In Louisville many officials are local school graduates and often work their Alma Mater's games. Should they take themselves off the list to be considered for these games?

 

I know one personally who scratches himself from his Alma Mater's games so their no possible accusation of impropriety.

Absolutely they shouldn't. Not only does that prevent any possibility of giving the edge to their alma mater, but if the ref makes a controversial (but correct) call, it erases any accusation of bias.

I believe so in order to eliminate any bias whether its intentional or unintentional.

I agree, but for a completely different reason...reverse bias. I've seen local ref that will bend over backwards to not be biased and in doing so is actually biased against the school he played for.

I think the issues that arise come most often when an official is working a game that his former head coach is still coaching. In short they get intimidated by their former coach or they are still in the mode of a player wanting to please the coach.

I agree, but for a completely different reason...reverse bias. I've seen local ref that will bend over backwards to not be biased and in doing so is actually biased against the school he played for.

 

Exactly the point I was going to make.

I agree, but for a completely different reason...reverse bias. I've seen local ref that will bend over backwards to not be biased and in doing so is actually biased against the school he played for.

 

EXACTLY, I used to officiate and I had to check myself to not do that. I did have a JV coach once tell me before a game ( I know where you went to school), my response was, I'll call the game as I see it, I might make a bad call, probably will somewhere during the game, but I won't make a bad call on purpose, to help ANY team.

I agree, but for a completely different reason...reverse bias. I've seen local ref that will bend over backwards to not be biased and in doing so is actually biased against the school he played for.

 

Yep.

Slightly different twist. Should referees recuse themselves from games that their children are playing for , or, are alumni?

If you still live in the town, then I could see you scratching yourself. If you no longer live there, then I bet the majority of the fans, players, and coaches would not even realize it.

 

If I showed up at Batavia's game to ref, probably less then ten people in the building would know who I was.

Slightly different twist. Should referees recuse themselves from games that their children are playing for , or, are alumni?

Certainly. Should be automatic.

Slightly different twist. Should referees recuse themselves from games that their children are playing for?

 

I think this is an actual rule.

Certainly. Should be automatic.

 

I think this is an actual rule.

 

I have seen this relative to the alumni portion of my question, and, not in football. We observed what seems like bias based upon a the experience of an official's child in a rival program.

A referee should never be able to work a game that his alma mater is involved in.

Why is this poll even close (56%-44%)? It seems to be common sense. Anyone care to make a point on the other side?