Ref. responds to fan

[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.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

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

That's fine for you, but, I'm not paid to be a comedian out there.

[Adam]

Dude, blue font.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Dude, blue font.

Excellent, dear Snaqwells!

[Ignats75]

Originally Posted by DLH17

That's fine for you, but, I'm not paid to be a comedian out there.

As I said, since I'm not doing this for the money, I'm not paid to be anything. I'm there to get the game played and have fun.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by DLH17

That's fine for you, but, I'm not paid to be a comedian out there.

I didn't say make him laugh, I said smile. You don't have to say something funny, you can say something nice. You are paid to be a human being out there.

[LeeBallanfant]

Not that I have ever done this, but certain refs I know if being heckled by a fan in the first or second row would station themselves in front of the fan during a stoppage of play and when a player threw the ball to them, they would accidentally miss it.

[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