A few questions MOJO, #1: To watch film and effectively evaluate their officiating skills, every game must be filmed with multiple cameras. One camera at the top of the stands misses a lot of the fouls and violations. Who will be responsible for providing additional equipment and camera men to view each game?

 

#2 Currently, a shortage of officials exist, not just in basketball but most sports, if an official is deemed as unqualified or lacking in abilities this may lead to some games being officiated with 2 instead of 3 at the varsity level. Would this mean better officiating?

 

#3 This would require officials to commit more time to officiating and more work to assigners to ensure that these officials are watching their videos? Many officials are calling games 6 days a week doing both girls and boys freshman, jv, and varsity games. Many of which are traveling an hour or more to get to game sites. Will their game pay be raised for the increase in extra time they would have to commit?

 

Officials have a tough job and too many times they receive harsh criticism merely on the basis of fans/coaches/players/ guys on bluegrass preps unwillingness to accept their team lost. I have read and heard a lot of criticism of officials on web sites, at games, and in the papers. Not once have I read a post on this web site or any other praising them when they did a good job. I have never read an article praising them in any newspaper. I have never been to a game and heard a fan stand up and cheer for the officials when they make a good call or no call.

 

Bad calls happen and many times good calls are criticized as being bad because they go against someone's favorite team. I'd suggest players and coaches focusing on what they can do to improve the quality of their game or team rather slamming the officials.

 

 

First, your three points are valid and probably not viable to do with costs involved. However, most coaches don't blame officials for a loss. It does happen occassionally, but most coaches understand over the course of a season even out. Sure they want calls to go their way, doesn't everyone? Coaches also understand that you have to adjust to the way the game is being officiated. So, to say coaches need to worry about their team, I think the vast majority do. Players in the course of a game sometimes let their emotions get the best of them, they are 15-18 year old kids, good refs handle them well, talk to them, and try and get them settled down because they do understand. Fans are unrealistic, as well as some BGP posters, and that will never change no matter how much we might want it to. Not all fans and BGP posters blame losses on officials. Saying it was closely officiated or officials let them play, is not blasting them. However, I do agree there are those that blame every/most loss/es on officials or the coach, which is almost as prevalent. Overall, I believe they do their best and really try and be fair. I also understand that officials, like most people involved in youth sports, are basically volunteering their time and that they are officiating, coaching, keeping score, etc. because they want to help kids and love their sport. Trying to get better and improve, however, is not a bad thing, it really is what we should be doing.

Sorry Papa Pigskin, sounds like you were offended by my questions. Maybe you are an official. Obviously you did not read my first post. I indicated there are some very good officials. I have commented to officials after games my team has won and also after games my team lost, if the officiating was reasonable, that they did a "good job". I think you read more in to my questions than was there. I was just trying to understand how one becomes qualified to officiate at the varsity level and how one continues to annually maintain that status. Some of your comments certainly have merit. I will not address them all. But to your #2 comment, YES, if the 3rd official is not skilled in officiating, then YES, it would be much better to use only 2 good quality officials. Someone else might want to address your comments, I really see no need to continue this. My questions have been answered.

Edited January 28, 201313 yr by MOJO52
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