referees

[DCCATVOICE]

I am a radio announcer and have been for 30 years. There are good refs and there are bad. I have come to the point where I will point out poor officiating when I see it and I will call them out by name. I have been told many times that the official doesn't make enough money for such treatment and that it's a thankless job. I agree. I think they have a very hard job and not everybody will be happy depending on how the game is going for each group of fans. I don't do it as a personal attack because we all make mistakes in life but when a official tells me that they should remain nameless I take exception. I have said this more than once. There are 13 people on the court and only three of them are getting paid for their work. When a kid makes a poor pass or throws up a air ball then their name gets spoken on the air as doing such. This is for my team and on the opponents. It is my job as an announcer to paint the picture of the game and if the officials are making a huge impact then its my responsibility to point it out. Sure its my opinion and I might be biased but if I put my name out there for people to critique me and the players do the same, I think the officials should be held accountable too. I also point out good calls that the fans might see as wrong.

My theory of officiating games is that if it is not a "train wreck" and doesn't hinder the outcome or progress of the play then let it go. I would much rather watch the ten players than the three other guys on the floor. I also liked it better when there were only two refs doing games. Going back to that format would help I think in two ways. One, I think there would be less ticky tack fouls called.Two, the shortage of good refs would be eased and the not so good refs would be weeded out. Just one mans opinion.

[rabbitranch]

I am a radio announcer and have been for 30 years. There are good refs and there are bad. I have come to the point where I will point out poor officiating when I see it and I will call them out by name. I have been told many times that the official doesn't make enough money for such treatment and that it's a thankless job. I agree. I think they have a very hard job and not everybody will be happy depending on how the game is going for each group of fans. I don't do it as a personal attack because we all make mistakes in life but when a official tells me that they should remain nameless I take exception. I have said this more than once. There are 13 people on the court and only three of them are getting paid for their work. When a kid makes a poor pass or throws up a air ball then their name gets spoken on the air as doing such. This is for my team and on the opponents. It is my job as an announcer to paint the picture of the game and if the officials are making a huge impact then its my responsibility to point it out. Sure its my opinion and I might be biased but if I put my name out there for people to critique me and the players do the same, I think the officials should be held accountable too. I also point out good calls that the fans might see as wrong.

My theory of officiating games is that if it is not a "train wreck" and doesn't hinder the outcome or progress of the play then let it go. I would much rather watch the ten players than the three other guys on the floor. I also liked it better when there were only two refs doing games. Going back to that format would help I think in two ways. One, I think there would be less ticky tack fouls called.Two, the shortage of good refs would be eased and the not so good refs would be weeded out. Just one mans opinion.

Good post!

[Ascendotuum]

Seems to me that everyone is posting problems but nobody has a real solution.

 

The biggest problem is this - money. Schools really can't afford much more than the $80 they are paying the refs. This is a turnoff right there. Explain to me how someone wants to drive and spend $10 - $20 in gas to work a game where they are gonna get yelled at for AT LEAST 25% of their calls (especially the hard ones that are RIGHT, i.e., block/charge). Then look at how much next level refs get paid. Even small conferences pay $500 - $600 (plus per diem) for 1 game. So better refs are working those games, rather than your little Johnny's game.

 

As far as the ref chastising the cheerleader, it is a rule that a ref could call a technical on that team for her interference. However, the proper procedure would be to stop the game and go to that coach or the game administrator (obviously he wouldn't be chastising her if she wasn't in his way) and have them removed before exercising this option. So yes, this was mishandled. But the cheerleaders have NO expectation of space on that endline. It is a privledge for them to stand there. Cheerleaders, just like the band, are a side-show and NOT what got people to pay $5 at the door.

 

I understand why the radio announcer wants to go back to two man but I promise three man is better when properly worked. For example, say Team 1 is pressing and have trapped Team 2's player of the side of the court away from the trail official. Who is there to see contact/traveling/feet out of bounds? In a 3 man crew the "C" official is right on top of it.

 

I will admit a lot of calls get missed or "phantom" calls get made. If you have a "real" solution (other than griping), please let me know and we'll both make a bunch of money.

[etownsparky]

Seems to me that everyone is posting problems but nobody has a real solution.

 

The biggest problem is this - money. Schools really can't afford much more than the $80 they are paying the refs. This is a turnoff right there. Explain to me how someone wants to drive and spend $10 - $20 in gas to work a game where they are gonna get yelled at for AT LEAST 25% of their calls (especially the hard ones that are RIGHT, i.e., block/charge). Then look at how much next level refs get paid. Even small conferences pay $500 - $600 (plus per diem) for 1 game. So better refs are working those games, rather than your little Johnny's game.

 

As far as the ref chastising the cheerleader, it is a rule that a ref could call a technical on that team for her interference. However, the proper procedure would be to stop the game and go to that coach or the game administrator (obviously he wouldn't be chastising her if she wasn't in his way) and have them removed before exercising this option. So yes, this was mishandled. But the cheerleaders have NO expectation of space on that endline. It is a privledge for them to stand there. Cheerleaders, just like the band, are a side-show and NOT what got people to pay $5 at the door.

 

I understand why the radio announcer wants to go back to two man but I promise three man is better when properly worked. For example, say Team 1 is pressing and have trapped Team 2's player of the side of the court away from the trail official. Who is there to see contact/traveling/feet out of bounds? In a 3 man crew the "C" official is right on top of it.

 

I will admit a lot of calls get missed or "phantom" calls get made. If you have a "real" solution (other than griping), please let me know and we'll both make a bunch of money.

While I agree with some of your post, I don't agree the main issue is money. I believe the main issue is lack of accountability. I certainly understand that officiating is a largely thankless and under-compensated job, especially at the high school level. However, I was always taught that if I agreed to do a job for a particular sum, then I should give my best effort regardless of the pay. Throughout my professional career one thing that I've had little patience for is colleagues complaining about pay. If you don't like the job or pay, go somewhere else and try to do better rather than just complaining about it. I'd offer officials the same advice. While I believe most officials are decent folks and do their best, there are many that lack integrity and therefore don't feel personally accountable for their performance. Secondly, local supervisors are largely just token figure heads acting as enablers rather than providers of tough constructive criticism when it is warranted. Finally, the TSSAA is spineless and refuses to hold officials accountable. By the way, I get so sick of the "If you think you can do better, then get a whistle and do the job" excuse from officials. Man up and do the job you agreed to do for the pay you agreed to accept. In my chosen profession, that's not an acceptable response from me to my boss or customer and it shouldn't be here either. I don't expect officials to be perfect - just competent. I agree with the announcer that officials are fair game for criticism just as the players and coaches are. As for the two-person vs. three-person crew, I believe there are pros and cons to both. I agree the three-person crew should do a better job, but that is often not the case.

 

If there is a solution, I suggest it likely has to start with accountability of the officials. More pay may help to get more better candidates, but does not guarantee accountability. My two cents...

[The Highlander]

DCAATVOICE, I agree with the vast majority of your post. Not too sure about the return to a 2-man crew though.

 

And Etown and I agree completely on the lack of accountability that the referee's have at this level. I had one rather heated disagreement with an official a couple of years ago. Basically the game was at the point where every person in the building that had ever watched a basketball game knew the opposing team was going to start fouling. My contention is that the officials should have had whistle in mouth, ready to blow at the first sign of the foul. Our player crossed half-court, and was immediately trapped by two players, trying to tie up the ball. Then they began fouling, gently. Still no whistle. Fouled a little harder, no whistle. At this point, tempers were flaring, they fouled a little harder, our player responded with her elbow, they tackled our player, banging her head hard into the floor, and elbowing her on the way down. Still no foul, just called the ball out of bounds on our player because she ended up laying on the sideline, with her head in the bleachers. Unacceptable. The result was the ejection of two of her family members, several bruises, a cut, and being on "concussion watch" for a couple of days.

 

Since the young lady in charge was my daughter, the referee, opposing team's head coach, and I had two subsequent "meetings" discussing accountability. I believe we were able to come to a very clear understanding of where I expected their accountability to be, and the results of any future issues involving my family members, at least. I will not go into the exact nature of the discussions, but anyone with children can easily read between the lines.

 

I followed up with the official at a game a week or so later, and prior to the beginning of play, we had a brief discussion to remind each other of expectations. Oddly enough, he called a pretty good game as I recall.

 

My email to the T$$AA concerning the event received no response. They are not interested in accountability of their officials, only in the dollars they can bring in. One reason I feel the acronym should properly be written "T$$AA" not the incorrect "TSSAA."

 

I'd love to know how we as parents, coaches, or school officials can hold officials more accountable for their control/lack of control or even outright prejudice/favoritism during ballgames. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to add in that respect.

 

The Highlander

[truenew]

They had a ref that went to the scorers table at every time out and checked his phone. Looked like he even sent a couple texts in the process.

 

that is unacceptable.

[Indian]

A couple of years back a player on the team here was ejected from a home game, the season opener. She was being fouled down the court by a player upset her team was already getting beaten by around 30 in the second quarter. At about halfcourt she passed over the top and her elbow caught the fouling girls square in the jaw-if she'd not been up fouling, or it'd been called seconds earlier, the elbow wouldn't have happened. No foul was called there but then the elbowee responded with a couple of cheap punches from behind. Both players were ejected, instead of sorting out what happened the refs took the lazy route. The game film luckily showed the whole sequence and the TSSAA overturned one of the player's ejection and suspension.

 

That leads into the next game, a few days later. Even though it was a road game about 50 miles away, who should trot into the gym but the lead ref from the previous game. Upon hearing "I can't believe he's reffing this one after the other night" he turned toward the person saying it and smirked. Late in the game and the hosts, even with a home win streak of some 50 games, are trailing by 1. The hosts' best player dribbles into the lane, with plenty of time for the defender (the player ejected from the prior game) set up to take a charge. She's run over but there's no call, and after the shot misses it goes right back to the shooter and she puts it in for the winning basket. There was no box out because her defender was still getting up.

 

As the refs jog off the court, the lead ref looks at the visiting crowd and again smirks. He wasn't going to be shown up after his ejection was overturned, and he did "get her" by helping to cost her team a win. Zero accountability, and I've haven't seen much better from him since-that's in close wins, big wins, close losses and big losses.

[Uknow]

Tonight at first round regional game, a ref had made several bad calls in a row and some bad no calls, when a lady yelled at him, while running down the court, he stopped staring at the lady like he was very fustrated at whatever it was she said, while the game is still goin on. I then yelled at him to watch the game pointing to the action on the floor. He then moved his glaring stare to me for a few seconds then back and forth between her & I, when I yelled a 2nd time to watch the game. He then turned his eyes toward the game & actually made better calls the rest of the game. Why can't a ref kep his mind on the game and stop listening to fans while taking stuff personal & concentrate on making the right calls for both teams? If whatever she said made him to where he couldn't do his job correctly, he should blow the whistle & announce he can't do it & get someone that can or at least wait for a break in the action, then make your stares or comments, or go tell momma on her, or whatever needs to be done, while action is not happening on the court.

[Hank51]

sometimes the better the refs the more complaints,most folks want every thing called on other team and none on them.In my 30 years of bb I've never seen a ref beat a team, bad calls yes but it goes both ways and a missed shot or a turnover should't be blamed on a ref. There is certainly some better than others same as in anything else and I believe a school can blackball the weak refs and most of them don't last long.

The only thing I have to say is the Officiating was GREAT in every game we won!!

[OHS80]

The only thing I have to say is the Officiating was GREAT in every game we won!!

LOL. you got it right hank. only thing worst than bad ref's is burnt popcorn.

[gobey]

Looks like majority of folks across tennessee thinks mostly the refs are bad maybe TSSAA Will wake up and reaccess there referees then again probably not lol

[titanjo]

One word SUKS end of story!!!!!