I’m guilty. I did it. I yelled at the TV again.
No, not because my favorite TV show killed off a likable character.
It was because of that lousy call in the Peach Bowl game.
You know, the one where they ran the replay back-and-forth a bunch of times, it clearly showed there was pass interference that wasn’t called, and the refs let it go anyway? How could they not see what everyone in America could clearly see on their 60-inch LED big-screen TV sets?! The announcers and the rules analyst said it was pass interference, and noted three referees (from the ACC in case you were wondering) watched it. That play turned the momentum back to LSU early in the game, and from there the rout was on. Wasn’t it enough that Oklahoma had to play the guys in purple and gold, why add in the guys in black and white too?
But this happens across all sports, not just football. Remember that first-base interference call in Game 6 of this year’s World Series? Or LeBron James taking the basketball for an extended walk against the Utah Jazz earlier this month? Or, since we live in the capital of wrestling, how about pretty much any international freestyle wrestling match?
When I’m at home I’ve been known to yell, boo and otherwise let my feelings be known about the officiating during athletic contests I’m watching. Growing up an Oakland Raiders fan, the team that was/is the scourge of the NFL, does that to you. (Yes, I still remember exactly where 13-year-old me was when I was watching the Immaculate Reception.)
However, when I’m in the stands at an actual game, my behavior changes depending on the size of the crowd and my connection to the participants. For soccer, football, basketball and swimming contests that involve my kids, I will usually only cheer good plays – if I make any sound at all. (Except the one time I shared my feelings about some other fans!) But put me in an arena or stadium with thousands upon thousands of other vocal supporters and no connection to the participants other than our common bond for the school, university or team, and I will certainly let the officiating crew know if I believe they’ve made an incorrect call.
Except, what kind of absolutely contradictory behavior is that? As author Sir Terry Pratchett wrote, “the IQ of a mob is the IQ of its most stupid member divided by the number of mobsters.” Meaning my presence in those crowds wasn’t making them or me any smarter.
But, you say, the refs at pro games and major Division I college football and basketball games get paid well. The president of the National Association of Sports Officials estimated a few years ago that top D-1 basketball refs can make $250,000 a season. Most don’t, but major D-1 officiating is at worst a wonderful second income. Then when you jump to the four major professional leagues – NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL – you’ll generally receive a six-figure starting salary and turnover is almost non-existent.
So why can’t we yell at those refs? They’re getting paid to make calls, shouldn’t they get them right?
This is where I follow that old “Feel, Felt, Found” rule: I know how you feel. I felt the same way. Except when I looked into it, here’s what I found…
Just as the pyramid for athletes gets smaller the higher you climb from high school to college to pros, it gets smaller for referees as well. There are 342 referees and umpires in the four major pro leagues. Yet at the base of the pyramid there are about 300,000 officiating high school sports across the country. About one in a thousand makes it to the big leagues.
And although I display some contradictory behavior when watching high school sports (very limited and mostly positive vocalizing) versus D-1 and professional sports (I’ve come home hoarse on more than one occasion), apparently some of my fellow fans don’t. They yell, especially at refs, regardless of the level of the sport, including high school.
Which is a problem. Because high school refs are in short supply and the supply isn’t growing. And why is it in short supply? A recent survey of over 17,000 high school refs conducted by the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) found that 80 percent of new high school referees quit after only two years of officiating because of parents and fans who “regularly criticize, harass and abuse” them. That means every two years state high school associations have to find five times more refs than they need just to keep their numbers flat. As the saying goes, that’s a tough nut to crack.
In addition, the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) reported just a few months ago that when more than 2,000 high school athletic directors were surveyed, 62 percent said what they liked least about their job was “dealing with aggressive parents and adult fans.”
And here’s where the proverbial rubber hits the road: if we don’t have those 300,000 officials to referee at the high school level then we won’t have any high school games. No games means no kids playing the games. No kids playing the games means eventually the proverbial well for the NFL, MLB, NBA or NHL runs dry, the leagues disappear, and we have no one to yell at. All because we thought we knew better than the refs and felt like we should tell them – loudly and often indignantly.
So what is a fanatical fan to do?
First, the NFHS created a six-minute video titled ‘The Parent Seat’ which, “explains the role of a parent during game day and provides suggestions on how they can cope with the roller coaster of emotions that they will feel.” The video is aimed at high school parents but D-1 and pro fans (me included) could take lessons from their suggestions as well. The video is online here. It’s well worth your six minutes.
Second, two years ago the NFHS started its #BecomeAnOfficial program to recruit and retain high school refs. If you or anyone you know ever thought about being a referee, go to the NFHS website to learn more about how you can be a role model, stay in good physical condition and earn extra income. Especially if you really DO think you know more than the folks in black and white – then put your proverbial money where your mouth is.
And there you have my New Year’s Resolution for 2020 – lay off the refs. I hope you join me!
