[Goose]

Reading what Dan had written about this situation has deeper meaning than simply believing Chris etc. etc.

I think many of us need to step back and look at the overall picture of the situtation and many like it.

I would say that some of us need to possibly re-examine why and what we work. In this situation, it appears that it was crummy officiating, and yes, we all have bad days, but face it, I've worked with some plain crummy officials bad day or not.

What should concern us more is that we more experienced officials are not working more games of lesser value. More often than not from what I've seen over many years is that the new refs or what are perceived as bad refs only work these CYO, AAU, park and rec. type games. Many of these local in town leagues get the bottom of the barrel, hence the poorly officiated games. Why is it that the same veterans are continually called upon to work with the new guys? I personally know many veteran officals that would never go back and do a CYO game, and I have often been asked by one of those sitting in the stands at their childs game, "why are you still working CYO or park and rec games? Don't you know you are a varsity official?"

Just my opinion, but many are to busy nursing their career ladder to bother with these lesser games. Afterall, they really won't get me the better assignments that I want. Doing a 3rd-4th grade CYO game will not get me towards that goal of D-1 you know, so why bother? Let a new guy or one of the crummy refs work those...not to mention that if so and so is working, I'm not working with that loser! Afterall if the loser makes a bad call and I am working with him, it will reflect poorly on me and my game, and could possibly keep me from advancing. Invariably, the comments that are usually heard are those sounding like "the new guys need to work these games to gain experience, etc.". This may be true, but many of us would not even consider working CYO or the local in town rec leagues any longer. The feeling I get is that after we have become established, that it is now beneath us and that somehow it will demean my current status of "varsity/college" official.

So, Chris comes in here and tells a horror story about poor officiating. Nothing new there, but how many of us if we really care about the game and our profession will offer to "lower" ourselves to go down and work with these newer officials and give these young players a chance to play in a more normal game.

My apologies to those seasoned officials that still lend their services to the local town leagues and CYO type organizations, but unfortunately, there are not enough of us doing this.

So, when someone comes in here complaining, we should look at all angles.

Happy Holidays,

goose