Fan comment
 

It's nice to hear every once awhile that we do a good job. Heard that from a fan today after my game that I always do an excellent job when he sees me officiate.

After a game, whenever anyone tells me I did a good job I reply, "Yeah, I know." :D

Someome once told me, "If you're gonna listen when they say you're great, you have to listen when they say you suck."

Doesn't that depend greatly upon the motivation of the source?

I Felt Motivated This Morning ...
 

Hey bainsey: You suck.

Not really.

This is a true story that proves your point.

About five years ago, my first game of the season was a boys' Jr. H.S. DH between School A and School B played at School A. After the 7th grade game (which School B lost), a parent from School B really ripped us (my partner and me) a new one, telling us how bad we were. Of course my partner and I had a good laugh in the dressing room.

Three days later, with a different partner, I had School B versus School C at School B. After the 7th grade game (which School B won), the same parent that ripped my partner and me three days earlier said that we were great officials and the officials they had a few days ago really sucked.

MTD, Sr.

There has only been one time where I took a post-game compliment from a coach to heart. Had a game during a holiday showcase game I was working with my 2 main mentors. It was low scoring game that was won on a last second 3-pointer. After the game the losing coach (from a school outside of our jurisdiction) came to locker with our assignor and told us that is was the best game he had ever had officiated. He said he didn't even notice we were on the court. Just felt genuine.

But other than that, I've always just taken the "good job" comments as coaches and fans just being courteous and appreciating the fact that we are out there providing a service. Just like I take the negative comments during the game as stuff that happens in heat of the contest. I don't take any of it to heart.

Agreed.



Years ago when I first started officiating, I would have internally said "I know", but now I just say "thank you" (as a politeness element) and then promptly forget what they said, how they said it, and who they were.



I did have one lady-fan this year walk up to me after the game, while agitated, and said I should be ashamed. And that I need to "referee fair". She had a unique attitude typical of fans from her city. She and her parent-mates were the typical complainers during the game. My response to her was "to have a safe drive home". (It was snowy up here that week.) That drove her to be more agitated. I had to work hard to not laugh.

Okay. Why not?

Call it both ways
 

Just moments after one astute fan effusively complimented my crew, a dour, foul-mouthed fanatic invited me to step outside for a little 'physical education'. Gotta love it;)

Why would anyone care what a someone thinks, good or bad?

I feel the same way for the most part. However, I don't feel that I've ever done what I would call a "good job." I always miss something and strive to ref the perfect game, as impossible as that is. I was at a Christian Mens' breakfast last week and some guy had brought his 17 year old son. The kid looks over at me and says I know you, you're the guy that refs, you're the most honest ref I've ever seen. I said thanks, (first time that's ever been said to me), it struck me later that he was kind of insinuating that the other guys on the court aren't honest, which is absolutely untrue as I know all of them personally. A couple days later I'm working a 10 year old kiddie game and see the same kid with a girl, his sister. The previous game I did with her last week, I cancelled the basket she made from the free throw line because she stepped on the line. (When I called that basket off, she turned to me and said, "but that's the first basket I've ever made!" I just sheepishly raised my arms and headed down the court. Guess that's being honest?? The only comments that I put any stock in is the ones I get from fellow refs: they are really the only ones qualified to judge my performance.

Perfectly called game
 

I appreciate your drive to have the perfect game, but there will never be one until...there is a perfectly PLAYED game. We get what is played in front of us most times. Had a fan say "you guys called a crappy game" Response: "Funny, that's the way we saw it too!" and it was a crappy game to call, for sure

Good Point,
Don't we all love the games that have 2 or 3 kids that can shoot 3 pointers and most of the rebounding shove, foul, contact mumbo jumbo is absent due to outside scoring! Well played games are fun to officiate, crappy played games are like a job!