"That's a foul!"

[7IronRef]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Playing the game is completely irrelevant to officiating the game.

It is relevant and to dismiss it as having no relevance is narrowminded. Former players are getting opportunities to move up faster in part because of their understanding of the game.

Are there good officials who never played the game? I am sure there are, but former players understand the game better.

[Smitty]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

Former players are getting opportunities to move up faster in part because of their understanding of the game.

I must have been absent the day that poll was taken...

[7IronRef]

Originally Posted by Smitty

I must have been absent the day that poll was taken...

Not sure what your point is, but I have been to plenty of camps where some of the clinicians are former players. They will tell you that an assignor saw them play and the assignor has said when your playing days are over, call me and we will turn you into a referee. I have been in discussions with D1, D2, D3 assignors and they have said that former players understand the game and that those officials can be taught the other things they need to know.

Now that is not saying guys are just jumping right into a 50 game D1 schedule, just that they are getting more opportunties and they advance faster than someone who did not play.

Then it is up to them to work on the rest of their game.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

Not sure what your point is, but I have been to plenty of camps where some of the clinicians are former players. They will tell you that an assignor saw them play and the assignor has said when your playing days are over, call me and we will turn you into a referee. I have been in discussions with D1, D2, D3 assignors and they have said that former players understand the game and that those officials can be taught the other things they need to know.

Now that is not saying guys are just jumping right into a 50 game D1 schedule, just that they are getting more opportunties and they advance faster than someone who did not play.

Then it is up to them to work on the rest of their game.

It has nothing to do with the qualities they have as players. It has to do with having the right contacts.

All of us played at some level. Some former players are outstanding officials and some former players are terrible officials. Just like the people who didn't "play."

[Adam]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

It is relevant and to dismiss it as having no relevance is narrowminded. Former players are getting opportunities to move up faster in part because of their understanding of the game.

Are there good officials who never played the game? I am sure there are, but former players understand the game better.

Can you, for the purposes of this discussion, define "former players?" College? High School? Intramural?

I know of very few officials who never played basketball at any level. The fact is, most people who never played at all just aren't interested enough in the game to officiate it. I know of one such official, but only one. That's not a sample size worthy of determining the validity of your claim here.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

It is relevant and to dismiss it as having no relevance is narrowminded. Former players are getting opportunities to move up faster in part because of their understanding of the game.

Are there good officials who never played the game? I am sure there are, but former players understand the game better.

I bet I could find more former players than not who really don't understand the game as well as the average HS Varsity official.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by 7IronRef

It is relevant and to dismiss it as having no relevance is narrowminded. Former players are getting opportunities to move up faster in part because of their understanding of the game.

Are there good officials who never played the game? I am sure there are, but former players understand the game better.

That's complete nonsense. Former players around here are some of the biggest and worst ball watchers I've ever seen.

(And many of them are getting opportunities because they played for people who are helping them get those opportunities, too.)