Are we ever equally at fault for an ejection?

[Altor]

TH in the video: "The officials are supposed to be the grown ups."

As if, somehow, the players aren't grown ups.

[Eastshire]

Originally Posted by Altor

TH in the video: "The officials are supposed to be the grown ups."

As if, somehow, the players aren't grown ups.

This is one of the things that always bothers me, especially during the replacement ref episode. Why is it that players are assumed to be completely unable to control themselves and yet we are okay with that?

[bkdow]

I have seen incidents where referees' choice of words or when they chose to say things has pour gas on a simmering fire. I watched one referee repeat the same phrase no less than 10 times (in 60 seconds) to the coach while the coach was asking for an explanation. It did nothing more than in-flame the coach and when it was done, both parties thought the other was an idiot.

We are paid to keep our cool. We are placed in pressure situations based on our abilities to retain our composure and choose our words wisely.

[zm1283]

This is not directed at football officials as it applies to all sports. The fact is that a lot of officials, especially at the high school level and below, do not handle situations well. They either take too much crap and get rolled over and make the next guy clean up their mess, or they can't communicate or know when to ignore statements so they look like hotheads and inflame situations that shouldn't be inflamed.

[ajmc]

Exactly when did it become the responsibility of people in authority to simply put up with as much "stuff" as any jerk decides needs to be handed out? Not just officials, applies to teachers, policemen, virtually anyone who is expected to control a situation.

Police can be spit on, called the most vile names, insulted and just about any response needs to deal with some level of an accusation of brutality or over reacting. I don't comment or express an opinion on how well I think a player performs his duties, and I'm really not interested in a player's opinion of something he knows precious little about.

I understand this is an emotional game, which involves serious physical contact, and am usually willing to ignore emotional, reactive remarks and let the first one pass. I might even try a little humor, empathy or explanation to help difuse a situation, but continued discussion, or ongoing comments are not acceptable.

[MD Longhorn]

Amen.

One day, in my imaginary future, all sports officials will lose their cool and blow up at a coach every time he forgets to send a runner in an obvious steal situation, or pinch hit with the wrong player... and then blow up at every batter who strikes out and every pitcher who fails to strike someone out.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by zm1283

This is not directed at football officials as it applies to all sports. The fact is that a lot of officials, especially at the high school level and below, do not handle situations well. They either take too much crap and get rolled over and make the next guy clean up their mess, or they can't communicate or know when to ignore statements so they look like hotheads and inflame situations that shouldn't be inflamed.

That might be true if this was an upstanding player that never has reacted inappropriately. This is a guy that has a history of situations. Of course we as officials can pour gas on the fire, but we also have a lot of players and coaches that think they can say anything to us and we are just to walk away. And in this situation the official was standing there (likely getting a spot) and the player not likely realizing that this official was not the person looking at the situation Hall was upset about (which is a problem when they have no idea who is the person to yell at) and then takes his helmet off.

And it is in the culture of football for there to be more interaction with players which includes sometimes saucy language the higher you go up. Hall is just a knucklehead and he is looking for anyone to blame by his sorry behind.

Peace

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

That might be true if this was an upstanding player that never has reacted inappropriately. This is a guy that has a history of situations. Of course we as officials can pour gas on the fire, but we also have a lot of players and coaches that think they can say anything to us and we are just to walk away. And in this situation the official was standing there (likely getting a spot) and the player not likely realizing that this official was not the person looking at the situation Hall was upset about (which is a problem when they have no idea who is the person to yell at) and then takes his helmet off.

And it is in the culture of football for there to be more interaction with players which includes sometimes saucy language the higher you go up. Hall is just a knucklehead and he is looking for anyone to blame by his sorry behind.

Peace

Agree with 90% of that. For the record, there was a timeout, so taking off his helmet was not an issue.

[HLin NC]

No where in that interview does Hall ever tell what exactly the official did or said to him to make it equally his fault. NFL officials, unlike MLB umpires, are pretty renown for keeping their cool.

If all that happened was he got no foul and no answer to his "WTF ref?" question, c'est la guerre.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

Agree with 90% of that. For the record, there was a timeout, so taking off his helmet was not an issue.

Don't misunderstand what I am saying. He was running his mouth and took his helmet off to make a point while approaching the official. That is what was wrong, not a rule about taking off your helmet. He did not take the helmet off or get it knocked off and then started getting into the official's face.

Peace

[Robert Goodman]

Originally Posted by bkdow

I have seen incidents where referees' choice of words or when they chose to say things has pour gas on a simmering fire.

I've encountered rugby referees who, if there were some super-referee officiating their "game", would have been DQd or at least penalized.

One of them when he penalized you would give you a scolding as if what you'd done wasn't merely a violation (and not a dangerous one) in a game, but some moral failing that would rate an apology to the gods of the game. I've seen players & coaches taking games too seriously, but here was a referee with that failing. Like, OK, just penalize me, don't try to embarrass me!

Another I encountered only once, and maybe he was just having a really, really bad day. I was a touch judge in that game from one team, and this ref was...paranoid. He was handing out the equivalent of USC penalties with little or no provocation, and overhearing statements that weren't about him and taking them to be about him -- and taking them adversely! I went to him after the game to explain one of those situations, thinking maybe I could make him feel better, as he had a drained look, but he would have nothing of it. I just hope he wasn't normally like that, and maybe was fulfilling an obligation by refereeing that game on a day something horrible had happened in his family or something.