OT - Wanna Be a Ref?

[MadBird]

Just gotta post this, since there's discussion on here periodically about reffing and what refs face out there. This is a story about HS girls basketball, summer ball, for crissakes, not a playoff or tournament game that "counts". Crazy. What's wrong with people?

'They attacked her. It was chaos.' Girls basketball game ends in fight; refs involved

A video shows a referee being struck in the head during an altercation and a group of people gathering around her after she falls to the ground.

www.indystar.com

 

[isuquinndog]

When I reffed basketball, I did some games like this at Game Time in Bloomington. A fight broke out, in a boys game. It was like my 3rd game out there ever and I said to my partner "what do we do?"

She (yes she) looked at me said, "I'm going home. I don't get paid enough for this s#%!." and she left. I never worked out there again. Parents thinking their kids are in the NBA finals or something.

 

[isuquinndog]

I don't have kids old enough yet to be in summer leagues. Are games being cancelled or are games being worked with one official around BloNo due to no or not enough officials? Baseball, basketball, softball, etc

 

[TIMMY]

I can't speak to BloNo but here in southeastern Wisconsin where life is like a loose garment ref shortages are a way of life. Soccer is the worst. It affects scheduling in most H.S. sports.

I watched a good one this summer. My grandson is 7 and plays machine-pitch baseball. The "Ump" feeds the machine and makes all of the calls. There was a close play on a base. Big deal right? The opposing manager stormed out to argue it. He actually yelled, "We've been getting jobbed all year'. Idiot.

My sideline NEVER argued a call and I know it worked for us. Every ref was my best friend and if I didn't already know them I memorized their first name when I got the card before games. We made sure they had water at halftime and fed them after games. We did it for all sports. I never had a problem scheduling. And who do you think got the close calls? At least it seemed that way. Human nature.

 

[Phantom]

My cousin is a longtime IHSA & travel ball umpire, and a close friend is a longtime IHSA hoops ref. I also know several others who actively ref or ump, or used to until recently. The stories like this are endless. No surprise there are shortages everywhere and it definitely affects scheduling for all parties involved. It pretty much boils down to...parents/fans are the worst. These are kids, many of whom are losing interest in the sport(s) because of these kinds of situations. Nobody wants to deal with that crap, nor should they.

 

[isuquinndog]

I can't speak to BloNo but here in southeastern Wisconsin where life is like a loose garment ref shortages are a way of life. Soccer is the worst. It affects scheduling in most H.S. sports.

I watched a good one this summer. My grandson is 7 and plays machine-pitch baseball. The "Ump" feeds the machine and makes all of the calls. There was a close play on a base. Big deal right? The opposing manager stormed out to argue it. He actually yelled, "We've been getting jobbed all year'. Idiot.

My sideline NEVER argued a call and I know it worked for us. Every ref was my best friend and if I didn't already know them I memorized their first name when I got the card before games. We made sure they had water at halftime and fed them after games. We did it for all sports. I never had a problem scheduling. And who do you think got the close calls? At least it seemed that way. Human nature.

I would like to think that at 7 yr old game, you say one thing like that or make one move out of the dug out because you don't like a call you're done as a coach.

Where do you think these parents learned it? They just didn't decide one day that officials stink.

 

[TIMMY]

I would like to think that at 7 yr old game, you say one thing like that or make one move out of the dug out because you don't like a call you're done as a coach.

Where do you think these parents learned it? They just didn't decide one day that officials stink.

The gentleman who runs the league has done it for 52 years. The guy is a saint. I let him know about it. He puts up with no crap.

People have been on coaches and officials forever. But it has gotten worse over the years. The physical stuff seems to have escalated. I've always felt bad for the kids who grow up around these nimrods.

 

[CaliRdBrd]

Just gotta post this, since there's discussion on here periodically about reffing and what refs face out there. This is a story about HS girls basketball, summer ball, for crissakes, not a playoff or tournament game that "counts". Crazy. What's wrong with people?

'They attacked her. It was chaos.' Girls basketball game ends in fight; refs involved

A video shows a referee being struck in the head during an altercation and a group of people gathering around her after she falls to the ground.

www.indystar.com

So someone would rather video a beatdown like this than step in and stop it, is what’s wrong with the world today.

 

[MadBird]

So someone would rather video a beatdown like this than step in and stop it, is what’s wrong with the world today.

"Funny" you bring that up - saw a news story yesterday about a quick store robbery, and the clerk grabbed the gun from the would-be robber and they scuffled out of the store into the parking lot fighting for control, and there were at least 4 on-lookers standing there watching, some recording. I'm wondering, is anybody gonna do something??

 

[Phantom]

"Funny" you bring that up - saw a news story yesterday about a quick store robbery, and the clerk grabbed the gun from the would-be robber and they scuffled out of the store into the parking lot fighting for control, and there were at least 4 on-lookers standing there watching, some recording. I'm wondering, is anybody gonna do something??

Too many people are too afraid of being reprimanded in this perpetrator-is-the-victim world. You have stores now whose employees are not allowed to intervene during robberies FFS. Props to that clerk for not putting up with it, but the sad reality is crime is cool these days and if you try to do the right thing, you're wrong. It's pathetic and embarrassing.

 

[Hamdonger]

Too many people are too afraid of being reprimanded in this perpetrator-is-the-victim world. You have stores now whose employees are not allowed to intervene during robberies FFS. Props to that clerk for not putting up with it, but the sad reality is crime is cool these days and if you try to do the right thing, you're wrong. It's pathetic and embarrassing.

My local gas station morning coffee spot stop. 3 months ago their most excellent manager was fired on the spot for intervening in a theft situation.

One of these days an official might get beat to death...God forbid and God help us. Athletics used to rule my life...now...I'm amazed at how much interest I've lost in it all. Perhaps it's just a wee bit of wisdom and reality. Yet my heart attachment to ISU keeps me in the game locally.

Timmy...enjoyed your commentary.

 

[isuquinndog]

There is zero chance I'm getting involved in a mob action scenario. I do no good for my family if I'm hurt and can't work or God forbid, not here any more. I have no idea who is carrying what in their pockets, no thanks.

Even when I was an official, it's not worth it in a mob situation like that basketball game was. There is nothing I can do as an individual to help the situation. It sucks, but that's the reality of it. This is why there needs to be a security presence at these events.

 

[isuquinndog]

We had a fight between employees somewhere I worked once (not my current job for those that know where I work) and that was scary enough. And it was 8 of us trying to break up 2 guys.

 

[Bird Friend]

There is zero chance I'm getting involved in a mob action scenario. I do no good for my family if I'm hurt and can't work or God forbid, not here any more. I have no idea who is carrying what in their pockets, no thanks.

Even when I was an official, it's not worth it in a mob situation like that basketball game was. There is nothing I can do as an individual to help the situation. It sucks, but that's the reality of it. This is why there needs to be a security presence at these events.

Which is why teachers are told to stay out of a fight. My niece is a teacher at an underserved school and just happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. A group of girls were ganging up on a couple girls. One of the group grabbed my niece’s hair and started pulling her in. Fortunately a couple girls on the JV bball team my niece was coaching were there and grabbed the girl and told her to get her #$@%#$ hands off their coach. And my niece wasn’t even trying to stop the fight.

 

[Phantom]

Which is why teachers are told to stay out of a fight. My niece is a teacher at an underserved school and just happened to be in the wrong spot at the wrong time. A group of girls were ganging up on a couple girls. One of the group grabbed my niece’s hair and started pulling her in. Fortunately a couple girls on the JV bball team my niece was coaching were there and grabbed the girl and told her to get her #$@%#$ hands off their coach. And my niece wasn’t even trying to stop the fight.

Good for those on the team who saw that and fixed the situation. On a macro scale, unfortunately, there's just no stopping this crap unless some harsh examples are set somewhere, somehow. As bad as parents are in youth sports, kids can be just as bad. So easy to fall into the mob mentality and just start willfully hurting others and destroying property...FOR NO REASON. Forget the fact that respectful 1 on 1 altercations are a thing of the distant past, but now kids are just forming up and rampaging without any consequence whatsoever. It's a disgusting world we live in. Ok rant over. Go Birds.

 

[Buffett1]

Wanna be a teacher??

 

[Bird Friend]

Good for those on the team who saw that and fixed the situation. On a macro scale, unfortunately, there's just no stopping this crap unless some harsh examples are set somewhere, somehow. As bad as parents are in youth sports, kids can be just as bad. So easy to fall into the mob mentality and just start willfully hurting others and destroying property...FOR NO REASON. Forget the fact that respectful 1 on 1 altercations are a thing of the distant past, but now kids are just forming up and rampaging without any consequence whatsoever. It's a disgusting world we live in. Ok rant over. Go Birds.

The one thing I try to keep in mind is that every generation has had the same complaint about the world they lived/live in.

 

[DBird]

Wanna be a teacher??

Did it 35 years!

 

[Buffett1]

Did it 35 years!

Did it 24

 

[dpdoughbird06]

Did it 24

Did it one class, one semester.