Camp comment got me thinking

[Ref in PA]

These are my thoughts:

Consistency from a crew is important - all game long. However, that is extremely difficult to do, especially when teams are near a threshold of what you will allow or call. Sometimes the crew lets play gradually get rougher because no ref on the crew is willing to step up and say enough is enough and draw the line. Good coaches and players will push and push to find out where the "limit" for that game will be as to allowable contact between offense and defense. In these games, someone on the crew must step up and establish the line of allowable contact. I did not see your game and do not know if the crew was allowing that "limit" to creep or not. I did not see your game and do not know exactly what "minor contact" you are referring to - that definition changes from ref to ref and sometimes changes in a game for some refs.

When I call a game, I do my best to keep control and call a consistent game. If constructive criticism comes to me after that game, I think I am objective enough to think about the comments and how I felt the game was proceeding at that moment. The evaluator has the luxury of watching the whole play develop and finish before making a judgement whereas those on the court must make that judgement at that moment. If you are not second guessing yourself after the play saying "I should have made that call" then those comments from the evaluator are less meaningful.

Also remember that minor contact can be a foul is a team is placed at a disadvantage. The bumps, the holds, the hand checks, while minor, could enable a defensive player maintain position when they were beat. Again, I did not see your game and cannot judge your "minor contact." Different levels will have different threshholds of minor contact definitions. Different areas of the country will also differ as to what is allowable and what is not.

So, with all that said, was the evaluator right? Only you can answer that.

Now to answer your question - I prefer consistency when calling a game. I will not "throw bones" to a team getting beat by the other team to appease their frustration level.