Just curious how much you think should be expected and what is crossing the line? Here are a few of my thoughts on this after some recent instances I have become aware of:

 

- I think it is okay for a fan to boo what you believe is a bad call.

- I think that calling an official by name and accusing them of cheating is over the line.

- I think swearing is over the line

- I think that asking them after a game about a call you don't understand is acceptable

- I think that waiting for them after a game to give them a piece of your mind is over the line

 

And in these instances, ... what should an official do? How much of a thick skin do they have to have. Should they take anything said/done as an occupational hazard and go on, or where is the line when they can respond?

 

What say you BGP?

The same amount that people would be willing to accept from their bosses at them at their work.

- I think it is okay to boo what you believe is a bad call...fairly common

- I think that calling an official by name and accusing them of cheating is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site.

- I think swearing is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site if directed toward them in close proximity.

- I think that asking them after a game about a call you don't understand is acceptable...should not happen, as they don't have to justify to fans. Coaches can ask, after the call.

- I think that waiting for them after a game to give them a piece of your mind is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site and can lead to several problems.

 

Officials hear comments all the time and they often, turn a deaf ear to them. When the comments become personal, intendedly and include disrespectful language, they can't be expected to let it go.

 

We all get upset and I've disagreed with my share but at some point, common logic must prevail.

The same amount that people would be willing to accept from their bosses at them at their work.

 

I agree, to a point, ... but hopefully noone has a boss yelling at them the way many fans scream at the officials in many games. I just don't see the fans in the boss role.

I agree, to a point, ... but hopefully noone has a boss yelling at them the way many fans scream at the officials in many games. I just don't see the fans in the boss role.

 

So it is acceptable for fans to treat referees a certain way that would not be acceptable for them to be treated? And mostly this is as role models at youth events.

- I think it is okay to boo what you believe is a bad call...fairly common

- I think that calling an official by name and accusing them of cheating is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site.

- I think swearing is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site if directed toward them in close proximity.

- I think that asking them after a game about a call you don't understand is acceptable...should not happen, as they don't have to justify to fans. Coaches can ask, after the call.

- I think that waiting for them after a game to give them a piece of your mind is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site and can lead to several problems.

 

Officials hear comments all the time and they often, turn a deaf ear to them. When the comments become personal, intendedly and include disrespectful language, they can't be expected to let it go.

 

We all get upset and I've disagreed with my share but at some point, common logic must prevail.

 

I agree with 99% of your post. Well done! However, I have seen some parents/fans at little league games, very politely ask officials after a game about a call/rule. Often, the parent/fan did not understand the rule and appreciate getting a straight answer. I think in that instance, I have no problem with a fan asking about a call if handled in the correct manner.

So it is acceptable for fans to treat referees a certain way that would not be acceptable for them to be treated? And mostly this is as role models at youth events.

 

 

Now I see where you are going and I agree. It is not acceptable for fans to treat officials in a way they themselves would find inappropriate.

 

You are right about the role model comment 100%. I think an official needs to have a firm grip on behavior of the parents at youth events (as much as possible) so the kids learn what is and is not acceptable.

I agree with 99% of your post. Well done! However, I have seen some parents/fans at little league games, very politely ask officials after a game about a call/rule. Often, the parent/fan did not understand the rule and appreciate getting a straight answer. I think in that instance, I have no problem with a fan asking about a call if handled in the correct manner.

 

In college I reffed at the local elementary league to earn $50 a week in spending money. One game a mom is waiting for me after the game and begins to rip into me about the kids double teaming her son every time he got the ball and I never called it. Yelling and screaming at me.

 

After she was done, I asked her if she knew that double teaming was allowed in the lane? She said she didn't. I asked if her son was the tall kid that played in the lane at all times. He was.

 

She just stormed off. No apology, no nothing. I laughed at her stupidity for acting that way at an elementary game.

Now I see where you are going and I agree. It is not acceptable for fans to treat officials in a way they themselves would find inappropriate.

 

You are right about the role model comment 100%. I think an official needs to have a firm grip on behavior of the parents at youth events (as much as possible) so the kids learn what is and is not acceptable.

 

It is FIRST the parent's responsibility to have firm grip on the parents' behavior.

SECOND, it is the league manager's responsibility to have a firm grip on the parent's behavior.

If the official has to deal with it, than someone else is not doing their job.

 

I have been involved with a traveling team where the parents went to another parent and told them to calm down because they were overboard and they didn't want their child's team to get the reputation that the parents were out of control. They could either change or find another team for their child to play on because their kids did not enjoy playing when the parents were out of control.

It is FIRST the parent's responsibility to have firm grip on the parents' behavior.

SECOND, it is the league manager's responsibility to have a firm grip on the parent's behavior.

If the official has to deal with it, than someone else is not doing their job.

 

Very true. I also liked your story in the previous post. That is often the case that the parents are not fully knowledgeable of all the rules but somehow believe their kids are being cheated.

 

I witnessed a similar incident last night when what I assume was a parent, waited at the game to blast an official for cheating a team all season (btw, the team who was allegedly being cheated won that very game he was complaining about). It became very heated as I guess the official did not like having his integrity questioned.

 

Here is a comment the parent/fan actually said , ... "How come there was this one penalty against them but you didn't blow the whistle until the play was over to see how it turned out, but when you had a penalty a few minutes later against us, you didn't even let us run a play." The response from the official was "Are you serious? You do realize that only certain penalties require the play be stopped don't you? It depends on what the penalty was and when it happened." To that, the parent/fan just had a blank stare for a moment and then responded "Well I am just tired of you cheating these kids."

- I think that calling an official by name and accusing them of cheating is over the line...never acceptable and should result in expulsion, from site.

I disagree with this one. I'm not sure what the issue is of using their name. Also, I've seen games called where all the bad calls go against one team. How can you not think the ref is cheating? Expelling someone for this is just silly.

I disagree with this one. I'm not sure what the issue is of using their name. Also, I've seen games called where all the bad calls go against one team. How can you not think the ref is cheating? Expelling someone for this is just silly.

 

At a little league game, would this be acceptable?

I disagree with this one. I'm not sure what the issue is of using their name. Also, I've seen games called where all the bad calls go against one team. How can you not think the ref is cheating? Expelling someone for this is just silly.

Often times, the "perception" of the calls going against one team, is by a fan of that team. If a team holds all the time and the Officials call it, a "perception" could be one team is getting shafted, while the other is not getting any called against them.

 

I've seen bad Refs, some great ones but any Official cheating, would be in a minority and not long for the job.

 

The reason their name is not used, as it allows others to combine various adjectives into their spewing, plus some will find out where they live/work and that is never a good.

 

You may think expelling for this reason is silly and that is your right, we just disagree.

I know in the 16th, it seems like a lot of fans know a lot of officials names.

I don't like when fans call them by their names but in small areas it is going to happen and also a lot of high school refs do multiple sports.

Also the ones who don't know the rules scream the loudest.

You may think expelling for this reason is silly and that is your right, we just disagree.

At least you didn't bring out the ole ball bat to convince me I'm wrong.

Also the ones who don't know the rules scream the loudest.

Been there, done that. You really feel stupid when someone explains to you exactly why you're an idiot. :creepy: