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Originally Posted by Reffing Rev.
I want all to know, I do appreciate Mike Carey's accomplishment, and I recognize that this forum is of officials, for officials and by officials. My post was simply as I stated a rant regarding an inappropriate shift of emphasis.
I worked a basketball game a few years ago with a gentleman who was also to sing the national anthem before the game, and while he was a very talented vocalist, I just like to keep the attention off the officials and everything about them, from voice to color.
I believe the best officials in the business do not have names, and do their entire job without anyone knowing they were there.
That is all I am saying.
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That sounds great but those days are over. From the internet, to TV to fellow officials, the days of the anonymous official are over. First of all people can recognize officials. And with all these TV stations covering every game imaginable, even if you wanted to keep officials in the background, people will know who they are. You are going to tell me people are not going to recognize Dick Beavetta in the NBA? Or and Ed Hoculli in the NFL? Or at Joe West in the Majors? Or an Ed Hightower and Lisa Mattingly at the D1 Basketball levels? It is not going to happen. I have even been recognized when I work local games and I did not say a word. There is too much media, video tape and internet sites dedicated to knowing who worked where and when. I heard this information about Carey on the radio while driving to a game. Maybe that was a good thing years ago, but knowing who the people are adds credibility to the contest if you ask me. People know who has worked big games in the past and they know who can handle them in the future. You are not going to get that Genie back in the bottle again. It is just not going to happen. We definitely talk about it here. What do you think the fans talk about when they see certain officials?