Amongst the fans

[bainsey]

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?

[JRutledge]

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

Peace

[APG]

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

[26 Year Gap]

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

[Terrance "TJ"]

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.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Terrance "TJ"

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 starting 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.

[tref]

"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!

[Adam]

Originally Posted by tref

"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.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by tref

Just goes to show fans dont care about whats right/wrong they want everything to go their teams way.

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!

[IowaMike]

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.

[Raymond]

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.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

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.

[RadioBlue]

Originally Posted by bainsey

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!

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

[Freddy]

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.

[Loudwhistle2]

Originally Posted by IowaMike

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.

+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.