|
I, too, read Rick Reilly's article about this regrettable situation and could not agree more with the viewpoint of the piece. While I wouldn't say that a fellow official was "officiating without a brain", I certainly agree that the referee's judgement has to be seriously questioned. Officiating is entirely about applying the rules of the game in a fair and consistent manner. It requires the combination of rules knowledge AND judgement. While the situation could have had a different outcome if others (coaches, school admins., conf/state leaders, etc.) had acted differently, it is disingenuous at best to shift the blame away from the game officials. The lack of common sense judgement displayed was alarming.
The cynical side of me wonders whether that official works for FEMA - "I'm sorry Mr. Hurricane Katrina Survivor, but I cannot give you water because you do not have the correct paperwork. That's our policy/procedure and I have to follow what the manual says - no exceptions".......
I know that's a little over the top, but I'm still shaking my head wondering what that official could possibly be thinking.
|