does not want the referee working his alma mater, but instead of taking action, the TSSAA takes no ownership. They leave it up to the referee to remove himself. If he does not, the coach (if he ever finds out) is the only person that can request the referee not be scheduled for future games.

 

Thanks for keeping the topic on point everyone.

 

So what you're saying, is that other people will have a hard time getting over the fact that an alumni that graduated 30 years ago is calling a game in which his old school is playing. I think those that go into officiating do it for the love of the game.

 

My point is that there are many more places to look for bias against a team than where an official graduated. For instance, he can call every game against the in county rival if he wants or games against coaches that he might have a problem with. His college roommate or a former teammate might be coaching one of the other teams. Most fans are none the wiser to those scenarios however when they start looking for excuses as to why their team isn't getting a call. How would most fans even know where the officials graduated?

 

It is suggested and I think pretty widely accepted that most officials don't call games in which their alma mater is involved and certainly not any in which their children's schools are involved. In playing Devil's Advocate, I'm telling you there are other more damaging bias' out there that you should be worrying about.

 

The flip side from an official's point of view is if he still lives in the same area as his alma mater, why would he drive all over Heck and half of Georgia to do the same thing with more expenses? Nepotism involves bias that affects the bottom line of a corporation or company morale. Officiating affects high school football games. It's not life or death. I don't see a correlation. I give those that go into officiating more credit for having respect for the game and wanting the games to be played within the boundary of the rules than that.

[advocate23]

Please, let's not allow him to ref a game for his alma mater.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in town where he lives.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which his friend is coach.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which someone he doesn't like coaches.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which his children attend the school.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which the school mascot is an animal.

 

Etc, Etc, Etc. P-L-E-A-S-E. We can always find something wrong if we look deep enough.

[ksgovols]

Right! What you find are excuses why your team didn't win the game.

[ogor]

Please, let's not allow him to ref a game for his alma mater.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in town where he lives.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which his friend is coach.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which someone he doesn't like coaches.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which his children attend the school.

 

And please, don't allow him to ref a game in which the school mascot is an animal.

 

Etc, Etc, Etc. P-L-E-A-S-E. We can always find something wrong if we look deep enough.

 

It is bad enough with just the first one, the others are valid, the last one stupid. It is not a matter of looking deep enough by the fans. It is the responsibility of the referee to remove himself from being scheduled for these games - BEFORE IT BECOMES AN ISSUE WITH THE FANS.

[ksgovols]

It should never be an issue with the fans in the first place. You are questioning an officials ethical and professional obligation to do what he's trained to do and what he loves to do. You're putting way too much emphasis on graduating from a certain high school for men (and women) that are long since removed.

 

My grandfather went to Columbia Central High school, both my parents, all of my aunts and uncles plus my sister and I. I could absolutely call any CHS game without bias. What's more, since I left 25 years ago when I left home after college, I doubt anyone would know me in the first place. My high school doesn't define me as a person. I couldn't care less one way or the other if they win the game, win district, go to state or whatever. I had my time in high school and have long since moved on.

 

I agree that it's something officials probably should do just because of the rabid nature and maturity level of some fans. I don't think it's the problem that it's been made out to be. I mean, Vanderbilt doctors operate on UT graduates every day. Why question someone's professionalism until you have cause to do so?