Officials heckling officials
 

Game four last night of my five-game travel set, time out. I'm waiting on the sideline, ready for the eventual TI admin, when I hear, "You guys move a lot faster on grass!"

Normally, I ignore such comments, but something told me turn around. Of course, it was one of the state's top soccer officials busting my chops. (My partner last night is also on the soccer board.)

I don't pretend it was the best heckle, but it's good enough to start this thread. Any other one-liners to/from other officials you care to share?

Chain Yanking 101 ...
 

I've been watching a lot of my friends working state tournament games lately. Our local board just tells us the sites where our local guys are working, not who is working at the site. When I show up at a site I always walk up to them to shake their hands saying, "Gee? I thought, for sure, that they would send good officials for this game tonight?".

Last season, when I walked into a site, I discovered that three (that's right, Connecticut is slowly moving out of the Dark Ages, we use three officials for games at the state quarterfinals, and above) of our most veteran officials were assigned to the game. I said to them, "What did they do, assign the three oldest officials in the state to this game?", to which the referee replied, "No they assigned the three officials with the least amount of hair". He was right, they were three baldies.

If it was me, I would confront the guy at some point. And would do so especially if the guy was a soccer official and not a basketball official. For one he would not like it if I went to his soccer games and yelled about things and probably did not know the rules and procedures as well as he did. But that is me. Again that might change based on your overall system and politics of the area, but I would not let it go. ;)

Peace

Here's the Best One
 

"Hey, you refs are a bunch of dorks out there. And I know by saying this, once word gets back to him, my assignor will give me no more games ever."

I've had one game where a few refs from another Association were let's say "overly rambunctious." Pissed me off. Jerks! :mad:

Had one Friday night complaining about the "82" fouls we had called. And how long it was taking to play the game. I was thinking, "First, if those idiots would stop fouling, we would stop calling them. Second, if they shot better than 3 for 30 at the line, they would stop fouling. Third, if we DIDN'T call them, then we would have been letting kids get hurt out there. And, fourth, what a jerk, I hope word gets back to his assignor."

is this known as black-and-white on black-and-white crime?

;)

The guy was from another association. My partner indicated since overtures had been made to the school by his assn, that it would be best to not make waves.

Just tonight, in fact. A um....friend....yeah, friend, of mine was at a minor league hockey game sitting close enough to hear the players cursing at each other. My friend may have gotten a little too into the game and may have yelled at the linesman a little bit after one of the visiting players essentially sat on a home team player and held him down on the ice.

My...friend...now feels guilty and has to go to referee penance. :(

Luke 4:1-13 ...
 

It's Lent. Don't we all?

Nah, it was light-hearted, no malice implied or inferred whatsoever.

Gap, was your example yelling publicly, or busting your chops in the locker room? If the former, you have a right to be torqued off.

Chyme, I like the line, but I actually don't own zebra stripes. (Typically gold jerseys for soccer; our state uses the gray IAABO-patched unis with black pinstripes.)

This is in addition to my Catholic duty. :)

A guy and his girlfriend were making out on the couch. Things were getting pretty hot and heavy when, all of a sudden, he pulled back and stopped. She said, "What's wrong?" He said, "I really can't, honey. It's Lent." She said, "Oh, OK......wait - to who and for how long?" :D

I avoid heckling fellow officials.
Now I will say that I LOVE hecklilng fans!:D

Rut, he was a fanboy at his daughter's AAU game. That team tallied a whopping 29 points despite going to the line at least that many times.

I went to the Blackhawks vs Capitals hockey game yesterday (GO CAPS) and when a less than popular call was made by an official and the oh so popular chant of "Refs You S^CK!" rose from the crowd, I leaned over to my buddy ans said, "I'm no party to this. I want you to see I'm keeping my mouth shut!"

He got a good chuckle out of it! :p

Oh? Changed your philosophy? Or just changed your philosophy here?

http://forum.officiating.com/basketb...tml#post721449

Wow, Some People Have A Memory Like An Elephant ...
 

Well Billy, I just kinda found that statement to be just a tetch ironic considering his past actions. And I couldn't find any blue font anywhere either.

My Lent
 

As an observant biblical Lutheran, I have chosen to give up giving up things for Lent. :D

When I walk into a gym and see a buddy, I'll tell him to call it both ways. Gets a laugh every time.

I half hope a fan or coach will see us cracking up over that expression and then wonder whether it's a stupid thing to say... maybe I'm naive. :)

No. Still have the same philosophy.
The thread you reference is a "one off situation" from my personal rule of bench decorum. I violated it, admitted it, the situation resolved (and you would be suprised how it was resolved) and I have moved on.
This thread is about the behavior of offiicals as spectators. IMO, there is a difference between the two. Others may disagree, but that is their perogative. (Cue Bobby Brown song)

It must be the poor grammar that makes that humorous.

Snared by his own words.

A PM has been sent.
 

I just sent you a PM concerning your game.

So the drama is not limited to Hampton Roads?

Uh, NO!

Several years back at a GV game, the visiting team's scorer is a former official who stopped calling games and was now helping out his granddaughter's team.

All during the game, he's giving a running commentary to the rest of at the table, making many comments along the lines of "A good official would ..."

When he made another comment at the start of halftime and left the table, I told our timer "And an even better official would know to keep his mouth shut." :D

+1, +2, & +3
 

So the drama is not limited to Hampton Roads?

The "love" was all around last week in Richmond.

I find it embarrassing when I am watching a game, either as a fan or at a game before or after one that I work, and I see someone I know to be an official yelling about calls. They're the moral equivalent of scabs, and where I come from that's as low as you get.

And if a good official hears those comments, the visiting team would be looking for a replacement visiting team scorer.

Official or Not......
 

I've replaced an overzealous scorekeeper and bookkeeper once each. Hey, it happens.

Coach/Game Coordinator/Building Manager - "I need another one here!" Next!

Fixed it for ya. :D

Ha, ha! :p

Not a fan. I choose not to poke the bear (eagle).

Obviously she was blonde. :)

My Catholic joke is that "for Lent, I am giving up abstinence." :eek:

Our pool handles a lot of games for smaller schools. At one of these schools, the book-keeper is an elderly gentleman who has done it for decades. Sometimes when reporting a foul on "his" team he will shake his head in disagreement- once, last year, he watched me report the foul, then waved both his hands at me in disgust.

How would you guys handle this scenario?

/thanks!

Speak with the AD. Or, if you are part of an association, have your commissioner speak with the AD.

I would mimic his gestures. Whenever he would make one, I would stand in front of him and make it back at him. He'll quit doing it pretty quickly.

A few years ago, I had a scorekeeper removed when he refused to mark a technical foul in the book for a player who had used profanity. He said the player was his grandson and his grandson would never swear. What world is he living in? He put down the pencil, crossed his arms across his chest and shook his head from side to side. He gone.

Talk to your assigner, if applicable. Find out what's expected. Typically, I'd give him one warning to straighten up, then have him replaced if he doesn't. However, it seems as if you might be rocking the boat unnecessarily if you do that here, so some discretion might be in order.

There is a difference between good-natured ribbing and heckling. The latter is the cardinal sin of officiating, IMO. Jokes between friends are obviously encouraged. It's a part of the camaraderie.

Agreed. I like to say "call it both ways" before the opening tip, or "3 seconds" at any point thereafter (especially during a throw-in). But only if the refs on the court know me.

I'll Be Here All Week Folks, Enjoy The Buffet ...
 

A beautiful, young, redhead goes to the doctor and claims that her body hurts when she touches it. The doctor says to her, "Impossible. Show me." The redhead takes her finger and pushed on her knee, screams in pain, touches her elbow, screams again. Then she touches her stomach and screams once again. Last, she touches her ankle, and once again screams in pain. Basically, everywhere she touched, she screamed in pain. After seeing what the redhead had said was true, the doctor says, "You're not a natural redhead, are you?" "No, I'm really a blonde." The doctor, replies, "I figured. Your finger's broken."

It's True, I Saw It On Cable Television ...
 

Steven Colbert is giving up what he loves the most, being a Catholic. He's going to be Jewish for Lent, and with it being Lent, he is going to give up not eating bacon.

All nice and shiny like.

What do you expect from a Canadian?

OK - here's one. Did you hear about the blonde who got fired from her job working quality control at the M&M factory? She kept throwing out all the W's. :D

take it to the joke forum.

I know you guys are into recycling in Oregon....
...but really?

:confused:

Stephen Colbert is from South Carolina.

That is practically in Canada.

Twin Son's of Different Mother's
 

He meant Peter Jennings.

hey, they're both "news guys!"

Just take it.

Wow...the sad thing is that many of my students would agree with you. At least at the beginning of the year - by the end of the year they know better.

I hope you know I was joking. I do know that there are at least a couple of states between South Carolina and Canada, including West Carolina.

The closest state to the border is South Ontario.

Oh absolutely...just caught me by surprise, since just yesterday I had a kid ask me why the provinces of Canada didn't count as part of the 50 states! :eek:

And the kicker is that I was actually impressed that he knew the word "provinces".

Or as it's referred to south of the 49th parallel, "Minnesota."

Interesting that all of Minnesota is north of me.

But South Ontario is actually what used to be called Western New York.

You're right, I wasn't aware of how much of Canada actually was south of Minnesota's southern border.

I was going to say North Dakota, but had to pick a state that actually bordered Ontario.

One of my favorite geography questions was: Other than the US, what country is due north of Detroit, MI? Of course, Canada. Now, what country is due south of Detroit?

No, not Minnesota, but Canada.

Why don't we just give it to them, then?

When I travel to SSM to work football, we take the I-75 through Michigan. I've determined that the 6-of-one, half-dozen-of-the-other is Toronto. East of TO and you're better off to drive up around Georgian Bay.


True story:

About 10-12 (?) years ago, my cousin was going to an event at the Joe, and it would conclude around midnight - therefore driving back around 12:15am. The border guard told my cousin that if he hits a red light while driving back to the border crossing, to slow down some, but then to continue right on through when it was safe. :eek:


I remember this trivia question from years ago:

What is the most southernly state?
What is the most northernly state?
What is the most easternly state?
What is the most westernly state?

Back then, I was told that there are only 2 states to satisfy answering all 4 questions. I never verified it though.

Alaska covers three of the answers.

Works for me, as long as they take that annoying suburb of Ann Arbor too.

Letterman had a good line last night - he was talking about the NFL labor issues, and the fact fans may have to go a whole year without professional football. Kinda like living in Detroit.

Alaska and Hawaii.

That's the one that people trip on!

Minnesota is one of 3 states that has a portion of its state that is only accessible by land by going through Canada. Vermont (peninsula in Lake Champlain) and Washington state (Point Roberts, a peninsula in the Salish Sea) are the others.

Thanks Cliff! :D

I was feeling left out.

More trivia:

How many places on earth can you travel 1 mile south, 1 mile west, then 1 mile north, and then end up at the exact same spot in which you started?

and

How many places on earth can you travel 1 mile north, 1 mile east, then 1 mile south, and then end up at the exact same spot in which you started?

The same single place I can shake Santa's hand.

The same single place where, when you start, you can never go south.

Okay, how about this one.
How many points can you travel 1 mile south, one mile north, one mile east, and end up where you started?

The West Pole? :confused:

Conversely, there's an Canadian island -- Campobello, New Brunswick -- that is only accessible via a bridge in Maine, or a ferry via another New Brunswick island. If you take the bridge, you have to drive another hour through eastern Maine to get to mainland New Brunswick. (Gap knows the road.) I've often wondered if Canada would take the Northwest Angle in a trade for Campobello.

That would be Alburg, Vermont. I have gone through there many times. I've even stopped there a few times. I think they officially added an 'h' to the town name to sound more archaic. Bridges from Swanton, VT; North Hero, VT; and Rouses Point, NY, are the other access points.

I new you would respond to this one. :cool: Saw it on "How the States Were Created". There was also a long segment about Derby Line, VT in that show.

Did it talk about the Haskell Opera House? The stage is in Canada and most of the seats are in the US. Or Ft Blunder near Rouses Point? It was built NORTH of the border by mistake.

I know they talked about the library, don't remember if they brought up the opera house.

Ft. Blunder was on the show. I missed part of that segment and was a little lost as to what they were talking about.

The library is on the first floor. The Opera House is on the upper floors. The border goes through that building and a few others on that street. Revolutionary War era Ft Blunder was on Lake Champlain at the entrance into the US, except that it was built on the wrong side of the border.

Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader ???
 

During college football season I keep hearing scores for East Carolina. What is the capital of East Carolina?

If You Don’t Like The Weather In New England, Just Wait A Few Minutes (Mark Twain) ..
 

Further proof that the New England saying, "You can't get there from here.", is true.

That was a great show!!! My only issue with it was there was so MUCH information, you need to watch it a ton to get all the info

The same place you could put my wife and tell her to go south and she'd be guaranteed to get the directions right. :p

Any point south of the north pole such that 1 mile is an integer multiple (including 1) of the circumference of the circle of latitude. If it is more than one, you'll pass the point before returning to it at the end of the mile.

Incorrect.

Yep. Roosevelt, the one on the dime, supposedly picked up polio while swimming at his summer place there. The bridge was built from Lubec, ME, in 1965. You go back in time when going from Campobello to Lubec. Literally, because NB is in the Atlantic Time Zone. My HS team won the inaugural Eastern Maine Class C Soccer Championship at Lubec HS back in the day.

That'll work, too, but there's another set of points that works as well.