My officiating partner actually talked with one of the officials (lets call him Ralph) that did the game because they worked the Finals in Baseball a few years ago together. His take on the game was it was a black/white, rural/city thing from when the ball went up.

The Harrisburg kid that got a T said F'n N----- to the Setan Academy kid. So that warranted that T. Harrisburg coach, after being told what was said, said " I guess that warrants a T" and that was it. Sorry but if I am the coach I take him out and let him ride the pine until the end of the game. Doesnt matter who you are or what type of game it is. IMO

Now for the Setan Academy kid that got kicked out, Ralph, who was the calling official, told my partner there was a little bit of a push from the Setan Academy kid, but since he put both hands on him he said it left him no choice but to give him the second T and eject him.

If you guys thought that Saturday nights game was rough, you should have seen Harrisburg's game Friday night. That, in my opinion was much worse as far as roughness.

I will say this. If that is remotely true, I would have ejected that kid on the spot.

One more reason that crew was not ready for that kind of game. I hope just for their sake that is not true.

Peace

+1000

Ok, I get that putting both hands left him no choice to call the second T. But what did he do to get the first?

My partner didnt ask him about the first T so I cant say. I would assume for something said to the Harrisburg kid, but not sure.

That is what "Ralph" told my partner.

I believe you. I have no reason not to believe you. Just stating if that is true that says a lot about how they were not prepared for that game. You have to know that in a game with teams where one is all one color and the other team for the most part is all another color that this could be a problem when trash talking goes on during the game. I have been officiating a long time and I have never heard a player say anything like that to a player of another color at all, but I have been aware it was an accusation in a game. Nip that crap in the bud. I do it often in my games and in situations like this.

Yep. I just can't fathom how a player could drop an n-bomb and stay in the game. Yea, I know it's easy to say later not being in the heat of the moment, but there's virtually nothing verbal that could be worse or more predictably lead to repercussions or retaliation. And if true, it just feeds every single stereotype about downstate teams and officials and just gives ammo to those who want to play the race card. They might play it unjustifiably 99 times, but that 1 time where it just might be true gets them off the hook. Sad situation all around.

I tossed a kid from a football game for that this year. Both players were black, and he was clearly trying to pick a fight with "what's up n----". Like Jeff, I've never seen a white kid use it, though. Right or wrong, there would be a faster hook in this case.

Makes me wonder if Ralph wasn't in a bit over his head.

I can tell you I work in areas or conferences where it is not unusual to have teams with completely different racial backgrounds on both teams like you saw in this championship game. I was sitting with two assignors at a banquet last night (I work for both). When I said to them and others, "I do not know too many assignors that would not assign at least one Black official on that game." You know what one of them said, "I certainly would not do that..."

We talk all the time about working places where you live and if you live in a town should you work a game with a local team? People make more assumptions about the racial composition of individuals than they do by where you live. I have worked recently at least one playoff game with a team in the town where I live and no one has said anything to me about my residence. But when I was working my first Sectional game with a Catholic school (not all white BTW) and an all-Black Community, I heard comments from both set of fans, one side assuming I was not from Chicago, the other assuming I was from Chicago and I was working with two Caucasian officials. Funny part for the 3 of us working that Sectional we all were used to that kind of game and dynamic on the game and one of my partners was a Chicago cop. But people assumed a lot based on the crew's racial mix and believe it or not, I got more crap from the Black community and coach than my partners did (which is typical but that is another conversation for another day). And I can tell you I came from rural, small town Illinois and that was a culture shock for me at first when I moved to the Chicago area. So if I had to adjust and learn that these games can be an extra challenge, you telling me officials that likely never sees that kind of game during the year all of a sudden is prepared for all the crap that could be said or done?

I have said this before, there needs to be more diversity (not necessarily racial diversity) in the officials that work those games and this situation highlights that fact. There are officials in many parts of the state that would have done fine and probably would have put out some of those fires or at least ejected the damn kid for making such a statement.

Peace

I tend to agree.

Now I need that second Dos Equis.

Not a problem. Just wanted to pass on info I got from a guy that worked the game. I told my partner that I would have tossed the Harrisburg kid for saying it. 1 T for the F word and the 2nd T for the N word. I agree, nip it in the bud early and take care of it.

It would just be a flagrant technical from me. But I wouldn't hesitate for even a second.

Isn't that just a Cuatro Equis?

I would have been more concerned with the use of a racial slur. That is just about as automatic as it can get. And it would have been done with one Flagrant Technical Foul.

Peace