Officiating

[aoa_stripes]

I'll say this about officiating and then be done with it.
1st of all there`s never going to be a perfectly officiated ball game no matter what level you are watching. Just like every other association in America there`s going to be some officials who do a good job, and then those that don`t do as good a job. If just 5% of the fans who constantly complain about the officiating would put the time and effort forth to try it, then maybe the association would have the numbers to be able to select the best officials. Before criticizing every single official in the Association, stop and think of if everyone who is "called" a horrible official on here was to be weeded out, we would have no more sportsin this area. I know there are some good and some bad, but c'mon guys if everytime you watch a ball game you say it`s the worse you`ve ever seen then you have no credibility.
From experience it is much easier to officiate when you have 2 teams who know how to play the game the way it is supposed to be played, and also have coaches who know the game. Just ask yourself how many teams there are like that around here.
I'm not picking sides on anything, or defending anyone in this matter, I just ask everyone put themselves in the officials shoes before they critisize.

[imported_aoaofficial]

Well said.

[pvfan]

I'm tired of officials getting on here and say if you dont like how we ref then go do it yourself. Not everybody has the time, desire, or the know how to officiate. I would much rather go watch a game than officiate a game, I suck at officiating, I've tried it I realized that. Instead of making myself look like an idiot out in public I don't do it. I agree there are a few who just bring down the entire AOA. There are some obvious problems in the AOA though that I think even officials would agree with, the process of selecting officials for big games is extremely flawed. I think you have a lot of officials in the association who put down other officials and then end up having to work with them and it makes for a bad situation because they don't have faith in their fellow official. I as a fan can live with missed calls it's obvious ignorance of the rules that gets me. Having teams shoot on the wrong end and not recognizing it until 5 minutes later, 7 team fouls and they dont shoot one and one, inability to correct clock problems late in games, and numerous other events. The ones listed are just ones I've seen in the last week. I watched some of the Twin Valley Tournament Last week and the officiating in that game was 5x better than any officiating I've seen this season in SWVA. It wasn't a blowout game either the game I attended was like an eight point game. Overall I think there needs to be some type of review process, as of now I know of none. The commish of the league should evaluate officials and reward them with bigger games, in Febuary I don't want to see the same guys who officated the Coal Classic officating the LPD Tournament. Just my .02.

[CoeburnCane]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Zebra</div><div class="ubbcode-body">From experience it is much easier to officiate when you have 2 teams who know how to play the game the way it is supposed to be played, and also have coaches who know the game. Just ask yourself how many teams there are like that around here. </div></div>

So...now it's the kids/coaches fault? They're not good at a sport so we can't get decent officiating in that sport??? I've heard it all now. You just can't throw the kids under the bus like that to make an excuse for sorry officials not knowing the simplest of the rules (see PVFAN's post).

If our kids around here just ran up and down the court and every time they touched the ball there was a foul or a travel and the coaches didn't know a hand check from a charge, then I could see your point. That's just not the case though.

It may be easier when you have two teams that are good at a particular sport, however, that should not dictate the performance of the refs.

[pvfan]

I've heard that excuse by a couple of refs here recently. It seems to be their new excuse for poor officiating.

[imported_UKCats1]

I very seldom make a comment on this situation but I will here. I know what Zebra is saying and I fully understand what he is saying. When two teams are very talented and are experienced they know how to play the game. With this kind of situation it is easier to call because more often than not you will not see a silly situation or a silly foul because they are well coached and know what to do.

Now you go into a game with two teams that are full of sophomores and have not played a great deal together you will see a great deal more silly things happen that a more experienced team or talented team might not make. Those kinds of games are more subjective in the eyes of the fans because the officials have got to make a decision on what is a felony and what is a misdemeanor. If an official goes into a game an does not use common sense in making calls then every trip up the floor there would be some kind of violation. In football holding can be called every play but the key here is did the player gain an advantage, did the team benefit from the hold. Was the hold at the point of attack or was it on a corner back 50 yards away.

When I teach young officials on what to call and what not to call I tell them that they have to use some common sense when making calls. Every team, every player deserves the best officiated games possible I am not going to dispute this, and I know that Zebra is not blaming the teams he is simply saying that some teams do not make the mistakes that others make. Do you want to go to a game where there are 20 flags per team and 100 yard of penalties on each team or go to a basketball game where each team shoots 60 free throws. What is missing in some officials and some games is common sense. The quality of the teams does make it a little more difficult to officiate.

Another example might be in baseball. A pitcher who is wild and no where near the strike zone pitch after pitch will not get that borderline pitch where a pitcher like Greg Maddux who has perfect control will get those borderline calls.

I really do not know of an official that is out there to cheat a team. I know of officials that are there to get it over with I have heard that one myself but I do not know of anyone that would intentionally cheat a kid.

[centennialdawg]

AHHHH! But you do have the time and desire to get on here and complain about it.

[pvfan]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">AHHHH! But you do have the time and desire to get on here and complain about it. </div></div>

If I was an official that would mean I would be forced to spend time with you, which I deeply try to avoid. On a serious note if you really feel this way please don't ever complain about anything on this forum again, why? Because you obviously don't have the time or desire to try it, coaching, politics, religion, government jobs, wal-mart, etc. yet you get on here and complain about it.

[imported_Rocket Scientist]

The commissioner for the AOA, in my opinion, has a direct conflict of interest. First and foremost, he is the only person assigning games. He works a loaded, hand picked schedule with only a select few officials. He works primarily varsity-varsity schedule, that's the ones that pay the most per night. His schedule does not include any Girls JV-Varsity games for teams with losing records. Since his crew seldom changes, they are all very familiar with each others strengths and weaknesses. No surprises from your partners in stripes on game night. I can't imagine how that must feel. He is vindictive towards fellow officials who question his motives. The AOA by-laws state that I can be reprimanded or even terminated for posting this message. Sounds similar to a fox guarding the hen house story doesn't it.

[centennialdawg]

Wouldn't be forced to spend time with me, as I would refuse to work with you. All AOA officials have the option of not working with someone, just as schools have the option of not letting a person work their games. Believe me, you would be the second person I have turned in not to officiate with, The other, well let's just say that he is a "she" now. All the officials that post and read on here know who I am talking about.

As for you officiating, at least you are one of the few fans that will admit you would suck at it. I don't do it(officiate) for the money, if I did, then I would do all the sports. I officiate for two reasons: 1. I happen to like the sport I officiate in and 2. It gives these two "bum" legs of mine some exercise.

Also, you have tried once before to get me banned from here and it didn't work. As long as I stay within the boundaries of the rules of the forum, then all I have to say to you is to just "suck it up big boy".