... I yelled at a ref last week. My son was playing soccer (8th grade, no less) and he wasn't even involved in the play I yelled about. I just plain lost it, and didn't have a whistle in my mouth to blow at the player, so I resorted to "venting" in the oonly other medium at my disposal.

What's the penance? PLEASE, don't make me do 20 8th grade boys games this year!! Can't I do community service instead?!?

We're only human. Our sins can be forgiven!

You are sentenced to work 3rd grade rec games with ABC. And - you know I could actually schedule those. ;)

This is gonna hurt but you'll be a better person for it.

1.
You must watch the following movies:
Jackass (compulsory)
Either Taxi Driver or Full Metal Jacket
Any 1 Stallone movie or any 2 of the Die Hard movies.

2.
You will be given a car in a neighborhood unknown to you and you must find your way to a difficult to find location. You will not be permitted to stop & ask directions.

3.
You will be placed in a setting with 4 of your closest woman friends. You must communicate using only the following phrases:
"So? What's the big deal?"
"Wadda lotta crap."
"If that was my kid...."
"She had it comin'"

4.
No chocolate for 1 month or use a porta-potty once.

Dan, it's a good thing you're not a priest!!

Actually, this is the community service I had in mind!!

Maybe just remember this the next time some "idiot" tells you to "call 'em both ways!"

I had a game yesterday where I was coaching my daughter's 4th grade basketball game and I felt there was some inconsistency in the calls. I grumbled a bit but moved on. I even remember to thank the officials after the game. But if this had happened five years ago, I know I would have been "T"ed up. ;)

You will work a game in the Portland Colisium with your entire association watching. And they will criticize every call you make good or bad.

I went with my association in Colorado once to an Air Force game. 500 people there and 100 were basketball officials. Yep we used every line we could ever remembered hearing from the stands. It was fun.

Fun for you, maybe -- did the refs on the floor keep laughing?

They knew we were there and we had had them talk at our meeting just before the game. It helps knowing who is making the comments. I didn't see them after the game so I really don't know how they took it. But being the best in Division 1 basketball, I'm sure these refs took it in stride.

Funnt but it hard not to yell sometimes--you get involved in the game etc. It just makes you appreciate fans yelling at you--it is nothing personal they are just "fans"

I'm guilty too
 

At my daugther's varsity volleyball game, there are a group of boys that follow the team and yell a lot. They sit on the first row just and really get obnoxious sometimes.

The ref on the stand kept turning around and telling them to be quiet and of course that wouldn't work. The other teams's JV was sitting on the opposite side of the court and kept yelling when our girls would serve and the ref wouldn't say anything to them.

Whe should have had the AD take care of it, but instead she started this dialog with the boys. Big mistake.

Finally we one or two points left, she turned around and told them they had to leave. I stood up and screamed at her to do the same with the other team's JV. I got a lot of points with the kids and other parents, but did I feel like a fool.

I went ot her after the game and apologized and she hauled butt out of the gym.

So, I guess its 7th grade girls for the first half of the season for me.

This is exactly how I got into officiating soccer in the 70's. My wife told me to "put up or shut up" and I did. Gave up soccer 3 years ago.