Amongst the fans
 

Last night, I took a game between my alma mater, UMaine, and the conference leader (and frequent champion) Vermont. Our Black Bears got off to a 7-1 conference start, but have lost five straight, so it's a grumpy time in the northeast corner.

Late in the game, a UM forward drives, but is met by a UVM defender with LGP by the time of contact. I see a clear charge, but I'm the only one in my section that sees it. The rest of my section goes apedung, as stripes correctly points his fist in the other direction. Meanwhile, I'm telling my teenage son there's no question that's a charge. Sometimes, I wish people would understand what I've been taught. It's really not that hard.

Who else has stories of the trained eye amongst the untrained, yet certain and vocal masses?

There are too many of them. Where would I start?

Peace

Try any game I watch with friends or at any restaurant.

I always sit in the referee cheering section so I don't have to deal with it.

I play (SSB on trumpet) for the local JuCo so I'm there every home game, which is my current alma mater, and I had been sitting court level, but the section is full of staff, parents, and just fans that are armchair refs. I couldn't take it anymore. I moved up to the uncomfy wooden nosebleeds after the berating a crew got on a very well called game. I also started bringing my MP3 player just to stick in my ears if the crowd got too bad... The fans in the upper seats be it parents or just fans are the calmer of the home team fans. I've actually explained a couple calls and the whys to the rules and they've been understanding of it. I had tried to explain the no 3 sec. when on a try or tap to a guy in the lower level and he looked at me like I was talking quantum physics or something.
Being a spectator at a game after the training we've gone through definitely takes on a whole different view.

No surprise if it took you more than 3, er 2 seconds to explain it.

"You know, I'd like to just watch a game as fan sometimes. I dont need you explaining calls to me, just let me root for my team." - My wife

Just goes to show fans dont care about whats right/wrong they want everything to go their teams way. Personally, I cant sit in the stands anymore... many of their comments are just plain stooopid!

I get the same comments from my wife when watching movies and TV shows about sports and military.

I think that has more to do with the heat of the moment.

At the previous UM game, this was the guy sitting next to me:
(at stripes) "That's horrible! No WAY is that right!"
(pause)
(turns to me) "What's the rule on that again?"

For a few seconds, fans react based on their knowledge, and yes, their bias. But ultimately, people want to be informed. They may not like the explanation at that time, but it does serve a long-term purpose a long-term purpose that will help us all. In other words, they'll be far less likely to complain about the same thing later, with the proper knowledge.

By the way, my wife and I have no problem telling each other we're dead wrong. It's been happily that way for nearly 20 years!

On the rare occasions when I don't have a game scheduled I will go watch a good high school matchup, particularly at tournament time. What I find interesting is how much crap is yelled at the officials during the course of the game. It shows me that I must tune out about 99% of the derogatory things fans scream during the course of my games because I just don't hear that much of it. I generally get a chuckle out of the fans stupidity and wonder if they realize that the only people listening to them ***** are other fans; the officials don't hear it or don't give a rats behind.

My son just started a new school today. When I went to the school Tuesday for orientation out of the first 4 people I met, 3 knew me from officiating AAU & HS: receptionist whose son who went on to D1 ball; male counselor who went on to play D1 ball; counselor whose daughter played HS ball and was also working somewhere in school.

The receptionist told me later that she and the male counselor got all nervous (and guilty) because they were worried I would remember all the terrible stuff they had said about me during games. I like bringing that human face to the officiating profession.

Me too. And the human face I bring is usually the one of a fan that pissed me off.

Same thing in my marriage! If I tell my wife she's wrong, I'm dead. :D

The Root of the Issue
 

The basis of the common term "fan" is the word "fanatic." Check out any dictionary to discover synonyms for each and you'll realize why most fans, with their preconceived bias and wholehearted favoritism fueling their fervency, lapse into fanaticism and vocalize their criticism against any call even the best of officials makes that goes against their favored team. It's the natural regression of things.
There are a handful of select individuals I know with whom I can sit to watch a game at my alma mater, whose judgment is not biased and with whom I can enjoy watching a game. I'm trying to make more people I know the way this handful of people is. It's working, slowly, but it is working. I wrote an article for the school newsletter just this past week entitled, "Are you a 'Fan', or a 'Fanatic'?" in order to help move people back to a reasonable, objective viewpoint.
Nothing stated regarding fanatical behavior that should really shock anyone on this board.
It's simply something up with which we are asked to put.

+1 Most of the fans that bawl the loudest are the ones that like to hear themselves talk! Same blabber mouths are the ones in the restaurants that always talk and laugh louder than the rest. They must have been bottle fed or weened prematurely.

Purely for science, I'd like to see the reactions of people in a gym including the refs when someone, non sarcastically, applauds (loudly/vocally) a correct call by the crew. Especially if it was a fan/spectator of the team the call went against.

When I do get that oft chance to see a game as a spectator, most of the time I'll sit by myself or with fellow officials. It certainly is entertaining to listen to the educated masses and their comments. Sometimes I just chuckle and shake my head.

It is however tough to "enjoy the game" sometimes as you observe the officials, coaches, and other nuances of the game others don't watch - after fouls, during dead balls and TO's, etc.

2nd year here. I told my wife that I can't watch basketball like I used to, particularly in person. It's actually been a little disconcerting to view my favorite sport and one I played and coached for more than 35 years from a brand new perspective.

At least you get to watch movies about sports and military. *cue 4 Yorkshiremen sketch*

“You Can't Go Home Again” (Thomas Wolfe) ...
 

Being an official has ruined my life as a basketball fan. Every time I go to a game in person, or watch one on television, I'm not watching the players, I'm watching the officials. This even happens when I go to UCONN men's, or women's game, and I'm not even a college official. I've had friends, or family, ask me, "Hey BillyMac, wasn't that a great pass?", to which I reply, "What pass? Did you see that official close down on the three point shot?".

When I eventually give up officiating, will I ever be able to go back to being a fan? Please tell me that I can go back. Someone? Please?

Wouldn't It Be Nice If All Fans Were Like This ???
 

Stayed for the boys end of a boys/girls varsity doubleheader. Small Christian school with not a lot of room in the bleachers, so I sat among a group of fans, who knew that I had officiated the first game.

Shot goes up and hangs on the rim for a split second before dropping into basket. Defensive player had touched the bottom of the net as the ball was on the ring. Fan asks me, "Isn't that goaltending?", which led to a quick, friendly, discussion about the difference between goaltending, and basket interference.

A few minutes later, a player is about to score on a breakaway layup, and a defender grabs his opponent's jersey from behind. As the players are directed away from the free throw lane for the two free throws, another fan asks me, "Why did they call a technical foul?", which led to a quick, friendly, discussion about intentional fouls, and the penalty for such.

This was at the same site where I had a fan ejected two weeks ago. Go figure?

I'm an observant official when it comes to the game of basketball with two teams involved that I don't personally cheer for. But you give me my hs/juco alma mater, give me my big four year schools I cheer for (big time UConn fan..both sides, TTU) and I switch off the official in me and become a fan again. That's why I've talked to my area director about when I reach varsity level (though we as an association don't call local conf. games) that I will not ever call the LJ/Lamar games at _any_ level, I just can't get that part of my past HS exp. out of me, so I know that it will hinder my ability to officiate properly.

So, I think it can be done Billy...but will probably just depend on the person.

I'm the complete opposite. While I can still cheer for my teams, I cheer for the officiating team first meaning if a tough call that's correct has to go against my team, I'd rather that happen then the wrong call.

Love the next day when my friends are *itching and moaning about getting screwed on a call against one of our teams and I have to set them straight.

Agreed. I don't become one of 'those' fans, I've hardly ever yelled at refs my entire time being involved in any sport. I grew up with a ref in the house and from early on had that respect for refs anytime I played. This past UConn game against OU, I think there was a call against Maya Moore and I agreed with it. I'm just able to turn off watching the officials as well as watching the game like I was officiating. Shoulda been a tad bit clearer on that.... *gets ready for the harping on this team pick of mine:D*
Since both the football and basketball seasons started this year, I've yelled at a ref only once. It was during a Cowboys game and they totally screwed or missed a penalty that would've helped Dallas and probably the outcome of the game. The person I was watching with basically dropped their jaw and looked at me like are you really yelling at the officials?

I can pretty much say I watch just about all contests through the eyes of an official. And that's not just basketball but other sports as well. DVR makes it that much more fun/easier, because I'll go back and watch the positioning of the officials, watch plays in slow motion, etc. I actually wish we had a poster here with a capture card so we could review more plays as a board. I know one other football officiating board I frequent has a poster who does that, and it makes for great discussion. *I'm rambling here*

I can say that I don't really watch any more sports as a normal "fan" but I'm glad I don't. I enjoy watching games now so much more now rather than whining about every perceived miss call.

How can you expect fans to understand LGP when coaches don't know it...and in some cases, officials!!??

It's a simple concept.

The blarge is the most complained about call in the game.

That's indeed part of it, but I believe the other part is just plain ignorance. It's not easy to battle stubborn, but ignorance is treatable.

Let's say A1 foolishly throws the ball out of bounds, or takes a couple of obvious steps before passing. The fans of Team A are not going to chew out an official over those calls, because they know A1 did something wrong, no matter how biased they are.

If A1 commits a charge, however, chances are they're going to squawk. Why? They don't know what to look for in making that call. The main difference between the obvious and the confusing is information -- although judgment often plays a role -- and sometimes I wonder if basketball could do more to pass along that information, rather than letting myths lie.

How Frequent ???
 

How can this be? I've been doing this for thirty years, and I have never had a blarge in any of my games, nor have I seen a blarge in any that I've observed.

Different perspective
 

I'll share my story on the thread subject. After about 12 years of calling hs boys varsity and some community college ball, I sat down as my kids reached hs playing age. I have to say, being in the stands as a parent of a player now was quite eye opening. At first I tried, as others have said here, to explain calls and rules to those friends/parents that sat nearby. After a bit, I gave up and just sometimes sat away from those that knew me and my background. Some folks would like the education, most thought I was only supporting my zebra brethren. They knew I knew all the guys on all the games and their preconceived notions surfaced. I found myself also in a bit of inner turmoil as I watched, just as the other parents would, my own kid perform on the court, and be involved in plays that were decided by guys I knew, mostly guys I considered top quality refs. Occasionally, the team would travel into territory of another officials association such as for regional or state play in games. Funny how my feeling of these crews changed since I didn't know these guys, and I became more of a "fan", occasionally being critical, especially, and I'll readily admit this, when I felt my kid got a bum deal. Only human nature I kept telling myself. When he moved on to play college ball well out of the area, and the few times I was able to watch him in person, I began to notice things that I made mental notes I would do if I ever came back to officiate. I felt I could become a better official, if by no other reason than kinda seeing it from that view. I saw what I perceived in hs and college as phantom calls, calls in the moment just because there looked to be something that needed to be cleaned up. Then I remembered doing the same thing at times and for instance maybe wrongfully calling the third foul first half on some nameless faceless kid on some meaningless (to me) mid season game..wrongful in that I might have been guessing on the play or trying to clean something up. I can assure you that player was not nameless to his parents or coach or their fans. That one foul could have changed the nature of the game for the kid personally and the team. I too had felt this as a Dad in the stands, and I vowed to try to do a better job when I came back, mainly in the area of referring the defense more. Try to be sure that kid has actually done something (by rule of course) to deserve that penalty, not just kinda been in the wrong spot. In discussion with my former comrades in stripes about returning to action, I was always quick to say I thought everybody should take a few years and watch from the stands as a parent as I did. Now this may mean only that I needed improvement, not others, but I did find it quite enlightening from a lot of directions.

Letemplay - good post!

I think he means "block/charge" plays in general, not the double foul variety we love to hate.

Ladies and gentlemen, Hannibal Lechter has donned the stripes. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

I too have been struck with this affliction. In surfing games on TV, my first focus is who is on game.

At our local high school, I'm now sitting on visitor's side in a corner far far away from the madding crowd. On a rare occasion when I'm with the parents, "was that a foul?" is the mantra directed at me.It's nails on a chalkboard when all the cliches come out "call it both ways" at the top of the list.

I will admit however, under my breath, watching my son's games and having some pretty green freshman refs, that I revert to being a dad. Just a momentary lapse I promise you.

I have had this experience as well, or at least part of it. I now keep my mouth shut. ;)

I believe judtech has a 12-step program he can refer you to.

Everybody should have a role model.

+1 Letemplay, we've walked similar walks. Interesting how your perspectives and experiences matched some of mine.

So Billy...did you tell the friendly fan that the official kicked the call?

Or did the official indeed kick the call?

That's the problem with sitting with fans...they are going to look to the official in the stands to legitimize their complaints...be it by our "friendly explanations" or even by our facial expressions.

IMO...we have to be very careful not to throw our "partners" under the bus, even with a friendly explanation or frown on a call.

But, I'm sure you know that...just throwing it out here.;)

My daughter played field hockey, so I was a totally clueless fan. For 4 years.

Sounds like me and volleyball as far as rules go, thank God she only played for two years. Sheer torture for me to watch volleyball games in about 50 ways!

Nowhere Near The Bus ...
 

No. The ball dropped down from the rim into the net at about the same time the net was barely touched. Since the ball went in the basket, I would have passed on it also.

I'm glad you did, letemplay. Great perspective.

Here's a "for what it's worth."

A few years ago, I'm working a youth tournament with teams from all over the state. In one game, the coach is a very well respected official from another board.

I'm the T. Right in front of his bench, the point guard made a very strange shuffling move, an easy travel for me. I whistle, and the coach is aghast.

"(Bainsey), what did he do?!?"

I quickly reancted the motion to the best of my ability. (My pivot foot is always the left foot, because I have two of them.) I was a little surprised he didn't see the obvious shuffle.

The following year, this same gentleman is working a tournament game, and he has a similar travel call for foot shuffle in front of a bench. All I could do was burst out laughing!

Okay, it wasn't all I did. I found him after the game and called his attention to that travel call.

"Last year, you busted my hump at a youth tournament for the exact same call!"

He just smiled guiltily.

"You probably called in on my kid, that's why."

As for sitting amongst the fans...
 

I began officiating basketball when I was 14 years old. Not having a driver license until 16, my mother used to haul me around from gym to gym so I could work my games.

She still tells stories of what it was like sitting in the stands listening to parents whine and cry about calls/no-calls.

Her favorite's include the half-time chit-chat where after 2 quarters of complaining about how terrible the refs were... someone would ask "which one on the court is your kid?" to which she would proudly reply "The one with the whistle." Hahahaha.

Or the time she went to switch seats at half, a "lady" asked her if she wanted her seat saved, and mom replies "no thank you, I am tired of hearing what an a$$hole my son is, I will sit elsewhere."

Gotta love Mom.

And yes.... Hot Moms.:D

It's an **cking shame that grown adults felt the need to berate an official who isn't even considered an adult...but nothing surprises me today. :(

Back before I learned to just ignore fans, and if anything, laugh at their demonstration of ignorance regarding rules, I used to engage them from time-to-time.

My favorite way to "get even" was to call an "Official's TO" stop the game and embarrass the sh$t out of them. Often this would involve reminding them that they are adults, and we are all here for the kids on the court, and that they need to "SET AN EXAMPLE".

Of course I also offered my whistle to a "lady" once. I figured if she was so sure she could do a better job than my partner and I, she should be given the opportunity... She of course graciously declined and I didn't hear a peep out of her the rest of the game.

Alright, Now The Hot Single Mom Jokes Have Gone Too Far ...
 

Gross.

I know that they have to be somebody's Mom, just not somebody's Mom that I know.

Pretty funny. I hope you don't revert to doing those actions now despite what you might read from a certain forum member...especially if you decide to join your state association next year.