I love this stuff.
 

I had a game sometime last month where some kids were wearing referee shirts and big prop glasses during a game where the visiting team was ranked at the time. I got a kick out of it. They were just a group of kids having fun and into their team. Do not penalize the team for the actions of fans. And considering the kids were nice and light-hearted, I had absolutely no problem with anything they did. I even had the AD come to me and ask if I was having any "problem" with the kids. I told him "no, they are just having fun."

You should take this job seriously, but you have to have some fun too. :)

Chuck, I just glanced at rule 2-8. An official can penalize unsporting behavior of player, coach, substitute, team attendant or follower.

It goes onto say that the home management or game committe is responsible for spectator behavoir, insofar as it can be reasonable expected to control the spectators. The officals may call fouls on either team if its supporters act insuch a way as to interfer with the proper conduct of the game. Discretions must be used in call such fouls, however, lest a team be unjustly penalized.

I don't think you call a T.

Because it's just for fun. Relax a little, we can show that referees are a little bit human, too.

If it gets personal or it's not for fun, then do something about it. If the mascot is taunting you about a call that the home team thinks stinks, then do something about it. If he's just teasing the refs during a dead ball or at halftime, why make a bigger deal out of it. I don't think it's disrespectful, it just for fun.

I remember the velcro referee doll, a spectator had one at a game several years ago. She looked at me and jokingly tore it apart while I was watching. We all (including me and my partner) laughed. Now if she had said "Hey ref, we're doing this to you after the game.", that's different.

Heck, I umpired a volunteer softball tournament for a charity many years ago, where at the end of the tournament they dressed us all up with canes, dark sunglasses, a tin cup and some pencils. It was a riot.

1 Peter 2:20 "For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God."

Translation: We don't have to take everything personally. We need to drop the "You can't do that to me and get away with it" attitudes. If they're just having fun, let it go. It might do some good to be able to laugh at yourself.