Summer League Follies

[rockyroad]

So my two oldest sons are playing hack-a-ball in a summer league the past few weeks. Had a completely bizarre incident recently...two refs who are basically lower level JV/rec league type officials are working the game together. One of them makes a call in front of the other which quite obviously made the partner mad as he bigs to call things all over the court. Now this isn't great basketball to start with, but it's competitive and fast-paced and they really, really screwed it up...

Anyway, after that game the two officials went outside...my son's team had a game off and then played again after that, so some of them went outside also. Next thing I know, my 15 year old comes running in and tells me that the refs are fighting outside. I run out there (I know them both) in time to see one of them driving away and the other with a lump coming up on his cheek. They did this right in front of players from three different teams...

So the guy who was still there tried to ref the last two games by himself with all that crap on his mind...didn't do a very good job. I offered to ref with him, but the league director said "No" since I had kids on one of the teams...

Sheesh...I e-mailed our assignor and am waiting to hear back from him, but since these weren't assigned by the association, I don't know if there's much he can do...

[mick]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I offered to ref with him, but the league director said "No" since I had kids on one of the teams...

I'd have hired you if you fathered the entire team.

[Splute]

Yikes!! Seems they forgot who the games are really about. Thats sad, especially in front of children. I hope they do some soul searching as to why they Ref in the first place.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by Splute

Yikes!! Seems they forgot who the games are really about. Thats sad, especially in front of children. I hope they do some soul searching as to why they Ref in the first place.

through experience there are some that officiate to prove something, position of authority, and like to be the center of attention.

not everyone officiates because they enjoy the actual act of officiating. in these types of games you see more of those types of individuals.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by mick

I'd have hired you if you fathered the entire team.

Thanks Mick...he said he was afraid I would be biased - and my 17 year-old interjected "Yeah, against us!" He had to buy dinner that night!!

[Splute]

[quote=deecee]through experience there are some that officiate to prove something, position of authority, and like to be the center of attention.

I understand what you are saying, probably true, but it seems that behavior goes against our very code of ethics. It is very disappointing to read threads like this. However, deep in my soul, I believe most officials do have the best interest of the sport at heart when they step on the court.

[Jurassic Referee]

There might be other factors in play here.

No matter, whoever assigned the officials should know about it. It's his headache.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by deecee

through experience there are some that officiate to prove something, position of authority, and like to be the center of attention.

Isn't this exactly why they say you're supposed to ref, in rockyroad's neck of the woods? I remembered this from earlier this year. . .

Originally Posted by rockyroad

in the mid-90's I went to a "try-out" type of camp. One of the evaluators stood up in front of the group, pointed to several of us and asked each the question "Why do you officiate?" As each of us (and I was one of the ones chosen) gave our answer, he replied with "Bullsh!t. Sit down."

Eventually he went on a little tirade in which he pointed out that we all officiate because it gives us POWER...we don't have that POWER in any other area of our lives, so we fulfill that need by blah, blah, blah...

When he finished, I raised my hand and asked the camp director (and small college assignor) if that was his thinking also. When he said yes, I told him thanks, gathered up my stuff and left...he called me a couple days later, we talked and I told him what I thought of that philosophy...few days later I got a contract in the mail. Weird...to this day, I can't really believe that is why anyone would officiate.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by Scrapper1

Isn't this exactly why they say you're supposed to ref, in rockyroad's neck of the woods? I remembered this from earlier this year. . .

Actually that guy was from California...LA area I believe.