Ref. responds to fan

[dsqrddgd909]

How would everyone handle a sitiation where a fan(s) are verbally sparring with players? Had this one a few weeks ago in a moderately rough.....wait for it......rec game.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by dsqrddgd909

How would everyone handle a sitiation where a fan(s) are verbally sparring with players? Had this one a few weeks ago in a moderately rough.....wait for it......rec game.

This is where I might say somthing to a fan especially if an adult or even kid is saying something directly to a player. Also much of this would depend on if and where the GM is located and how much they can and will handle the situation. But most HS or college games this is not an issue. It might be in an AAU game or some other non-sanctioned event.

Peace

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by dsqrddgd909

How would everyone handle a sitiation where a fan(s) are verbally sparring with players? Had this one a few weeks ago in a moderately rough.....wait for it......rec game.

Notify site admin if you think it is something that needs to be addressed.

[Berkut]

I pretty much (almost) never interact with fans. I am in the "you can't quote silence" camp on this one.

That even goes as far as tolerating them much further than most officials. I simply do not care what they say to me, and pretty much ignore everything.

I've only ever had three fans tossed, and in two cases GM actually handled itm and in one I did (which was likely a mistake).

One case a fan was threatening to me, another a student got up and stepped onto the court trying to get into a fight with a player, and the last a mother told her son to hit another player.

If they are going to interfere with the game, they have to go. Other than that...they paid their two bucks to come act like a monkey - I let them.

[just another ref]

But sometimes you just can't help yourself. Many years ago, when I first started, jh girls game. Ball went out of bounds right in front of blue team fans. (all 25 of them) I said "White!" They all, in perfect unison said "Whaaaaaaat??"
I looked up at them all, and slowly, clearly said "Whiiiiiiiiiite!"

Several of them actually laughed.

[Mark Padgett]

8th grade girls game last weekend, A1 to inbound in front of parents. Her dad is yelling at her about some bad plays. A1 turns around and says, really loud, "SHUSH!" Some of the parents laugh. There's a timeout. I'm standing there and say to the parents, "Did she really say 'Shush'? I thought my grandmother was here." They laughed again and one of them said, "She could have said something nastier". I replied, "Then I really would have thought my grandmother was here!" That brought out some pretty good laughs.

Sometimes talking to the fans is fun.

[Ignats75]

I'm more in Rut's camp and Mark's. I never argue with fans over calls. If there is a fan who might be stirring the pit out of ignorance, I have been known to say that Ohio has a rule that you are only allowed to yell at the ref if you know the rule. It usually gets a laugh from loudmouth's neighbors and shuts him up. (Disclaimer) NOT ALL THE TIME do I do this. YHTBT.

Also, while I do get paid for my expertise, it's not why I do this. I do it because it's fun. I like to interact with the students during deadballs.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Ignats75

Also, while I do get paid for my expertise, it's not why I do this. I do it because it's fun. I like to interact with the students during deadballs.

One of the most satisfying things to do is to get a kid, whose team is getting clobbered, to smile.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Ignats75

Also, while I do get paid for my expertise, it's not why I do this. I do it because it's fun. I like to interact with the students during deadballs.

I one time said to a student who had been constantly razzing me and my partners (all in fun of course), I said to the kid, "If you talked to me as much as you talked to me, then you might have girls sitting next to you instead of these guys." The fans got a kick out of it and it stopped the kid from being silly. I also did not say so everyone could hear, I said this right before putting the ball into play and got a good laugh from the people around. And it even changed the kid's behavior the rest of the game. And I only engaged the kid because he had been calling me personally during dead ball situations and was trying to be funny about how good I looked or that was a great call when it was in favor of their team. I would not have done this if the kid was hostile or angry. There is a time and place for everything.

Peace