Just to Tick Off The Crowd

[rainmaker]

I just saw an ad on TV during a football game, where the ref makes his call, and reports in the standard manner. Then there's this little pause, and he adds, "I know we could have called a hold on every play so far in this game, but we waited until this crucial juncture late in the game." Then he bends over and picks up his flag, and adds, "Just to tick off the crowd." Or words to that effect. I roared with laughter. My husband is offended. What do y'all think?

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by rainmaker
I just saw an ad on TV during a football game, where the ref makes his call, and reports in the standard manner. Then there's this little pause, and he adds, "I know we could have called a hold on every play so far in this game, but we waited until this crucial juncture late in the game." Then he bends over and picks up his flag, and adds, "Just to tick off the crowd." Or words to that effect. I roared with laughter. My husband is offended. What do y'all think?

Why was your husband offended? I think they were the funniest commercials in a while (the Bud officiating commercials). I like the one with the same "referee" and he calls the measurements "drama."

Man those ads are funny.

Peace

[mick]

Originally posted by rainmaker
I just saw an ad on TV during a football game, where the ref makes his call, and reports in the standard manner. Then there's this little pause, and he adds, "I know we could have called a hold on every play so far in this game, but we waited until this crucial juncture late in the game." Then he bends over and picks up his flag, and adds, "Just to tick off the crowd." Or words to that effect. I roared with laughter. My husband is offended. What do y'all think?

Jewel,
...Must have been written by a color announcer.
It connotes abuse of power to control games, to pick winners, to have favorites, to incite fans.

I think a brief, private chuckle, at most, is the acceptable response.
mick

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by JRutledge
Why was your husband offended? I think they were the funniest commercials in a while (the Bud officiating commercials). I like the one with the same "referee" and he calls the measurements "drama."
Man those ads are funny.
Peace

I like them too. He is a little touchy about my "profession" and quick to bluster. I told him I enjoy hearing someone say on tv something I might think to myself, whether or not I mean it.

There's an article about this subject in another officiating venue which I won't name. Their theory is that laughing at the refs can go too far. My opinion is that if ads like this lead the public to be even more hostile and angry, it's the fault of someone else, not the ads. I see the ad above as making fun of the fans for their ridiculous views that refs are biased. That's something I can laugh at!

[JRutledge]

These ads are halarious. We have to have a sense of humor about officiating. It after all is just a game. If anyone gets offended by that, they need to live a little.

And yes I did read the article from Referee Magazine, and it was a joke. Some folks need to lighten up in my opinion. They were say "kill the ump," long before TV ads were making fun of us.

Peace

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by rainmaker
I see the ad above as making fun of the fans for their ridiculous views that refs are biased.

Exactly.

It says, "We know what we're doing, even though you don't!"

[rockyroad]

Isn't this the same ad campaign that shows the reporter interviewing the "star" football player in the locker room?? The one where the "star" blames the loss on everyone else and the reporter says something about the star's 4 fumbles and he responds "Exactly. If one of those other guys had fallen on those, we would have won. I can't do everything." Then it ends with:

Reporter: "I guess there really is no 'I' in team."

Star: "Yah, well there ain't no 'We' either!"

Those are great commercials...but then I also liked the one for Motel 6 (?) where the ref with the really thick glasses couldn't pour the sugar into his coffree!!

[Mregor]

Ref magazine ran an article on this same subject in Nov. issue. Basically, they were offended. I like the "drama" and the interview one. My favorite line is: reporter: "So those 5 fumbles you had did not impact the game?" Player: "Not if one of my team mates would have recovered them" or something to that affect. If you are offended by a commercial, you have to thin of skin to be an official anyway.

Mregor

[mick]

Originally posted by Mregor

If you are offended by a commercial, you have to thin of skin to be an official anyway.

Mregor
__________________
Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain; and most fools do.

Oops!

[Mregor]

Originally posted by mick

Oops!

What is Chuck on vacation so you have to take over the grammar/spelling police job? What about Jeff's halarious? You pick on my "to"? Man, better be careful out their, er, I mean, there.

Mregor

[mick]

Originally posted by Mregor

What is Chuck on vacation so you have to take over the grammar/spelling police job? What about Jeff's halarious? You pick on my "to"? Man, better be careful out their, er, I mean, there.

Mregor

No way did that bother me! I thought you may have been crticizing, condemning or complaining.

[Mregor]

Oh wise man, I now see your point. How foolish of this young grasshopper. Note to self, change tagline.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Mregor
Oh wise man, I now see your point. How foolish of this young grasshopper. Note to self, change tagline.

...or learn to complain with such sophistication that the line will be very clear between you and "the fools". Being a ref makes this an easy task.