How to ignore

[BigFarns]

I had a game this Saturday where there was a parent just berating me. I heard him say just before the game as I was checking pylons and such "oh, we got a rookie over here today" As the game progresses he's probably 5 to8 feet behind me at the fence questioning my every call and non-call. He follows me the whole game. His team is winning so I'm just wondering what the hell his problem is. I'm calling a fairly good game if I do say so myself.
Well, near the end of the game about 2 minutes to go. His team up by 20. His son (I'm guessing) runs a little 3 yard run and is tackled right in front of me. The tackler is obviously frustrated by the plight of his team and doesn't immediately let go of the runners foot. The runner pushes him with his free foot...not a kick mind you but I get in right up on them and start yelling "up easy, knock it off. Well, they snap to and stand up and I just warn them both that I'm not going to take any crap here at the end of the game. They both have excuses and I just tell them both to go back to their huddles. I thought I did a good job there...avoided flags...got my point across and things ultimately were fine the last two minutes with the kids.
Well, during all this that jerk is right behind me yell "he's twisting his leg. Maybe I should try and tear your ankle off too if you ain't gonna control this game." etc, etc. I finally after sending the boys off turn my head to him and say "and your boy kicked him so whatcha want me to call?" I know, huge mistake. I just acknowledge this idiot and he goes off. "call something, do something. you ain't call anything all game" blah blah blah.
The white hat spoke to me after the game and sternly warned me not to EVER speak with a fan again. My question is do y'all have anything that you do to help you ignore these people? These fellas are so close at some of these fields that you want to just walk over and slap the crap outta them. Calling me a cheater...talking about tearing my ankle off, etc.

Next day the white hat of that game came and watched me officiate a pee-wee game without my knowledge. After the game got going he get up close behind me at the fence and starts in on me. I dealt with it by whispering down and distance, eligible reciever numbers and other such things to myself so I would be less likely to hear/listen. Near the end of the game he hops the fence and gets right behind me and says good job...see you've learned your lesson. Kinda cool but anyhow, that's how I've decided to ignore people.
Who knew...I'd be talking to myself and it'd be a good thing. Guess it's ok as long as I don't answer myself.
Sorry for the long post...just throwing something out here. So again, what do y'all use to ignore???

[Mike L]

Just remind yourself that fans are idiots, think they "know" the rules from watching Sunday games, and they see everything the way they want to see it rather than the way it is and then get right back to concentrating on your dead ball routine.

[HLin NC]

I know you want to. I know you want to choke the ever-living chit out of 'em but don't.

I usually talk to my box man as he and I are always together, of course. I'll explain the rule and why it applied or didn't as the case may be.

Varsity games I rarely hear any particular person. Its the middle school games where they play at the HS stadium and nobody is there that you here the loud mouth. We've even had to explain to the MS coaches that they need to keep it down because everyone can hear everything they say.

Our local stadium had a MS/JV double-header several weeks ago. The MS game hadn't finished quite yet so I went to the chains to hang out with the crew. Somebody in the visitor stands was on their own coach something fierce. The poor guy wound up hollering at his QB to spike the ball on 4th down. The guy in the stands was yelling out on what an idiot he was. itruly felt sorry for him.

[waltjp]

Football spectators know all the rules. They should. They listen to Joe Theismann every weekend.

They'll tell you all about the horse-collar tackle you missed and how a pass was uncatchable and why you're wrong to signal touchback and place the ball on the 20 when the kicking team recovered the ball in R's end zone.

The best defense you have is to know the rules and apply them correctly. If a coach wants an explanation then give it to him when you get a chance. Be cordial. And do try to remember the nonsense you hear from the spectators. It makes for good conversation with your crew after the game.

[parepat]

On occassion I will put the "cat that ate the canary" smile on my face and look in the direction of the jerk. Kind of like I know your a jerk and so does everyone else. This will have 2 possible effects. The first is that he'll realize that he can't get to you and he'll shut up. The second is that it will drive him even more insane. He'll continue to ratchet up the insults until someone tells him to knock it off. Just be sure to not make direct eye contact and do not respond verbally. Probably not by the book, but, it has worked for me.

[Suudy]

I posted this situation before (I think it was last season). I had a kid break free for about a 50 yard touchdown. I was the BJ, so I was standing on the GL as the runner nears the goal. The pursuing defender did a slide and tried to kick out the feet of the runner. He tripped the runner, but the runner was able to keep his balance enough to cross the GL upright.

I immediately get an earful from a guy standing behind the EZ (this is a small school--8 man football on a cramped field with no real defined fan areas). He starts talking about how tripping is illegal and the safety of the kids are in danger when I am officiating. He threatened "legal action" if that trip had caused an injury.

It took a tremendous amount of self-restraint to ignore this guy. It's one thing to chew on me about not calling a PI, holding, etc. But to say that I'm threatening the safety of the kids playing is something else. Then to top it off with a threat of legal action....

I was irate at the guy, but somehow I kept my tongue. That was probably the single toughest moment to keep quiet in my career.