NCAA referee shoe

[LRZ]

If you are required to wear all-black and you need a specific shoe with white markings because fit is an issue, black out the white design. Simple, no?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by LRZ

If you are required to wear all-black and you need a specific shoe with white markings because fit is an issue, black out the white design. Simple, no?

Yep, but the simple fact is, not many require all black any more. They may say it, we've been told to have "all black", but when I ask about my Zigs everyone is ok (they have them anyway).

"All" means different things to different people, apparently.

It never hurts to ask.

Judging other officials based on this, though, is ridiculous unless you're privy to the relationship between that official and his supervisor.

[Multiple Sports]

At the college level, it is about the green. Years ago the CIAA had a contract with Reebok ( I think ) and the story is that an official had on a pair of Nike's with a big white swoosh. Jim Burch came into the lockeroom at half time and had the official darken the swoosh.....

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by Multiple Sports

At the college level, it is about the green. Years ago the CIAA had a contract with Reebok ( I think ) and the story is that an official had on a pair of Nike's with a big white swoosh. Jim Burch came into the lockeroom at half time and had the official darken the swoosh.....

So Reebok gave $ to the schools in the conference, but unless the officials were also being sponsored or signed something stating which shoes they would or wouldn't wear, then they are under no direct obligation. One could make the argument for indirect obligation as the conference is paying the officials. However, any argument based upon "better do what the assignor says or you may well lose games or even be dropped from the conference" amounts to nothing more than coercion.

Several years ago I was at a regional youth soccer event. One of the sponsors for the tournament was either Nike, Adidas, or Reebok,--I can't recall which--and after we arrived at the site there was a referee meeting at which the administrator stated that all of us were to wear only that brand of shoes!

There were no fees for the games. The individual states had paid to transport the officials, cover the hotel, and some food money.

I asked my state rep if the tournament would be providing shoes for those of us who normally wore another brand or funds for us to go purchase the desired shoes. When the answer came back in the negative, I let the rep know that I wouldn't be wearing the desired shoes as that info was not part of the tournament's preparation packet and it was unacceptable to be informed of such on-site. The tournament could remove me from any assignments, if so desired.
About six other refs from my state agreed.

I guess several other people must have been in the same position and the tournament couldn't replace us all because the next morning we were all told to work the games in whatever shoes we had.

Clearly the referees were an afterthought to the event and the sponsorship deal.

[deecee]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Clearly the referees were an afterthought to the event and the sponsorship deal.

Aren't we always an afterthought? I would have done the same thing you did, but sadly there are to many that wouldn't say anything and just go and spend the money because they think that standing up for right would cause waves and hurt their chances of advancing.

This is true with so many things. I really wish people in positions of authority would actually be "fair" rather than so @#$#$ biased.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

My big problem (and now a problem for Junior) is trying to find a high top (or at least a mid-high) because of ankle injuries. The shoe manufacturers are making all of these different types of shoes but ever since Converse stopped making basketball officials shoes no one as stepped into fill the void.

We found an all black Nike hi-top at Dick's this past fall for $50/pair and we each bought two pair and rotate switch them every game and hope they last at least four years that way. I have gone back to wearing a tie-up ankle brace on my right foot after not wearing one for the previous five years; it was the hold ankle injury that was causing my problems in my right knee much more that my arthritis.

MTD, Sr.

[dsqrddgd909]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

My big problem (and now a problem for Junior) is trying to find a high top (or at least a mid-high) because of ankle injuries. The shoe manufacturers are making all of these different types of shoes but ever since Converse stopped making basketball officials shoes no one as stepped into fill the void.

We found an all black Nike hi-top at Dick's this past fall for $50/pair and we each bought two pair and rotate switch them every game and hope they last at least four years that way. I have gone back to wearing a tie-up ankle brace on my right foot after not wearing one for the previous five years; it was the hold ankle injury that was causing my problems in my right knee much more that my arthritis.

MTD, Sr.

Mark, do you ever tape your ankles or have them taped?
When I tape my ankles, I am able to wear low tops and still get plenty of lateral support.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

we each bought two pair and rotate switch them every game...

So you and Junior wear the same size? That's convenient.