I'm glad you were able to laugh it off. I'm less glad that spectators feel it's okay to make a personal attack on a referee that they can hear. I know some people are very sensitive about balding. (I am not there yet but the gray is coming in fast!!!)
If you heard my wife and son give me grief about it, you’d know why I laughed it off. I’ve also been graying since my late 20s, but I’d still rather have my situation than that of my brothers. I agree the kid shouldn’t have said that. Had he gone any farther, I would have summoned the AD.
I think i’ve told this one before. HSB, district semi final, so round of 64 in the state championships. October evening. Double header where the winners will face off in a couple of days for the district championship. Team that wins game 1 heads to the stands to watch game 2 to see who they will play, scout, etc. Before game 2, i head over to the stands where the game 1 winners are, and tell them my rules: it has to be funny, it has to be original, and it can’t be directed at a single player. If they can’t play by my rules, they can’t stay. Clear? During the game, i hear something from the stands directed at the center back. I give the stands my Collina stare and a finger wag. They get the message. A bit later, at a throw in stoppage (so it’s fairly quiet) I hear “Hey ref, you’re looking good! You’ve lost almost ALL the Christmas weight!” Did I mention it was October? I actually gave them a round of applause for that. Teenage boys. Sheesh.
Turkey has a successful and popular hair transplant industry. In Spain the crowd will sing to Mateu Lahoz: Travel to Turkey Mateu, travel to Turkey Travel to Turkey Mateu, travel to Turkey to the tune of "Guantanamera."
One time as AR I got, "Old man, Jenkins!" I'm 64 y/o man, 6 ft. 200, with gray hair. shrug Not sure what I could do, more situps, I guess. (My name is not Jenkins.) more shrugs, could be worse....
In my girls varsity game today, white team shoots on goal. The ball hits the crossbar, then goes down to hit the goalkeeper in the head, then bounces off the goalpost, and goes out for a throw in. The visiting coach says, “How did the ball not go in?” I reply, “Sometimes soccer doesn’t follow the laws of physics.”
A throw-in? Did you check the keeper for concussion? Seems like it would have been quite a blow to the head to then hit the goalpost and go all the way to the side line. Or maybe it was a corner kick?
Had a college women's game long time ago. Home team is a new program, maybe first year, second at most. Very one sided game. Visiting team coach had told his players at halftime that they could only shoot from outside the penalty area. The 18th goal was scored on a shot that hit the crossbar, came down to hit the goalkeeper in the back and it rebounded into the goal. The goalkeeper is looking very confused because she can't figure out where the ball went. Home team very happy at the end of the game. The first time they had played that team, they lost 24-0, so 18-0 was making progress.
I just had a line tonight that could have backfired very badly and probably can't carry over to soccer, but it helped smooth over an issue. I was doing two JV water polo matches tonight. One of the team's coaches I've seen before and she always has something to say to us between quarters. I had two calls within a few minutes of each other that went against her. One end said her player didn't put ball into play when they had a power play so a turnover, then the opposing team scored when she was clamoring that he didn't put the ball into play but I didn't notice because it was dark outdoors and play was pretty far away from me to start. It had no effect on the score as her team lost by 8-10 goals, but she came to me after the game and made some veiled implication that I was biased against her team because she is a little loud. Instead of getting angry, I asked her if she's heard of Hanlon's razor. She said no. I said "it goes 'never attribute to malice what can easily be explained by stupidity". She said what do I mean? I told her "I'm not being biased against your team. I am entering my second month of even learning of this sport's existence. So if I am missing some calls, it's not from malice, I'm not trying to screw your team. It's because I'm an idiot" She then laughed and said that no no I'm not an idiot and basically apologized if I thought her comment was accusing me of anything, just that she knows I'm new and wanted to help give me some advice. Then we left on good terms. I don't really know if this is something that could be used in our soccer environments. Probably not.
For any soccer referees following along at home: "I totally missed it." is way better than, "I am a total idiot."
When I started reffing boys lacrosse, I had no issue telling coaches that I was new and would do the best I could. And anything I got wrong was likely due to said newness. This might not be cool if there are better refs standing by idle, but as that is not the case, I figured I might get a little less crap since I already admitted I barely knew what I was doing. Usually got the "thanks for being here for the kids" response. And then got yelled at anyway when some kid brained another kid.....
It never fails to amaze me that when A injures B, it's always the referee's fault and never B's fault or that of B's coach.
When A injures B, I'm not trying to look to blame B, in most cases. That said, yesterday's NJCAA game, defender is kicking at a ball that's about bellyhigh, just trying to get it the heck out of there. Attacker jumps from the side, getting herself between the kicker and the ball. And gets kicked in the midsection for her trouble. Attacker's coach is noisily complaining that his player got kicked, how could that not be a foul? From my perspective/angle (which was pretty good), defender did an expected thing, attacker did an unexpected thing. Defender kicked attacker in a manner that wasn't careless, reckless, or with excessive force. Play on.
Tonight U15 NPL boys in stadium so parents are up in stands. Hear a visiting guy call out HEY REF WATCH THE HANDS, HANDS ARE ALL OVER HIM. I know you don't talk to parents but I was right there and called back "This is NPL, go watch rec" and the players laughed
JV girls game. I'm the PA announcer but the referees are in my association. The horn on the scoreboard sounds letting everyone know there is one minute left in halftime. The home team comes out and I say "Heeeeere come the Grangers!" Then it goes off at all zeroes. Both teams are on the field ready to start. The referees are still in the locker room. I group text all three letting them know the teams are on the field waiting. They hustle out and I say "Heeeeere come the referees!" One told me after the game it will probably be the only time he will be cheered all season.
My favorite line to use is in regards to players taking too much space in throw in location. “Don’t be greedy, I won’t be picky”
Blue Bloods Frank Reagan often says "I'm the police commissioner. I know everything." I have a U12 game Saturday at a complex 30 minutes away with a 17 year old first time center and me. Still trying to get a third. The rec assignor down there sends me a spreadsheet showing open games asking if I can fill a slot or two. No problem. I see the name of one of my young USSF referees with a few rec games, his last a 2:00 game. My club game is at 3:00. I email him asking if he can stick around after his 2:00 rec game to work a 3:00 club game. "How did you know I have a 2:00 rec game?" I'm an assignor. I know everything.
I think I stole this from this board. It might have even been from you. I always get a good laugh when I use that line.
On Saturday I had a real crapshow of match. After the game I started going straight for our bags that were behind a goal to get out of there. Corner of my eye I see the home coach (lost 2-1 and two players got 2CT), who I know, staring to approach me. I took out my red, turned around. I loudly said to him “[last name] if you confront me you’re getting a straight red. That’s your warning. shocking performance, I’m the worst ref you’ve ever seen, you’ll take footage and report me. Go ahead. You’re never seeing me on a game of yours again. Now go back to your bench or you get a straight red.” He went back to his bench and I was able to prevent a likely 3-4 game suspension for him
Heh. MBB last night (in the snow, of course). Keeper has taken a few GKs from maybe 4-5" outside of the goal area. Whatever. Then he takes one 3 feet up and left of the corner of the goal area, and the ball is rolling. "Hey, I know you're not precisely in the goal area on those kicks, but could you at least stop the ball first?" No issues from him the rest of the game.
10UB Western States Championship before the game Referee - "You know, as referees, we consider these games some of our most challenging." Parents - "Yes. There is a lot happening with the players" Referee - "Actually, the players are great" Spectator (mom) starts to smile - "Are you saying it's the parents who are a problem?" Referee - "I'm just saying the players are great"
Yesterday in my u19b NPL state cup game a few players tried to complain about the distance I was giving the wall in free kicks saying it wasn’t 10 yards. We were playing on a football field and the wall was directly in front of the free kick. On another, The wall was at a slight angle and they said the free kick is on the 30 wall should be on the 20 instead of the 21where I was setting it. I asked them if they know about right triangles, at an angle the wall won’t be 10 yards away. Then on another kick the wall was at a near 45 degree angle and I set it 8 hash marks away and they complained saying why isn’t it at 9 like the last one. As soon as I mentioned the Pythagorean theorem, hypotenuse, sine cosine tangent they said they won’t complain anymore