Kangaroo Court

[bcwhitehat]

We are starting a "kangaroo court" for our football crew. The list will consist of offenses that will carry a fine. The money collected, in fines, will be used to pay for dinner or drinks at the end of our season.

I'm looking for some help in creating the list. I'd like suggestions on offenses and the dollar amount you assign to them.

We have the obvious like being late, inadvertant whistle, falling down, forgeting necessary items, etc. looking for some others.

[MD Longhorn]

first foul.

[mbyron]

Forgetting the number of the fouling player.

[FredFan7]

Failing fly check

Forgetting an item of equipment before going out on the field (including referee forgetting coin)

Brain fart flag (inelgible downfield on a running play, etc.)

Trip over the yard stripe

Fishing in someone else's pond

Failing to get flag out of pocket/pants while teams, officials, and fans, wait for you to find it the throw it

[umpirebob71]

Forgetting to pack an article of clothing. I always pack at least two of everything, and if I didn't, our back judge would have worked a game without a belt last season.

[HLin NC]

Forgetting an item so borrowing an item and then not giving it back to whom it was borrowed, i.e. a belt loaned in a playoff game.

Except whistles, they can keep the whistle.

[w_sohl]

$20

[w_sohl]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

first foul.

Encourages ignoring infractions to avoid the fine. Plus we don't make enough to be paying for the first foul.

[JugglingReferee]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

first foul.

Keep away from this one; there shouldn't be a relationship between your personal gain/loss based on a major impact like a flag.

Originally Posted by mbyron

Forgetting the number of the fouling player.

Could be tricky b/c an official could just say "couldn't/didn't get a number". It does happen! (YouTube - ‪NFL Official John Parry @ Pro Football HOF Luncheon Club‬‎)

Originally Posted by FredFan7

Failing fly check

Forgetting an item of equipment before going out on the field (including referee forgetting coin)

Brain fart flag (inelgible downfield on a running play, etc.)

Trip over the yard stripe

Fishing in someone else's pond

Failing to get flag out of pocket/pants while teams, officials, and fans, wait for you to find it the throw it

Originally Posted by umpirebob71

Forgetting to pack an article of clothing. I always pack at least two of everything, and if I didn't, our back judge would have worked a game without a belt last season.

FF7 and U71: These are good, especially forgetting uniform items.

Originally Posted by HLin NC

Forgetting an item so borrowing an item and then not giving it back to whom it was borrowed, i.e. a belt loaned in a playoff game.

Except whistles, they can keep the whistle.

Originally Posted by w_sohl

IW

This is a good one too. For my college games, an IW means you pay for the first pitcher. Luckily, these are very rare.

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

Encourages ignoring infractions to avoid the fine. Plus we don't make enough to be paying for the first foul.

I'm not sure I know anyone that would intentionally ignore an infraction, risking their officiating career and decent paychecks, for a 25 cent fine.

[JugglingReferee]

What would outsiders' (coaches, parents) perception be if they happened upon knowledge of this sort of practice?

Fan, meet ****. "That official didn't throw a flag because he didn't want to be the one to pay for a pitcher of beer." Worm, meet world.

But in the change room and Johnny forget his flag at home. Joe bails him out, for a wobbly-pop. No problem. During the game, Jimmy has an IW. He can't buy the NCAA players, whom he actually affected, because of NCAA rules, and he can't buy HS players a beer because they're too young. So, he has to buy the crew a beer.

[w_sohl]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I'm not sure I know anyone that would intentionally ignore an infraction, risking their officiating career and decent paychecks, for a 25 cent fine.

You would be surprised.

[bkdow]

refs who are checking out the cheerleaders or looking into the crowd?

[BroKen62]

Originally Posted by w_sohl

You would be surprised.

Anbody who would turn their head at a foul to keep from "paying up" should be banned from officiating forever. If they can be "bought" by a simple and harmless "kangaroo court," what will they do when real pressure comes along? "If you call that hold, I'm scratching you from here forever!"

[Rich]

Originally Posted by mbcrowder

I'm not sure I know anyone that would intentionally ignore an infraction, risking their officiating career and decent paychecks, for a 25 cent fine.

According to Donaghy (and I'm not saying I believe him or don't believe him), they used to have this bet in the NBA to see who tipped the clubbies. And Donaghy said some ridiculous fouls were ignored just to win these bets.

What's the perception of the general public if this comes out? As a WH, I avoid stuff like this. In the end, we disbanded our KC / fine structure because it became meaningless. We'd be fining each other for things that had no real value and in the end, we ended up drinking and eating the money gathered anyway.