What’s up with the Refs?

[BEARDEDGOAT]

The early wistle was the only bad call that could have been a turn over. I'll say it again and maybe you can pass it on "the ground can't cause a turn over". And your DB tackled our receiver on the three. It's strange we've had nothing but good to say about your team, it's on your coaches to have them ready to play the second half.

Kids have to preform they got comfortable

[1Rebelblue]

Your boys hit us in the mouth like no other. We responded. The two teams were hugging and shaking hand during the two plays we took a knee to end the game. Class on both sides, but the radio guys are garbage for some of the things they said that had no bearing on the game.

[cotton84]

Your boys hit us in the mouth like no other. We responded. The two teams were hugging and shaking hand during the two plays we took a knee to end the game. Class on both sides, but the radio guys are garbage for some of the things they said that had no bearing on the game.

Pm me or Swampdonkey your phone number and we can probably get one or both of the radio guys to call you to talk about the garbage.

[1Rebelblue]

I already did

[HS1988]

I already did

Did they call? Just curious.

[sackem]

I have been to a lot of sporting events in my time. all types, not many soccer, but a goat roping

I have never seen as many reverse calls by refs or line judge whatever you call Volleyball officials, as I did a couple weeks ago.

Both teams were having calls overturned some in one favor other for the other team.

 

It took 3 hrs to play 4 sets. would have been there till midnight had not the home coach helped things out.

When the call was not made immediately and looked like they were having problems.

He would help them out by telling them how the call should be made.

 

I have always thought to call VB would be easy but after watching "the job must be harder than it looks".

[Disciple4G]

What makes someone choose to sign up to be an official? Money? Power? Boredom? No, the answer is they are just regular people just like you that love the game of football and care enough about it that they want to get involved. Officials love the game, they love the kids and they love being able to be a part of the action.

 

There is a great shortage of officials, and I would encourage anyone who loves the game to get involved. Now, with that being said I will jump on my soapbox for a minute. I am a football official. I got involved 4 years ago and I love every minute of it.

 

The problem with finding new officials and keeping them long enough to be great officials is pretty simple:

 

1. New officials cannot take the verbal abuse that is directed our way.

 

Whether it is junior high coaches trying to make a name for themselves or fans who are self-proclaimed experts; there are far too many people who "think" they know the rules and are quick to blame and verbally abuse the officials every time they "think" that the official has made a mistake. I was a huge fan of football and thought I knew the rules. To prove how knowledgeable I was of the game, I took my first officials test without the rule book- I scored a 56. Trust me, you would not do much better if any. Truth be told, many of the coaches are not very adept to the rules of the game either, so when you see your coach yelling at us, it doesn't mean they know what they are talking about. It just means they are fighting for their kids and the fans.

 

Bottom line- The officials that you are abusing for "not knowing the rules", regardless of how much/little training they have had, they have had more training than you and do the job multiple times per week, so why would you think you know better than they do? The fact is, your team makes mistakes at crucial times under pressure and penalties get called as we see them. Sometimes you will disagree, but that does not make you right. In any other environment, it would never be acceptable for you to scream abuse at someone doing their job to the best of their ability. Imagine that I showed up to your job and because I have a basic understanding of what you do, I start criticizing your performance, yelling at you and calling you an idiot, sounds stupid doesn't it. I will guarantee you one thing, if you ever stepped on the field as an official, you would respect how difficult the job really is. There is a lot more going on, with our job, each and every play than you begin to know.

As far as those of you who think that officials are "homers" or that they are trying to be malicious to your team- that is absurd. There are many rules concerning conflicts of interest when it comes to calling games for schools that you are connected to and besides that both coaches agree to allow all officials and can scratch anyone that they are not comfortable with. I have honestly never worked with an official that I suspected of cheating the kids. To be honest, most of the time I am not conscience of the score of the game until I go into the locker room. We don't actually "watch" the game. So the "game situation" penalties that so many people complain about; the officials are usually not cognizant of the actual game situation and we call penalties based on what we see, not the situation.

 

2. The shortage of officials has caused each chapter to have to put crews on the field that are not above reproach and it has caused a lack of trust with the fans.

 

I know 20+ year officials that have not cracked the cover of a rule book since they started and are not very good because of it. The chapters have had to water down training because a lot of people will not show up for necessary training, but the chapters have to put them on the field anyway because without the "warm bodies" we would not have enough people to cover the games each week. We need more people, who love the game and are willing to put in the time training, to get involved immediately so that those officials will not get Friday night games. That being said, just because you had "bad" officials last week, does not mean that your officials this week are bad too. Your team deserves better so do something about it, GET INVOLVED! Your home team will still play hard even if you are not their to watch them each week.

 

There are a lot of "football professionals" sitting in the stands every week that have no desire to make things better, it is much easier for them to just sit on the sideline and complain. Many people, that know I am official, complain to me about how bad their officials were but when I try to get them to sign up they tell me how they couldn't handle people yelling at them. I just tell them "I am sure you would do a much better job, so why would people yell at you?" It is a cop out because they are afraid to toe the line and don't want to solve the problem, just complain about it. If you are sick of poor officiating then get involved. I will tell you this, I work with some great officials and I work with some bad officials but one thing is for sure, the more people that we have in our chapter that love the game and strive to honor the game each and every Friday night, the better the officials your team will have on the field each week will be. I understand the frustration with poor officiating, I get frustrated with it too because it makes us all look bad. But keep these two things in mind: you can make a difference by getting involved and when your team is having a bad night and calls are not going your way, it doesn't mean that the officials are idiots or trying to screw your team. When it comes down to it, you are either part of the problem or you can be part of the solution- GET INVOLVED! http://www.taso.org/become-a-sports-official

 

 

[Lambo]

I would referee and I may after all my brothers are out of high school but to me it's not as important as watching my brothers play.

[DOB]

My two cents - for what it's worth.

 

During the 1950's, I always went with my Dad when he called games. I loved the game like he did, but I choose coaching instead. I have been around the game for decades and probably coached in 250 games.

 

During my early years on the sideline, I used to call him weekly and often complained about the officiating. One day he said, “Son, what you need to do is sit down and think about what you expect from officials and write down those expectations. Then a few days later, re-read and re-think that list to see if they are reasonable. If they are, write them down, keep them with you, and use them to judge the officiating you got this week. It may not be as easy as you think.” So I did – and it wasn't all that easy … but in the end, these are the seven I continue judge them on each week.

 

1.) Know the rules … period … no excuses.

 

2.) Hustle – I can't stand a lazy official. Learn to be where you need to be when you need to be there.

 

3.) Be diligent in your preparation and effort – kids work hard during the week to play on Friday nights … they should expect nothing less from you.

 

4.) Call what you actually see, not what you thought you saw – if you're not 100% sure, keep it in your pocket

 

5.) Call the game based on your perception of the action not those standing or sitting behind you – having rabbit ears is a sure sign of incompetence and lack of faith/belief in your own decision-making abilities.

 

6.) Be decisive … late flags may please some and may be related to the correct call, but knee-jerk calls can sometimes give the impression and interpretation that the fans and coaches helped.

 

7.) Control the overall demeanor and safety of the game, but don't dictate its outcome. Be in charge, but don't be so egotistical that the head coach can't approach you reasonably with a question. They best officiated games are often the ones where on your way home you can't remember the officials even being there.

 

 

I'm more of a fan now, but I still have a dog in the hunt – so sometimes I get riled and respond. But in the end, in the quietness of the moment later on, I still use the list to evaluate what I saw.

 

Inherent things in the system I don't like:

 

The less mobile the “white hat” is the further from the action he thinks he needs to be.

I watched a game the other night where the referee was 25-30 yards from the LOS. At his age, I hope he has better eyesight than I have at mine.

 

Younger, more mobile, and more inexperienced officials often start as the Back Judge. They end up primarily as a time-keeper. When in reality, they have one the toughest jobs because pass interference is so complicated that it has become virtually in the eye of the beholder.

 

The more experienced linesman usually works the chain side which is with the visitors … the less experiencd with the home side … while the more experienced has learned to virtually shut his ears during the action, the inexperienced maybe not as much. His demeanor often can give the impression of “home-cooking” especially if the flag comes in late. (Back in the old days, you knew to always run you wall punt return to your own bench … think about it) … and when, some years ago, they moved the linesmen back to the sidelines, it kinda makes it easier to coaches to try to help with calls. The linesman job has gotten tougher – with spread offenses, multiple jet sweeps, and bubble screens – they need to understand that their job is bigger than just blowing a whistle and spotting the ball.

 

In reality, every Umpire will tell you that there is holding present on EVERY play.

Given that scenario, when it is called – why was it called?

Some maintain that the point at which they not only have to determine holding, but also if it actually made a difference in the play results in inconsistencies – to me, using that as a determination at the speed that kids play now, that is a recipe for disaster … and no, I don't have a solution in mind ...

 

Oh … and thanks Dad for ALL your advice .... I miss you every day.

[Coach Rab]

Its all over man, we (Port Arthur Memorial) have had 3 out of the 4 past games to include tonight where the refs were clueless or one-sided. Lack of refs causes this. Im seriously considering signing up next season.

Im not kidding on this... the other team Friday night had an OL 20 yards or more downfield when the QB threw his pass.. the red on our side said I see him down there but I cant call that penalty from over here. What the heck??? He cant call a blatant illegal man downfield because its on the opposite side of the field???

[trueblue82]

Im not kidding on this... the other team Friday night had an OL 20 yards or more downfield when the QB threw his pass.. the red on our side said I see him down there but I cant call that penalty from over here. What the heck??? He cant call a blatant illegal man downfield because its on the opposite side of the field???

The entire game this week, the defense was mimicking our snap count, which led to 6 false starts against us. Coaches asked the side judge, and got its not my call. Called timeout and asked the head hat and back judge about it and got ok well watch for it. Two plays later, it happened again. Theyre throwing flags on us when people in the stands can hear the defense barking our snap count at the line. Can one of you experienced officials explain the rules on this? This crew did not seem to have great communication. Example: we kicked off in the third quarter, and they broke a long return. Flag came in as he crossed the fifty and was tackled at the forty. Im thinking block in the back, which is what the white hat signaled, right before he marked off ten yards against us. I asked the side judge (it happened on the other side) to clarify it, and got thats his call over there. I got nothing to do with it.

[RETIREDFAN1]

Had a back Judge throw a flag 40 yards to the LOS for a holding call.....he was overruled by the umpire standing right over the play.......know your job if you want respect.......

[Ronster23]

I have only seen what I deem to be an extremely bad crew this year in 2A ball...an all white crew who seemed not to have a clue.

 

One of the best was an all black crew at a Grapeland game...those guys worked well together.

 

All crews are going to miss a call here and there.

 

Saw the UIL proposed pay increases for football officials, wished they could bump it up a bit more to get more interested...but schools are strapped for funds as it is, so it's a delicate balancing act to set up decent pay.

[BEARDEDGOAT]

My two cents - for what it's worth.

 

During the 1950's, I always went with my Dad when he called games. I loved the game like he did, but I choose coaching instead. I have been around the game for decades and probably coached in 250 games.

 

During my early years on the sideline, I used to call him weekly and often complained about the officiating. One day he said, Son, what you need to do is sit down and think about what you expect from officials and write down those expectations. Then a few days later, re-read and re-think that list to see if they are reasonable. If they are, write them down, keep them with you, and use them to judge the officiating you got this week. It may not be as easy as you think. So I did and it wasn't all that easy but in the end, these are the seven I continue judge them on each week.

 

1.) Know the rules period no excuses.

 

2.) Hustle I can't stand a lazy official. Learn to be where you need to be when you need to be there.

 

3.) Be diligent in your preparation and effort kids work hard during the week to play on Friday nights they should expect nothing less from you.

 

4.) Call what you actually see, not what you thought you saw if you're not 100% sure, keep it in your pocket

 

5.) Call the game based on your perception of the action not those standing or sitting behind you having rabbit ears is a sure sign of incompetence and lack of faith/belief in your own decision-making abilities.

 

6.) Be decisive late flags may please some and may be related to the correct call, but knee-jerk calls can sometimes give the impression and interpretation that the fans and coaches helped.

 

7.) Control the overall demeanor and safety of the game, but don't dictate its outcome. Be in charge, but don't be so egotistical that the head coach can't approach you reasonably with a question. They best officiated games are often the ones where on your way home you can't remember the officials even being there.

 

 

I'm more of a fan now, but I still have a dog in the hunt so sometimes I get riled and respond. But in the end, in the quietness of the moment later on, I still use the list to evaluate what I saw.

 

Inherent things in the system I don't like:

 

The less mobile the white hat is the further from the action he thinks he needs to be.

I watched a game the other night where the referee was 25-30 yards from the LOS. At his age, I hope he has better eyesight than I have at mine.

 

Younger, more mobile, and more inexperienced officials often start as the Back Judge. They end up primarily as a time-keeper. When in reality, they have one the toughest jobs because pass interference is so complicated that it has become virtually in the eye of the beholder.

 

The more experienced linesman usually works the chain side which is with the visitors the less experiencd with the home side while the more experienced has learned to virtually shut his ears during the action, the inexperienced maybe not as much. His demeanor often can give the impression of home-cooking especially if the flag comes in late. (Back in the old days, you knew to always run you wall punt return to your own bench think about it) and when, some years ago, they moved the linesmen back to the sidelines, it kinda makes it easier to coaches to try to help with calls. The linesman job has gotten tougher with spread offenses, multiple jet sweeps, and bubble screens they need to understand that their job is bigger than just blowing a whistle and spotting the ball.

 

In reality, every Umpire will tell you that there is holding present on EVERY play.

Given that scenario, when it is called why was it called?

Some maintain that the point at which they not only have to determine holding, but also if it actually made a difference in the play results in inconsistencies to me, using that as a determination at the speed that kids play now, that is a recipe for disaster and no, I don't have a solution in mind ...

 

Oh and thanks Dad for ALL your advice .... I miss you every day.

 

 

All I want man is for them to know the rules! I can deal with the rest lol just know the game!

[SAWolfman]

Heard a ref ask the Cushing coach "what else are you going to whine about"?

[MattStepp]

Had a 4A game delayed 2 hours Friday this week because of no officials...they had to cobble together backups from other Fort Worth crews to work the game...the shortage is only getting worse....more and more games won't be able to be played on Fridays because there aren't enough crews to work...

 

If you are too old or out of shape to work or can't because of your job my suggestion would be to encourage someone in college or someone who has the kind of job that can pull it off to get into officiating...bottom line is as more and more officials age and can't keep up and we aren't replacing them the shortage will get worse....

 

There's a guy at my job....early 30s got in 4 years ago...he's REAL good...he's already working Conference USA games and he's making really good money....ladies can ref also...I know a female ref in Dallas and she's working in the American Athletic Conference now along with HS games...

 

We can't have HS Football or HS Sports without officials like them or not

[Bonecrushr]

For me this year it's been the "no calls" that are frustrating. We've had a handful of those result in TD's for the other team. I get they're not going to see everything, but in situations like this where they result in scores & 1st downs, sometimes multiple times in a game, not good.
The general feeling in the circles I run in are 2A ref quality has gone down noticeably. That's just heresay, though.
That said, I do feel bad for the refs that I'm sure are doing the best they can. Bad situation all around.
Thought about giving it a shot myself but gonna wait until my youngest graduates. Don't want to miss his games.

[trueblue82]

I have a question. Does TASO, or the individual chapters, have a program to draw college age people into officiating? I would think it would be a good way to make a little extra money while working your way through college. Heres an idea: before a guy can coach high school sports, require him to put in X number of hours working on an officiating crew. That would help solve the numbers problem, and give young coaches a better understanding of the rules. I also think it would help coaches show a little respect for the officials they work with.

[MattStepp]

I have a question. Does TASO, or the individual chapters, have a program to draw college age people into officiating? I would think it would be a good way to make a little extra money while working your way through college. Heres an idea: before a guy can coach high school sports, require him to put in X number of hours working on an officiating crew. That would help solve the numbers problem, and give young coaches a better understanding of the rules. I also think it would help coaches show a little respect for the officials they work with.

 

Many chapters have recruiting programs at the colleges...retention is the biggest issue....guys do it for a year and dont come back

[Doomer]

I say use prisoners to ref. They already wearin stripes and you don't have the stress of worrying if they are honest or not. They aint. True Storie

[SAWolfman]

I say use prisoners to ref. They already wearin stripes and you don't have the stress of worrying if they are honest or not. They aint. True Storie

Lol👆

[TheShadowKnows]

Unless you have reffed a game you should probably not say much.

[RETIREDFAN1]

Unless you have reffed a game you should probably not say much.

Wrong.....many of us have been stuck on the sidelines watching refs incompetence cost our kids games....we can pontificate on this subject to our hearts content......

[Doomer]

Unless you have reffed a game you should probably not say much.

I aint even ref'd a lil league game. Its possible I could've said more then i should

[514]

What im starting to see more of is a Coach yelling their holding our (whatever) the ref turns his head the two players are separated by then but ref calls holding anyway. If you don't see it you can't call it. Have seen this in every game at every level.