I wanna be a FIFA Referee.

[JRutledge]

I just got through watching the PBS show "Inside" and the subject was the "FIFA Club Championships."

The show was about all the background stuff that takes place in the 2005 FIFA Club Championships in Japan. One of the features of the program was the referees. The officials spent a week in Japan and doing on field training. Part of the training involved officials wearing a heart monitor while running around and the officials were picked on this primarily (or at least that is how they characterized it in the show). He looked at some data later and decided who was going to work. The head referee was basically a fill in during the training week because someone else got an injury.

Now here is the good part. The officials the day of the game were given full body massages, acupuncture and they were put into an oxygen chamber to help with injuries and aching bodies. Where can I get that!!!

Also part of the program one of the assistant referees (guys on the sideline) had 3 very close offside calls that resulted in goals that were waved off. The losing team was the violators of each call. The officials got each call right. The game ended in 1-0 (nil) and the officials were approached or taunted by the losing team. They did not go to the locker room because in the award ceremony the officials were given medals.

Now I knew of the medals and that the officials did not leave the field immediately after the game, but it just was odd. This was just very interesting how different the sport is at this level. The show also followed a photographer, a film crew using a sky cam, the coordinator of all events surrounding the game and the officials. It was just very interesting to see how officials are treated in another sport at the highest level.

Next time I work a game I want my message, acupuncture and the oxygen tank or I am not working.

Peace