Horror Stories

[ProfZodiac]

Every ref has a few. Be it youth soccer, amateur or high school soccer, or whatever level you ref, there's always those few games where everything went awry and you ended up doing things you never thought you'd need. I figured that this would be a place that we could recount some good ol' horror stories, and see what the other refs may have done in that situation. Who wants to go first?

Prof

[nsa]

Horror stories???

Of course not. Every game has been perfect and the players have always behaved like gentlemen and ladies.

And they say that they'll let me out of this nice institution in a couple of years. ;)









Do you want nets blowing over? Blowing backwards? Players blowing up? Referees tossing ARs? ARs using corner flags to get the attention of the CR? (hearsay only :) ) Just like the New England weather, wait a minute and we'll come up with another story.

[ProfZodiac]

Originally posted by nsa
Do you want nets blowing over? Blowing backwards? Players blowing up? Referees tossing ARs? ARs using corner flags to get the attention of the CR? (hearsay only :) ) Just like the New England weather, wait a minute and we'll come up with another story.

I was talking games that you nearly lost control of, or had to throw many cards in. Perhaps I'm the only one who's ever abandoned a game, albeit an intramural youth game. How about keeping coach cards? That seems to be a big deal, wht with all the BAYS and USSF paperwork. Unruly parents? Unruly coaches? You ever kicked people off the field? I know a ref from Framingham who once kicked an unruly spectator out of the town. Stuff like that. The war stories that leave scars that we show off to our ref buds. The I've-never-seen-anything-like-this stories. The totally random situations they talk about at recert courses. Those stories.

Prof

[ProfZodiac]

Bueller? Or should I go first?

Prof

[whipple]

Why are you so hot on horror stories?

If you check your Administrative Handbook, Part III, Subpart C., Article 10, you will see that what we can discuss, as it may relate to a specific match, is quite limited. This is not to say that we cannot ask questions about situations, and share experineces as a means of illustrating applicaitons of the Laws, but recounting game details in the manner of "can you top this?", could bring us close to crossing a line.

Sure, we have all had difficult situations, but I am not sure that is the best fourm for them. Funny situations are better.

Sherman

[ProfZodiac]

Did you just make that up?

Why in the world couldn't we tell stories around the ol' BS campfire? The games are practically public record! And besides, how many people will complain about us telling each other stories about game situations?

Prof

[Greyhnd00]

I agree..........The best way to learn the game is from personal experience screwing up........the second best way is to learn from others screwups. Lets try not to be supersensitive/politically correct at the expence of learning and keeping this board interesting.

[whipple]

Originally posted by ProfZodiac
Did you just make that up?

Why in the world couldn't we tell stories around the ol' BS campfire? The games are practically public record! And besides, how many people will complain about us telling each other stories about game situations?


The facts or details of a match are what you put in your game report and submit to the association and competition authorities. That is where it ends. The results of the game are public record, but our thoughts, opinions, perspective, feelings, etc. are not. Were it otherwise, then this would open these aspects up to question, after the fact.

This is why it is prohibited in our code of ethics. You may want to refamiliarize yourself with the Administrative Handbook, which I cited, since this is addressed specifically.

When discussing a game situation, particularly in a public forum, one must be very careful about not crossing the ethical bound of providing match details. It can be a slippery slope, so we must be very general and circumspect on these areas.

I think if you read through the old posts, you will see that virutally every referee who posts here takes great care in not crossing the line, at least for the games they officiated. Sometimes we may go too far in discussing highly public games, such as WC and MLS officiating in matches, since our code of ethics also prohibits us from criticizing fellow officials.

The point is that there is nothing wrong with discussing matters of the Laws, practical applications, techniques, skills, and even the quick retort, and of course, our favorite whistle, and even diputing our colleagues positions, but we must at all times remember who we are, what we do, and our role in preserving the reputation of the sport.

Sherman

[Alberto]

On the matter of professional referees, I believe the code of ethics is an injustice to the game. Discussion of relevant issues in matches helps to diffuse and foster a greater understanding of the action of officials. Keeping silent appears that we are hiding something and are unwilling to discuss issues affecting the game.

When we decide to take appointment to referee professional matches we open ourselves to public discussion.

With regard to non-professional matches I agree there should be no discussion of any specific match. However, there are incidents that occur that if we do not note the time and place or make mention of any other detail that would divulge the referee's identity, I see no harm particularly if the discussion is kept professional and there is something to be learned.

[IASocFan]

My thoughts are similar to Alberto's. ProfZ had pm'ed me on this topic. And ,as long as there's something educational and not exposing people's identities, I see no harm.

We all have incidents in our reffing, coaching, and playing past that we'd prefer never happened. I remember 2 referees (many years ago) that tried to give penalty kicks for fouls at midfield. I was able to correct one of them (as coach of the fouled team). The ref (different one) was much less understanding when it was my team that committed the foul. (Reffing in Iowa has improved a lot in the last 25 years. :))

I use these examples (as a coach and player) to remember it could always be worse, and that it's just a game.

My biggest nightmares came earlier in my career when I ignored serious fouls near the end of the game (time was almost over, and I could escape.) I've learned to take control early, and never be afraid to make a call (at least that's where I think I am :)).

[Claymore]

I heard that MA referees wear all black long sleeves in the summer months and try to make other refs do the same at tournaments ;)

[whipple]

Originally posted by Claymore
I heard that MA referees wear all black long sleeves in the summer months and try to make other refs do the same at tournaments ;)

Only for finals, and, yes, if the CR wear's long black, the rest of the crew should match. It is the CR's call, and if the CR is from Massachusetts, then you know the rest...

;)

[ProfZodiac]

Considering I don't even know the dude's name...

In the FUSC intramural league, noone can sit between the teams on that side of the field. (Not sure if this rule applies in every league) So there's a group of people where they're not supposed to be, including people we'll call A and B. I didn't catch it, so at a stoppage of play, I politely inform them that they have to move. #1. A tells me, no problem, ref, we'll move. Note that neither A nor B is American-born, as both have massive accents. So, come halftime, A and B remain, but everybody else has moved. I inform A and B to move. #2. Again, A tells me, no problem, ref. So, 5 minutes into the second half, no movement. I tell the coaches to move them. #3. A doesn't say anything, but the two move to the corner of the field, still on the wrong side, still illegal. A slowly drifts around the back, allowing me to continue. B does not. He plants his garden chair down, and gets comfortable. I signal for him to move at a stoppage, and he says back that he already did. #4. I stop the game 5 minutes later, and give the coach an ultimatum. The guy is off the field in 5 minutes, or the game is abandoned. The guy disagrees whole-heartedly, but moves to the other side of the field, where he plants down again. I allow play to continue for 5 more minutes, then stop play like I said I would. The game goes down as a forfeit for B's team. Every person on the field, except for B, agrees with me. The kids had been trying to get the guy to move, but he wouldn't. B approaches me as I conference witht he coaches. What's my name, he asks. I tell him, no, you can't have my name, thank you very much. It's an intramural game, so it's not very important, but was I right here?

Prof

[IASocFan]

If it's a "friendly" intramural and you're having no game management issues, I wouldn't have worried too much about it. If the sides are a little confrontational, and A and B are adding to atmosphere, I would definitely move them. You worry about the small stuff, if you think it can become big stuff. If you're unsure, it safer to err on the conservative side.

You're right, I didn't answer your question; but, like many things, we need advice to make our own decisions. Good luck, and keep on reffing.

[kevbrunton]

There have only been two instances where I've made someone who was on the wrong side or end of the field move.

One was when the guy was on the teams' side of the field and was being a nuisance -- so I sent him over to the other side.

The other was a state cup match where they ask us to be pretty strict about such things and I asked a parent who was behind the goal area to move to the side of the field.

[JBG - Bribe Taker]

This is more funny than horror and I didn't want to start a new thread.

I was a tournament official at a youth tournament. And of course all the disgruntled coaches and parents feel it's their duty to report all matter of ref errors to us.

After a championship match, had a herd of folks approach my table and say they wanted to lodge an official complaint with the tournament (I guess as opposed to an unofficial complaint). I say you're at the right place, what's the problem? This is exactly what their spokesman said:

"The referee we just had was too short".

I blinked and tried to figure out if they were serious or not. As I discovered, they were very serious. I learned something that day, apparently, being too short prevents a ref from seeing fouls properly. I tried to explain that there's no height requirement for refs. But I should have realized, this group wasn't interested in facts. I won't go into all the fun conversation I and others had with the dissidents, but I've never heard that one, figured you would get a chuckle out of it.

Oh, did I mention they lost the final, to a sister team in their club that they routinely beat in the regular season? Not that that had anything to do with their emotional state.......

[GKbenji]

You should have carefully explained to them that being short is an advantage for referees, as a short ref's eye level is closer to the play.... :D

[pkCrouse]

Originally posted by GKbenji
You should have carefully explained to them that being short is an advantage for referees, as a short ref's eye level is closer to the play.... :D Exactly - anything over 5', 8" is a waste of space! ;)