RefBlog

I've been going nuts

I know there's tons of stuff to do, but I've gone nuts without being able to run around - and what's making it worse is that I can't even run around in general, because we've more wedding planning to do. I've got a lake and park two blocks from here, and I can't do a thing about it. Ack!

So I picked up a single game at the unaffiliated league (I'll start doing a bit more, because college games will be few and far between, and these are a little easier, meaning the games are at a constant time and place, to schedule around). A single game, only 50 minutes long, so I decided to run it like a FIFA referee. OK, so they'd still do better, but there was nothing to save up for, so I gave it my all.

No big problems - a couple people (guys) wanted touch fouls that I just wouldn't give. I call things much different than most of the other referees in the league (although I found out a second is certified, and the coordinator was, long ago), and I think both teams adjusted well (that's a rare and wonderful thing in this league). There was some appreciation at my running about, too - especially when I misjudged where the play was going, and got too close to see a possible foul well enough (I didn't think it was a foul, but I also know I could have been well wrong) - it was one of those rare moments (two in one game!) where the player understood, and when I said if I was stationary at the center circle, I would have seen it better, he emphatically implored me not to!

It was more about the running, but it was nice to have fun.

26 August '05 - 18:21 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

Rather slow for a playoff game

Games are few and far between - even moreso because of the wedding planning. But I did get a line in a division 2 playoff game (I missed the first round of division 3, where I centered one last year - I only started centering division 2 with any regularity this year - so I doubt a center is in the works, certainly not for the later rounds). And it was... slow.

I was surprised. Not that one team was short (that always seems to happen on my teams, I'm not sure), but that the game just didn't have a good pace. I hoped to run my fool butt off, but it just didn't happen. We had a little bit of drizzle, and that probably the only water I had on my jersey by the end of the game, because there surely wasn't any sweat. Just seemed really odd for a playoff game.

23 August '05 - 18:39 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

It's official: no high school

We talked about it, and let's face it: there is less than two months to our wedding, and despite trying to keep it simple, and starting a year ahead of time, we're getting down to time. Since I wasn't terribly happy about the season last year, it seemed like a good time to take a year off. I don't think I'm going to cry any.

I'll do a few college games (most of them are already scheduled out, but it'll help me get through one of the two years I need to get through before I actually get to join the local NISOA chapter), which I hope will be more fun - so I won't be totally idle, and maybe some unaffiliated games (they're much easier to schedule), but I should be without the major headache and stress that I had last year doing high school.

I'm still waiting to hear from someone from the chapter regarding what happens now, and if I don't hear from someone tomorrow, I'll give the assignor a call, just to make sure that I don't slip through the cracks.

18 August '05 - 20:01 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

Why do players do that?

I don't get it - why does a team that's up by nine goals start goading the losing team? I understand why the team that's losing gets chippy and frustrated, but why would a team that's up, games away from the playoffs, do stupid stuff like that?

Finally, a game I was scheduled to center, and it turned into a pretty one-sided affair - 10-1 one-sided. The first goal was scored a mere 45 seconds into the game, then they never scored again.

The game was pretty easy - I felt like I was keeping up with play quite well, and I didn't feel bad about what happened (it was only one card, for the player making faces at the other player - did I mention it was extremely juvenile?). I just don't get it.

15 August '05 - 16:06 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

More thoughts about the game

I got a follow-up email with the assignor - apparently the game wasn't even on her list, so it turned out to be a good thing that we were there, and she seemed a little more conciliatory with regards to my checking ahead of time (again, it's just not possible). Apparently it was just a crazy crazy day, and I can relate to and understand that.

As for the game, I made some mistakes, potentially serious ones, some that can be attributed to essentailly doing the game as a dual (even though we had a club line to make it a legal game - since the club can't actually do anything, we ran it like a dual), some in mistakes that I can't blame on anyone other than me.

I started the game out with a PK - within the first five minutes - a pretty obvious one, and recieved nothing more than a couple grumbles. The player that drew the PK also scored their next three goals (their opposition only scored two - and they added a fifth before the game ended). So even though they got "the best" call of the evening, they also whined the most, too. As I mentioned earlier, it was the kind of whineing that, coupled with their style of play, tends to goal the other team into playing nasty. I was OK with calls - there were some that I didn't see well, and some that the AR made that were controversial (but as far as I know, were perfectly correct - given what we were doing, I'm not going to question him, and I handed out a yellow card for dissent in the second half because of vocal complaints). There was an apparent incident I missed while turning to correct my position to better judge offisde - that I can blame on the dual, but it happened on the far side, and the AR, who did see it (he told me after a couple of stoppages), didn't do anything about it.

What I blew were a couple times were I looked away too early. The worst was after a goal was scored by the losing side, bringing the game within two - I waited until I thought the players were clear (the goal-scorer was fussing with the goalkeeper for the ball, because, sarcasm mode on, it'll take an extra 5-10 seconds if the keeper brings the ball up than if the striker does), then wrote the goal down in my book. Bang go down players, and I didn't see a thing. It may have been absolutely nothing, one of those players did one of the worst simulations of an attack I've ever seen; I wanted to card the guy, but I also felt that doing so would just egg the sitaution forward. I still think that was the right decision at the time (although a serious bending of the Laws), but it set up the problem when I didn't wait long enough with the book.

I need to be more patient in those situations - they can't restart the game without me, and it wouldn't be a bad thing to let stuff sit a few extra seconds, anyway. The good news is that I got out of the game pretty well - only three cards, and I think my overall handing of the game was pretty good - just not as good as I'd like.

13 August '05 - 22:37 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

Brutal game, brutal phone message

I just finished listening (and responding via email, since it's late) to a rather brutal message from an assignor. Apparently they changed the game I was supposed to ref at. The message said that, "We tell you again and again and again" to check the web for changes. Well, guess what, I told them at the beginning of the season, I can't do that. I told them, in writing, that I work out of my car, and don't have internet access. If there's a field change, they'll have to tell me by phone. I know she's pissed, but I let them know that they way they wanted it done wasn't feasible for me - it wasn't then, it isn't now. If she forgot, it's not my problem.

Actually, it is - she can still decide not to assign games to me. But my conscience is clear - I've told all of my assignors this. If it's too much of a problem, they're welcome to say so. Actually, the last two years they made last minute changes by phone - I realize it's a pain, but it's the only way to insure that the message gets across. Oh well.

In any case, they would have left the game I did officiate at with one official, one where he didn't want to center to begin with. One of the teams I knew from before: they play physical and tend to whine a bit. Whiners bug me, not because I have problems with it personally, but because it can easily cause the other team to get annoyed, especially when they're not playing as physical to begin with; they'll up it a notch or three (and they're usually not able to stay in control for it, either), and things can get out-of-hand.

I'm happy to say that things didn't, but they had the potential. I dislike using two officials (in the US club lines are pretty much useless - just there to keep things legal), because you can't cover everything, and nobody's watching your back. And I made a few mistakes, misjudging when it was safe to write things down in the book, and incidents happened. Nothing bad, but stuff potentially cardable (although one of the teams made some god-awful dives, so I can't say if they just waiting for my head to drop just so they could play stuff up).

I was going to write more about the game, the call has put me off. Again, it doesn't bother me, just not the last thing I want to hear before going to bed.

11 August '05 - 22:30 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

I got a lecture today

I got a lecture today, it started with, "Why the hell aren't you doing college games?" Actually, that's wrong. He asked first, I said no, then he said the quote above.

Good question; I was asked that last year, but not with the State Referee Administrator and a soon-to-be National referee both chiming in, plus the guy who's apparently in charge of the NISOA chapter for the state. When you have people like that, you have to give it a second thought.

And this probably is a good time - I've decided that I need to phase down (if not out) high school soccer. Yes, college soccer changes the "rules" as well, but hopefully it's made up for by having an honest-to-goodness referee association behind them. I'll probably become cynical enough later, but what the heck.

Oh, yes, there was a game too - which had something rather interesting, which the center made mention of. "I have never in my life, awarded a penalty kick and not had a single person complain about it." Come to think of it, neither have I - but there we were, not even what would seem to be the prerequisite cry in agony by the goalkeeper or another player. It was a very one-sided game, you can tell when a team is playing against the wind (strong breeze maybe more apt), but still up 3-0 at half. No cards, no problems - not even with a PK. What else can be said? (more)

08 August '05 - 22:29 - - default| Only one comment - § ¶

Suprise! You're the center!

Dog days of August, indeed. It's getting rather old saying hot, 90s, and humid, but there it is. It's raining this morning while I write this, but it's a little late.

Actually, the game was fine, but I was out watching my fiancé play in the morning, and it seemed to throw off my eating schedule - which, when I was suddenly put into the middle ("Hey, did you get the call from our assignor?"), I didn't quite feel up-to-the-task. Mentally, I was fine, physically, it felt like three-quarters.

Relatively speaking, however. The game was fine - no cards - I only had to yell at one player who decided he wanted to continue bitching about a call he didn't like; he decided to up the ante by adding cursing. Fortunately, when threatened with plastic, he quieted down for the remainder of the game. He came to me after the game to complain (feel my eyes roll, people), but considering his attitude, there's not a lot of stock to be put into it.

I'm probably going to do some more of the unaffiliated league this fall, instead of high school. Since they do more weekend, and despite player issues (of which the last one was taken care of to my satisfaction), they still bug me less than High School. I still plan on doing some high school, but I have sixty days to the wedding, and I kind of need some free time.

08 August '05 - 08:22 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

Back to regular games

One game, the way it should be.

I may have another game or two in the tournament, but thankfully it'll only be singles as well. This was a 3rd division men's "rec" game, and oh boy, the field. 120 yard long, and it had to be only 55 yards wide, if that. Not only that, but the lines were off - the center circle was 10 feet, and the penalty areas were too small... and each one at different dimensions. Sheesh.

Game was fine - some nasty collisions, but that's because they went full-strenth into length-wide runs, but when turned wide, there just wasn't room.

What can you do? (more)

06 August '05 - 08:52 - - default| two comments, already - § ¶

Of what I do remember

As I said, I don't remember a whole lot of the second day at the tournament. I was scheduled for two centers, but opted out of one. The center I had was a 3rd division boys game, and as Michael Cotleur would have called them, barbarians. I was fortunate, I had a State Referee that I've worked with a couple of times, and respected his judgement (he had the center in the previous game, a very fast, very physical affair - he did a very nice job trying to keep a game flowing when the teams had completely opposite styles of play), because *POW* - it happened within the first ten minutes.

The most dangerous position in soccer must be the goalkeeper; to be good you have to be so focued on the ball that you'll willing jump right in front of a man charging straight at you, your only protection being his brakes and good will (as opposed to grid ball, where you're expected to take the person out - when I was a kid, I knocked the wind out of some kid playing American football, and was given congratulations by my father after the game). But sometimes the other player just doesn't see the keeper, and a massive collision happens. It's just like American football, but without the pads: pow.

It was a high ball, and the keeper ran off his line and out to the top of the box and jumped high in the air to grab the ball; the other team's striker also went hard and high for the ball, never taking his eyes off it for a single moment, which is why I didn't card him. I did blow the whistle, and I did give him a talking, too (admittedly more for show, I knew darn well, and my AR agreed, that it was 100% unintentional). The scenario went like this:

1. Collision. As I said, it was hard - very.
2. Whistle blows immediately, long-and-hard while I sprint to the penalty area (I was fortunate, despite the heat, and the hateful necessity to pace myself, I was in good position and was only about ten-to-fifteen yards away).
3. "Keeper, are you OK?"
4. He looks at me, no answer.
5. No hesitation, no asking again. "Coach!" is yelled and I emphatically motion for him to come out.
6. "You!" pointing at the striker, "stay right there."
7. Once the coach is on his way, I motion for the striker to move away from the penalty area, we go over to the near sideline away from everyone. This was something I picked in my first year of reffing: move away from the injury, if the coach is mad, don't give him a reason to say something stupid. Even if he says something that necessitates a red card, it'll only make the situation worse - but at least in this case his higher priority (and it better be) should be his injured player.

I've started my "talking to's" to players with, especially if it's a discussion that's supposed to look like he's being spared a card by the grace of God, which this was, by telling the player right up front that I'm not going to card him. I started doing that over the winter, and it seems to work in keeping the player from getting defensive, and actually listening to what I'm saying. It doesn't always work, but the the one time it didn't (actually one of the first times I tried it, a couple of years ago), the player came back and apologized for being out-of-control (I booked him when he continued after the "talk"). In this case, I said I knew it was accidenta, but I would not, and could not allow anything even remotely like it, or they would get carded, and it would probaly be red. The talk worked for the half for both teams (the coach came up and half-time and questioned me about not carding, but those are my reasons, and I'm sticking to them). The really odd stuff came in the second half.

Boys and men usually take their revenge in the next couple of minutes - these guys waited over a half-hour. Apparently they got stirred up over half-time. I can't formally blame the coach (who was, at least from my perspective, pretty well behaved), but apparently couldn't diffuse, or didn't notice (see? I'm giving the coach a break, I'm completely ignoring the possible cheap shot of, "or encouraged"!), the anger during the break. So, to start the second half, I had two yellow cards in two minutes. The first was a tackle from behind that, while not dangerous (red), was certainly reckless, bringing on the caution. The second was a blatant shove after the ball was cleared: full-frontal shove with both hands. I pulled my quick-draw caution for the second, but also got a second to ask him what the problem was.

"He was the guy who took out our keeper."

OK, so he got his ram-style head-butt in, hopefully that would be the end of it - but since they waited this long (I'd expect this from a girls game, this was very very unusual), any thought of pacing myself was out the window, and I accellerated appropriately.

But they had finished - there was a lot of griping by the end of the game (they lost 4-0, the fourth goal being on a blindingly obvious PK), but I think those two cautions were gifts. That kept the winning team (the one that "took out" the keeper) from getting pissed and retialiating, and aside from treatening to issue a second caution to the player who earned the first one (I opened my front pocket, and as he started pleading simple said, "How far does this need to come out?"), but there were no problems after that. Grumbling players are easy to handle, as long as that's all they're doing.

01 August '05 - 23:53 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶

Insanity

Minor correction: it was five games, not six. Not that it mattered, it was humid and the 90s, and there was no way I wanted to do that many games on a comfortable day. But when the assignor can pull your badge, you're stuck (this also led to a very unpleasant time when I came home, as my fiance saw all of 90 minutes of me over the weekend, and most of that time I was of questional lucidity.

So how do I describe the games? I can't. I was able to get out of a center in my fifth game, because after the first three back-to-back games I came close to ceasing to sweat. Fortunately, in my break, I not only resumed sweating, but pee'd clear. There wasn't any juice left to run, but the danger of dehydration had passed.

This is not the way to run a tournament. If there aren't enough referees to do things properly, then the state should cut down the number of games. Maybe if they realize that their crap is causing the loss of so many referees (there are 500 fewer in the state this year), maybe they would start behaving. Maybe those armchair refs screaming bloody murder over their beer guts would would get off their lazy asses and really do a game. But that would make sense, that would be rational. It'll never happen.

So I won't do that tournament again - it's another strike off the number I'll do (it's now down to State Cup, which has not had this problem, probably because there are fewer teams in it; USA Cup; and if I'm lucky enough to be invited again, which would mean the assignor or referee brass NOT reading this essay and not knowing who I am, Regionals). The sad irony is that last year I loved this tournament. But something changed from last year. It's not fair to blame the assignor for the problems, but given the stature of that person, a little advocacy wouldn't hurt, either. But maybe that happened, too. Maybe the assignor warned them of what would happen if they proceeded head-on like that.

In my case, it means that they'll have one fewer ref for what should be the most important games for those kids of the year.

01 August '05 - 21:23 - - default| No comments yet - § ¶