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Originally Posted by Nevadaref
1. There are always a few people who can maintain their physical fitness, eyesight, and otherwise good health as they age. RookieDude, congrats, you seem to be one of those folks. We also have a tremendous official here who is now 60.
2. As I have already stated FIFA, the world governing body of soccer, has an age limit of 45 for working international contests.
3. My main point of contention with the older officials is that too many of them get a free pass from a fitness standpoint and they serve to clog up the system while their presence on certain games prevent the next group of officials from gaining valuable experience.
4. Consider the choice for a second round playoff game between two officials of roughly equal ability. Some would argue that going with the more experience official is appropriate.
5. Lastly, while an age cap would certainly eliminate a few qualified individuals from consideration, it more than makes up for it in the opportunities that it creates for up-and-coming refs and by providing a safeguard against abuse of political power and cronyism.
Others are sure to disagree, but my opinion is in line with Collina's that it is proper to sacrifice a few for the good of the many. There is always a balance that must be found between experience and the declining effect of age on an official. I feel that age limits help find that point.
6. My recommendations for basketball officiating age limits would be:
NBA = 50
NCAA = 55
NFHS = 60
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1. Pretty good argument against the point you are trying to make.
2. So what?
3. This sounds like an overgeneralization to me. An alternative would be to put emphasis on having a mixed crew, containing some blend of youth with greater experience.
4. You talked a lot in this paragraph without saying much. The key phrase here, as I see it, is "roughly equal ability." Somebody, somewhere, has to make the decision as to which one is better, and age should not enter the equation. This should work like any other area of sports, where the old guy can get bumped by even a rookie,
BUT the reverse of this is also true.
5. Horsefeathers
6. Johnny Carson once said something to the effect: "Old is 15 years older than you are now." Interesting that you are slamming the doors on the first group when they reach an age close to that same margin over your own age.