Best line by an official
 

Saw this happen at a middle school game, and just had to share it with you.

Running late, the second official comes into the gym. Although I couldn't hear what was going on, it was obvious that this official was called at the last minute to help out.

Visiting coach had a bad attitude from the very beginning. Contempt for our kids, contempt for our small town gym, just a bad attitude. He was taking it out on everybody almost from the start.

Halftime comes around and the second official and visiting coach happen to meet at the water fountain at the same time. Visiting coach makes some remark and official walks away and starts putting on his jacket. Both coaches see this and ask what's going on.

Official calmly zips up his jacket and says, "I was fixing a fence when you called me to help out, and I believe my tools are right where I left them. I can still finish before dark." And starts walking away!

Both coaches literally BEGGED him to stay and finish the game! It was great! He did stay and both coaches were a lot less lippy after that.

My question for you:
What is the best line you have ever heard from an official (or line that you have personally used)?

From an officiating standpoint, I don't like it. I'm sure we've been tempted but if we accept an assignment, we should finish it. If there's behavior that needs to be addressed during the game, do it. The take my ball and go home attitude and getting the coaches to beg is simply unprofessional IMO.

I agree -- and the same is true for 99% of the "best" lines that have been discussed here and elsewhere.

I should probably give you some background:

Out here, everybody including the officials are more volunteers than anything else. Even the janitor comes back "after I have my supper" to make sure everything is okay and the doors are locked, and he's off the clock when he does it. To us, its just part of helping out. To be fair, the visiting coach is probably a volunteer as well.

The reason I liked the exchange is that it reminded everybody that the coaches, scorekeeper, concession stand kids, and everybody else is basically volunteering their time to help the kids. It was a reminder that, "Hey, man. He's here to help out, just like the rest of us, so let's treat him with some respect."

That adds clarity but doesn't change my opinion.

Ironic,
 

the guy was a fence mender?

So how "respectful" and "helping the kids" is it to walk away in the middle of a game you accepted?

We have the tools to (1) sit down & (2) disqualify knuckleheads. I wish I would let a coach/player/table crew/fan anger me so much that I'd leave in the middle of a contest :rolleyes:

...just call me a 1%er...:p

Are you Mark Padgett's straight man? He could go on forever with this one.......

In REC Ball, if the moment and situation are right I may attempt humor. But while I like to have fun, I really try to avoid smart comments and keep it strictly business.

Just call the T and be done with it.

On the other hand, I don't think we can expect volunteer-level officials to be as professional.

If I'm volunteering somewhere, and I get treated like a POS, you can bet I'm going to consider leaving. I'm not a door mat.

Recent studies have shown that people have more respect 99 cents apps than the free apps. The same goes for officiating. Pay the guys just $10 an hour if costs are an issue. Then there will be more respect for officials.

I could give you a list but I don't think there's enough space on the server. :eek:

I agree with this. If I'm volunteering and I get grief from one coach, I'm just going to use the usual tools in my arsenal to deal with it.

But if I'm volunteering my time and I'm getting grief from both coaches, players and fans all at the same time, I have no problem with picking up my jacket and walking out the door.

Say it aint so fiasco :o

I remember my best supervisor (who's since passed) once said when asked by an official who wanted to know how to handle really bad behavior during a scrimmage (which in that locale, we did for free).

He said, "Don't ever call a technical during a scrimmage. Nobody would care. The game doesn't count anyway. You're working for free. Put the ball on the table and go to the house."

Reminds me of another quote that I'd never use, but is good for a chuckle when drinking a beer after a long day of baseball:

I do a lot of volunteer Little League (I did one of their World Series tournaments last year and am working a Little League Regional this summer) baseball in the summer. My favorite line is one I heard at a regional about 5 years ago:

"When I work a college game, I make $100 and I take $100 worth of bull#$%@. When I work I high school game, I make $50 and I take $50 worth of bull#$%@. When I work Little League I get no money and I take no bull#$%@."

Great point Rich. When I read the OP, I thought twice why hadn't the VC been tagged yet?

Since I'm not a stand up comedian, or Dennis Miller, I don't have a best line. The coaches, assigners, and partners I have worked with would rather have good officiating than someone concerned with delivering a clever comment.

What if you can do both?

I'm out......
 

It has been established in a previous thread that I can't even ref and chew gum at the same time! ;)

similar situation
 

I had a similar situation happen a couple of years ago in a intrasquad scrimmage. My partner works at the school as a PE teacher and called me to help him with the scrimmage at his school. During the first half a parent is constantly berating us on every call and at halftime my partner approaches the man, tells him that we are both volunteering time (and I drove an hour from my house) and that we would appreciate if he cools down. Not a word was said for the second half. Tastefully done by my P and the gentleman got the point.

My best line......


",............................................... "

Answer: a name and a description
Question: what is Fiasco?

You misspelled Conan O'Brien.

I'm actually pretty funny in my non-ref life, but the one time I tried humor it went horribly wrong. That's it, no more! I'm pleasant and hopefully approachable, but my humor skills are kept in my bag.

Late to dinner? :rolleyes:

Occupy The Forum ...
 

Hey. No politics on the Forum.

But were you having a bad game and/or should volunteering mean that that fans and players can be okay with substandard officiating.

Just asking the question not condoning the fan's behavior.

Well, it was my first game of the season and since it was before preseason had started I may have been a tad rusty. That being said, it was a girls game and their first of the season as well, so the mixture of the two may have contributed. I would like to think it was more bad basketball and a overzealous dad than my substandard officiating.

That was a funny joke, but you didn't answer the question.

Exactly. You can't quote silence.

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should.

Lol...the 1% reference is a biker term. I have a Harley...but, I CERTAINLY wouldn't be considered a 1%er. In the 50's a politician said 99% of bikers were good people...thus the biker gangs took on the tag of 1% ers. Check out a Hell's Angels leather vest sometime...you will see a 1% patch. On second thought don't get that close.;)

I do agree that you do not have to be funny or glib, but you can say things that will stop behavior or get the point across. This is really something that comes down to your experience and personal delivery. I know I can say things that others cannot and say things to one group of people I cannot say to another.

Peace

Sometimes we have to be an amoeba too and adapt to our environment. True, you cannot get yourself in trouble by saying things often, but you might not get a point across if you say nothing either. This is where experience comes into play to know what to do and what to say and what not to say.

Peace

I would agree if there's an issue that needs to be handled/addressed or a question to be answered; otherwise, probably best not to speak.

Take care of the bidness!

With many years of officiating, and in my other profession, working with clients in their homes, I have a multitude of axioms that guide my actions in various situations. One of the most useful is:

"What I don't say and when I don't say it, can often be more important than anything I might choose to add to the conversation."

Admittedly, there are a few circumstances in which a bit of comic relief has been very useful in tense situations, with players, coaches, and others. However, following my own axiom, above, I will choose to not recount them in this thread.:)

I was laughing to myself over that one.

Quietly, I hope.

Lesson Learned
 

I'm not much of a "smart alecky (sp?) comeback" guy on the court, but Friday night I just couldn't resist, so . . .

Me: Off-ball foul from C, middle fourth quarter away from the bench.
Coach just about to get running clocked: Can't believe it (of course, he wasn't looking off-ball either).
Me, reporting: "White foul, twenty-two, team control, red ball OOB."
Coach: Who's been chippy all night, but nothing to merit any warning or anything; "How can you call that???"
Me: "Coach, did you have a better look at that one?" (Of course, he didn't).
Coach: "No, but I've had a good look at all the other calls you've made tonight, and I'm going straight to my computer after this game and give you the rating you deserve."
Me: "..........................."

And my partners and this guy's AD all thought we did a very good game.
Next time, just a blank look will have to suffice.

ftfy.

Five Languages, But I Don't Know This One . . .
 

You young guys with your "text talk"! What's "ftfy" mean?

"Fifty-Fifty"?
"PHFFFFFFFFT"
("I couldn't call a T just now cuz I lost my whistle")
Freddy's T's For You
Fight Tuberculosis For YorbaLInda
Finished Two (order of) Fries Yesterday
"Had to Be There" in Swahili
:confused:

Notice the Edit?
 

ftfy - Fixed That For You

PS - Depending on YOUR meaning, I am probably NOT a young guy!

You forgot the "NC".:D

Agree - whack!

Brevius Melius
 

NC . . .

No Clue?
Nobody Cares?
NonConsensual?
Nature Calls?
Nu Cklehead?

What?

+1

I bet they all have coffee at the DQ on Saturday morning and he didn't intend to walk out but rather make a concerted statement... sounds like got the right response.

i volunteered at my YMCA once and wanted to walk out but i was the only ref and couldn't let the kids down. then next time they asked i said "NO!"

the unsung hero

I never saw this before either, but since it follows "fixed that for you" I'm guessing it means "no charge."

bingo!

+2

Why do you get two votes? :confused:

Because I knew it would elicit a response from somebody. :cool:

While the coaches response is certainly worthy of a T, am I the only one in thinking that depending on tone this is a line we should avoid using?

Yes, it is something we should avoid saying. IMO, that is not practicing good conflict resolution.