Heard this before? "Hey ref....you stink"

It’s time to go to bat for those men and women in stripes.

Being a referee in any sport isn’t an easy job. Coaches are all over you, players beg for calls sometimes and the parent, oh boy, they might be the worst especially if their little Johnny is getting the shaft.

In football at least the fans are usually separated from the field by a track or a fence. Plus it’s probably harder for the referees to hear all of the insults being hurled there way in football.

But in basketball fans are right on top of the action and are sometimes within a few feet of the officials. Plus EVERYONE in the gym is a basketball official. The same is true for football. I especially hate it when I sit up in the stands and someone complains about a pass interference call and tells the person sitting next to him what a terrible call it was because it was an uncatchable pass. Hey buddy, that’s an NFL rule not a high school rule.

You hear them a little louder though at basketball games in an enclosed gyms. Wrestling matches too.

“Hey ref, you need glasses.”
“How much did the other team pay you tonight ref?”
“Ref, are you dating the other coaches’ sister?”

Those without sin can cast the first stone. I have to admit I’m guilty too. I always yell at the officials at the Browns game when they are in our end of the field. And just the other night I was yelling at an official to call stalling when I watched a Buckeye Central wrestling hug another kid’s ankle for 45 seconds without doing anything on the mat.

These guys and gals officiate for the love of the game and a couple of extra bucks in their pocket. Are they perfect? No. But unless you are willing to put on the stripes and take over for them cut them at least a little slack. I’m going to try and live by my own rules, at least as much as I can, and think before I yell.

NOTEWORTHY:
BACK IN ACTION: Hardin Northern’s girls basketball team was healthy enough to get Tuesday night’s game in. Unfortunately Riverdale beat them 84-7...yep that score is correct. Kudos to the Polar Bear girls for playing the game and believe it or not they even beat Ridgemont earlier in the season. Hopefully things will get better for them as the season progresses and they stay healthy.

GOOD IDEAS: Someone suggested looking at some area schools enrollment trends and blogging on what that means for the future of their athletic programs. That’s a terrific idea and I will look into it. I’ll try and find some numbers on the Internet and we’ll delve into it a little deeper.
Other ideas are the advantages private schools have along with the disadvantages…and there are disadvantages. And is Findlay a hockey town or not. Anyone have any other blogging ideas leave them for me in the feedback area.

NEWSWORTHY:
TODAY’S NW DISTRICT WRESTLING NEWS STORIES
Findlay Courier Wednesday Local Sports (Basketball ^ Wrestling roundups, FHS swimming, A story on 100 years of UF basketball)
Bucyrus area prep roundup
Buckeye Central boys cruise past Carey
Upper Sandusky boys take swim meet
Woodmore girls beat Rossford
Galion girls struggle in loss to Bellevue
Final Kenton teen sentenced in deer decoy case
Lima News Wednesday Sports
Mansfield area prep roundup
Mansfield Senior girls stop St. Peter’s
Wednesday’s Tiffin Advertiser Tribune sports roundup