Want to be Dukies!!!

[deecee]

but you said they werent unruly or interfereing -- if its the same gym you and bad news are talking about then how will you run into them? and how are they distracting you? I just dont see it sorry -- maybe i am missing a detail -- but if you saw fit then fine but I agree from what I have read here that this is a case of being OOO -- my 2 cents.

They were having fun and not really bothering anyone, just annoying as heck!!!!

being annoying is not illeagle and its not for you to be the social police -- disrespectful, crude, vulgar -- yes -- annoying no.

1 aside --

couple years ago I was working a BJV game with a certain female official -- during warm ups the gym had the usual type of loud pop/hiphop music on and my partner didnt like the music. She starts ranting and raving that they should turn it down if not off and goes to the table to complain about the music -- I told her it really wasnt our place to be telling them to turn the music down or off and she insisted that it was -- well the BV coach is very active in the world of basketball and even comes in to our meetings to field questions from us as to what the heck coaches are thinking and we in turn hear some of his gripes. about 30 seconds in to her rant and rave about how horrible the music is and it should be turned off he cuts her off and says "If you dont like it then leave and I have no problem your partner working the game by himself." -- now she has put us is a very difficult position - WHAT CAN WE DO? NOTHING -- that was where I really learned that as an official there are some things we have no control over and should not try and exert it because all we dug was a hole. My partner had to tuck tail turn and walk back to the other side of the gym teed off -- and it showed the whole game -- i had her again later in the year and I respectfully turned that game back.

the point is -- from what you said I think you were imposing your likes and dislikes on the game rather that officiating -- unless fans interrupt a game or are way out of line I allow them to be FANS -- this sounds like harmless fun -- just my 2 cents once again and I disagree with what you did but thats fine -- part of it is not agreeing all the time with everyone

[IREFU2]

I should have added until they started running up and down the sidelines and chanting. But, I guess it was my judgement and you had to have been there. Thanks for all of the insight in this matter.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by IREFU2

I should have added until they started running up and down the sidelines and chanting.

Chanting too?

Ah, the humanity, the humanity......

[Junker]

I had a sort of similar situation in baseball. I work one team that has their dugout up and yelling on every play of every inning. They do nothing but yell encouragement at their own players. I'll admit after a full inning it is as annoying as anything I've been around, but certainly not usporting. One time when I had them, there was a big commotion in their dugout and I could tell something was wrong. I walked over and asked the coach and evidently a fan went into their dugout and told them to be quiet. Since I didn't actually see the fan do it I didn't eject him (he stepped in through a door in the back of the dugout). I told the coach and players that I agreed with the fan that they were annoying, but there was nothing in the rules that said they couldn't cheer for their team anytime they wanted.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by deecee

being annoying is not illeagle

Very true, so here is an ill eagle:

[deecee]

lol i knew that was going to be commented on once i hit submit

[swkansasref33]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Very true, so here is an ill eagle:

i believe that is actually a duck just bein a SA

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by swkansasref33

i believe that is actually a duck just bein a SA

That's how ill he is. You can't even tell he's an eagle!

[Eastshire]

I'm with the OP. I have very sensitive periphrial (sp?) vision. Having fans running on the sideline would be very distracting to me. I sometimes even get startled by mascots painted on the floor. Fans belong in the stands and we aren't playing until they get there.

[rainmaker]

I've never been in a gym where there would be room for this kind of fol-de-rol. I'd have done as OP in any game I've ever had.

[IREFU2]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

I've never been in a gym where there would be room for this kind of fol-de-rol. I'd have done as OP in any game I've ever had.

Well fortunately, this school is a private school and a full size Field House with lots of room to spare. They even have a practice gym!!!

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by Eastshire

I'm with the OP. I have very sensitive periphrial (sp?) vision. Having fans running on the sideline would be very distracting to me. I sometimes even get startled by mascots painted on the floor. Fans belong in the stands and we aren't playing until they get there.

Originally Posted by rainmaker

I've never been in a gym where there would be room for this kind of fol-de-rol. I'd have done as OP in any game I've ever had.

IREFU2 is a good friend of mine and an outstanding official and partner, but he's very serious on the court and is not as appreciative of the amusing sideline entertainment as I am. Of course, non of us were there so only his and his partner's judgement count as to whether or not the fans this day were a detriment to the game and the safety of the crew and players.

That being said...The gymnasium in question is best HS facility I ever seen or worked in. The school is the private institution where the local rich, powerful, and politically-connected send their children so there was plenty of money poured into this building.

It's a full 94' basketball court that has a 2' restraining border encompassing the court. Baseline side nearest the entrance it's at least 10' from the outer edge of the restraining border to the wall. The opposite baseline where the home cheerleaders congregate it's about 15'-20' from the outer edge of the restraining border to the wall. Tableside, the bleachers are 6-8 feet behind the benches. On the far sidelines opposite the benches it is at least 8ft from the bleachers to the outer edge of the restraining border. There is plenty of room around the entire court to hold a parade if that's what they wanted to do.

Sh!t, even the the official's changing room is outstanding. You enter through the AD's lounge (yes, lounge, his office is a separate room within the lounge). The locker room has about 10 lockers in a U-shape with a bench in the middle plus 2 individual chairs. Clean shower (with fixed and removable shower heads), clean toilet, clean urinal, and extra space for stretching.

Oh, I forgot to mention the best thing about this school. It's 10-15 minutes from my job and 10-15 minutes from my house. It's right off the interstate exit and also only 5 minutes from my kids house. I love it when I see that school on my schedule.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

IREFU2 is a good friend of mine and an outstanding official and partner, but he's very serious on the court and is not as appreciative of the amusing sideline entertainment as I am.

There's a big difference between being serious and being an OOO. One of the differences is worrying about the fans chanting, unless the chant happens to be obscene or racial in nature, or sumthin' like that.

Anyone even thinking about calling this one should run it by his supervisor first to get their opinion. You don't want to be "that guy"- the only official ever to worry about what the crowd is doing in this particular gym. If all of the other officials going in there don't have a problem with the crowd, then fuggedaboutit. You're just trying to impose your own personal standards, instead of simply following the norm. Jmo.