Hey Mr. Official

Out of bounds

Friday, Nov. 20, 2009

"Call it both ways ref."

"Let the boys (or girls) play!"

"C'mon, you didn't see that. We saw that way up here!"

Over the course of the high school sporting season and a poll kept privately to myself, those have been the three most common phrases yelled from the stands down to the field at game officials. Every call, every whistle, every awarding of a possession, those are the three phrases that have emerged from the stands across SMAC sporting events.

However, a strange occurrence happens to these same phrases when a call goes in favor of the team that the fan is rooting for. I call it "Love ref-ism"

"Call it both ways ref," turns to, "Good call, ref."

"Let the boys [or girls] play," turns to, "I love how they are letting them play."

"C'mon, you didn't see that. We saw that way up here," turns to, "Glad the ref didn't see that."

Point being, the referees are human beings. There are no man-made referee robots designed to see an entire field or an entire court at the same time in some three-dimensional grid that gets the calls 100 percent correct all of the time, so until that happens, take it easy, folks. The human element is a part of the game, and has been for um, I don't know, ever!

And in all honesty, I think it is more than all right for comments to be made in private conversation, but when a parent or fan is yelling with an invisible bull horn down to the field toward the refs, that my friends, is a problem.

Not so much so because you think it's a bad call, you are more than entitled to your personal opinion, but think about who can hear you and your invisible bull horn.

Your son or daughter sitting next to you is yelling bad call, but they are so young they don't even know what they are talking about, but they see mommy or daddy doing it, so they follow suit.

Your son or daughter on the field says to him or her self, wow, that sounds like my mom and/or my dad.

And guess what your son or daughter does?

Either one, gets embarrassed, and doesn't look back because they know it is you.

Two, talks to their teammates about how they wish you would be quiet. Trust me, I am on the sidelines, and I hear their conversations, they say things like this.

Or lastly, in more rare cases, they follow suit, too, and attack the refs verbally.

Is that really the example you want to set?

Now, before you type my e-mail address into the To: box thinking I am attacking all parents and fans, I'm not. There have been some more than questionable, even controversial, calls I have seen this season from referees.

What I do not appreciate from the refs' point of view is when a close play occurs and one ref didn't see the play completely –– and I happened to catch it –– they won't ask for help from other refs. Rather, they guess on the call, and that has no place in the game.

As a coach, or fan, I can see why that would get someone upset. Also, when there is a little too much physical play, especially seen in soccer, the refs need to take control of that, and fast.

Last thing any player, coach, fan or school wants is a seriously-hurt player due to rough play, or even worse a team fight. Please, if you are a ref, and you see this unnecessary play, go to that player or to those players immediately, issue a card, a technical foul, or a 15-yard penalty, and make it stop –– period.

What I hate –– and hate is a strong word –– but what I hate is when another official comes up to the coach either during or after the game and says, "I saw the play, and it wasn't my call to make, but the other guy got it wrong."

They have these little things where people gather together and share ideas and points of view, I think they call them, oh yeah, meetings. Use them, if you know without a shadow of a doubt you saw what you saw.

And as a coach or a fan, how do you, how can you accept that? I wouldn't and would definitely be upset if I were a coach.

It's not life or death. It is a game. Someone is going to win, someone is going to lose. It's what you and your kids signed up for.

Officials, if you know what the right call is, call it. If you see it, blow your whistles, stop the game and speak up. Be as accurate as can be, but don't try to be perfect, because no one is.

jmccray@somdnews.com