[mick]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

So, back to my point, if you didn't play the game, can you understand it the way an official who did play it understands it?

Oversimplified.
Factor in :

Non-playing - interest, knowledge, effort, experience, mentors' and partners' (interest, knowledge, effort, experience).
Playing - interest, knowledge, effort, experience, coaches' and teammates' (interest, knowledge, effort, experience).