Red card appeal, how likely is success

[Whitey]

Not likely. As a Coach, I got a red card after a game and did not know about it. Now, how about that? My AD told me that I got a red card after one game. I said, "For what?" He said that the ref came to him after the game and told him that he was going to give me a red card for "cussing the AR after the game." I told him that is insane and I did not do it. Here is what happened. After a heated game that we lost in the last second 1 to 0, I am in a huddle with my guys talking to them. One of them tells me that the ref is yelling at me. I look up and this ref is yelling, "Coach." I told him that I did not want to talk to him that I just wanted him to get his butt of my field. That's it. I found out later that he was yelling at me because they had not been paid yet by the booster club and wanted their checks. The next day my AD and I had a conference call with TSSAA. They had contacted all three refs. The center ref and the other AR disagreed with the second AR and had told the State that they thought that I did not even deserve a yellow card much less a red card. The folks at TSSAA also agreed that the situation did not deserve an ejection. However, when they talked to the AR (Yes, the AR and not the Center ref -- I always thought that the center ref could over rule the AR) the AR insisted on staying with the red card so they were going to support him. So, I thought the whole thing was ridiculous. The other two refs (including the center) disagreed and TSSAA disagree but I still had to pay the $250 fine and sit out being suspended. What is funny is that later the AR who insisted on me getting the red card called for a meeting to apologize to me for over reacting and losing his cool and saying that I did not deserve the red. Did I get my $250 back? Absolutely not. I was to consider it a donation to the TSSAA scholarship fund. So, I lost $250, got suspended, and got my picture splash on the front page of the local newspaper about getting kicked out of a game that I did not get kicked out of, I (yes -- I) had to write a letter of apology for my actions to the School Board and promise it would happen again, etc. So, forget about trying to find justice with TSSAA. Not my experience.