The Active DBA

  • Lynn Pettis (8/11/2008)


    That is sad. Did you guys keep refing after that? My older two are/were refs, and both have quit because of nasty coaches/parents. The money was nice, but they didn't need the aggravation.

    I ended up quitting because I wanted to do other things, not really because of the nasty coaches/parents, although that was definitely the worst part of the experience. Helped you build a sense of confidence in assuming responsibility for your opinions though. Make the call based on what you see, and stick with it unless others (refs, not parents/coaches) overrule you, then move on. If you make a bad call, suck it up and do better the next time.

    starting to sound like one of Steve's articles on related jobs that overlap with IT . . .

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    How best to post your question[/url]
    How to post performance problems[/url]
    Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

    "stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

  • Lynn Pettis (8/11/2008)


    Most games I do are DSC, not dual whistle (or like we do at the High School varsity level (JV does dual whistle) here in Colorado, Double Dual (3 whistle, no AR's with flags).

    We either have to keep up with play, or rely on younger and faster AR's on the touchlines. You'r right, with the dual whistle, it is easier, but you still need to keep up with play as they attack the goal on your side of the field. If seen complacent Ref's that would let play pass them up and then try to make calls while out of position.

    😎

    Not disagreeing, just saying that, in theory, experience should lead to be able to anticipate where a play is going and get into the right position with a minimum of effort.

    Another note, I never claimed to be a good official:P I did always get asked back and was continually trying to improve, just like my SQL skills.

  • Jack Corbett (8/11/2008)


    Lynn Pettis (8/11/2008)


    That is sad. Did you guys keep refing after that? My older two are/were refs, and both have quit because of nasty coaches/parents. The money was nice, but they didn't need the aggravation. Me, I've thrown coaches and parents out, no problems, even been thamked by some parents from the offending team after the game.

    😎

    The kids are only a problem when the adults are. I've umpired since I was 13 and officiated soccer, basketball, and flag football over the years and in that time about 25 years, I've never had to resort to tossing anyone, at least not that I can remember. I've handed out a few T's and some yellow cards, but in general I've had good experiences. Of course I have also coached and been a fan that has tended to be loud and opinionated about calls so I tend to take a lot of grief as an official because of that. I have to add that I have never done that at below the HS level.

    My worst one was reffing a 3rd and 4th grade basketball tournament as volunteer. I had one fan start to get obnoxious and I told them that if they really didn't like the job I was doing they could have my whistle as I wasn't there to take the abuse for nothing. The bad part was that they complained to the tournament organizer and she came and chastised me. Needless to say I let her know that, as a volunteer and an official, I should be the one getting her support, and if I was not going to get it, I would no longer be a volunteer.

    I used to yell at the soccer officials when I was a coach. Once I put on the uniform, however, and hit the pitch myself as a ref, that stopped regardless of the sport. I've learned that we do the best job we possibly can, and we aren't perfect and make mistakes. My older two also don't give refs a hard time either having been on that side of the field. It is eye opening, and I personally believe ALL soccer coaches should also be certified officials and get out on the field to officiate as well.

    On the soccer field there is only a limited amount of options available as youcan't card a coach or spectator. If they won't leave when instructed, give them 2 minutes to move at least 100 yds from the field, you can abandon the game.

    Couple of weeks ago I red carded a keeper after the game was over for violent conduct. Three of his teammates got between him and me and pushed him off the pitch. Coach came over and said he was done (the keeper).

    Most of the time, the coaches and parents learn real quick (before someone gets tossed) that when I say enough, I mean it. Only one coach thought he'd get the last word in during a U10 girls tournament final. Learned the hard way that wasn't a good thing. Only coach I tossed for something other than foul/abusive language (I won't tolerate that at all).

    😎

  • Jack Corbett (8/11/2008)


    [

    ... The kids are only a problem when the adults are.

    Not always true. Had a player get fouled, blew the whistle and called the foul for his team. He came up from the ground shoving the player that fouled him. Before I could get over there (only about 10 yards) he laid into the player again earning his red card. A player from the other team earned a red card shortly there after when he mouthed off to the player I had just red carded (his was for foul/abousive language).

    Those were the first red cards I had ever issued in over 5 years of officiating soccer.

    😎

  • jcrawf02 (8/11/2008)


    starting to sound like one of Steve's articles on related jobs that overlap with IT . . .

    Does help build the soft skills you need in the business world, doesn't it?

    I'd noticed that also.

    😎

  • Jack Corbett (8/11/2008)


    Lynn Pettis (8/11/2008)


    Most games I do are DSC, not dual whistle (or like we do at the High School varsity level (JV does dual whistle) here in Colorado, Double Dual (3 whistle, no AR's with flags).

    We either have to keep up with play, or rely on younger and faster AR's on the touchlines. You'r right, with the dual whistle, it is easier, but you still need to keep up with play as they attack the goal on your side of the field. If seen complacent Ref's that would let play pass them up and then try to make calls while out of position.

    😎

    Not disagreeing, just saying that, in theory, experience should lead to be able to anticipate where a play is going and get into the right position with a minimum of effort.

    Another note, I never claimed to be a good official:P I did always get asked back and was continually trying to improve, just like my SQL skills.

    I've been caught anticipating play going one direction, only to find myself sprinting 80 yds down field because a defender managed to get a foot on the ball and send sailing....:w00t:

    😎

  • Lynn Pettis (8/11/2008)


    Jack Corbett (8/11/2008)


    [

    ... The kids are only a problem when the adults are.

    Not always true. Had a player get fouled, blew the whistle and called the foul for his team. He came up from the ground shoving the player that fouled him. Before I could get over there (only about 10 yards) he laid into the player again earning his red card. A player from the other team earned a red card shortly there after when he mouthed off to the player I had just red carded (his was for foul/abousive language).

    Those were the first red cards I had ever issued in over 5 years of officiating soccer.

    😎

    Yeah, there are always some hotheads, but in my experience those hotheads either have a coach or parent who condones/encourages that behavior or have no parental guidance at all.

    I don't listen to foul language either. I remember a few years ago that was a point of emphasis for high school basketball.

    I've been caught anticipating play going one direction, only to find myself sprinting 80 yds down field because a defender managed to get a foot on the ball and send sailing.... [w00t]

    Yeah, been there too. The worst for me is anticipating a foul in basketball, like on a breakaway, blowing the whistle while thinking, "Man, that defender just made a GREAT play", or in baseball calling a guy out and then seeing the ball on the ground. I learned patience umpiring as you have to wait to make the call.

  • Jack Corbett (8/11/2008)


    I remember a few years ago that was a point of emphasis for high school basketball.

    Still is a point of emphasis for all high school sports here, including soccer.

    😎

  • Jimbo (8/11/2008)


    GSquared:

    I can sympathize. We do what we can with what we have. When I walk the dog, I often still get an annoying shin splint feeling in my left leg. WTF? I'm just walking. Then again, I am walking a large dog on a short leash. Time is unforgiving, and your ancestors surely did something to tweak the odds against you. Best of luck!

    My ancestors were European aristocrats and nobility. They married their own cousins for millennia (since the Romans) in order to maintain land rights and such. I don't have "blue blood", but I certainly have more than a fair share of genetic issues with metabolism, etc.

    European nobility were worse than hillbillies. With appogies to any of either in present company.

    - Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
    Property of The Thread

    "Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon

  • Steve Jones - Editor (8/11/2008)


    GSqaured,

    Sorry to hear that and hope you have some great memories. I know as I get older, things hurt, it becomes harder and harder to stress the body. I've learned to slow down a bit, be a little more careful, and try not to damage the limbs any more than they are.

    Oh, trust me, I have more than great memories. I just have to limit my current activities to those that don't cause actual agony. I've never yet heard of anyone dying of good health, but, somehow, everyone does die!

    It's like a t-shirt I wore out many years ago: "Eat Right, Exercise Daily, Get Regular Checkups, Die Anyway"

    Life shouldn't be about having a good, healthy-looking, corpse at the end of something less than a boring century. It should about screaming, "WHAT A RIDE!!!" as you finally go down in a blaze of glory!

    - Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
    Property of The Thread

    "Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon

  • GSquared (8/11/2008)


    Jimbo (8/11/2008)


    GSquared:

    European nobility were worse than hillbillies.

    Take it easy on my relatives there! Just because a few branches of the family tree curl back on themselves...

    Soccer officiating sounds worse that judging at karate tournaments. I hate sports karate, but my teacher is involved in it because it does bring in students to the school. So, he puts on a tournament every year and all the black belts in the school are asked to participate. You get a lot of parents royally peeved that little Timmy got a 3.67 instead of the 3.8 they thought he deserved. Most of the time (with one glaring exception from Ocean State Grand Nationals) the fact that all the officials are also martial artists tends to keep the parents in line, but it doesn't stop the muttering behind your back.

    Worse than that though, the stupid sports teams, Team Paul Mitchell (blech), actually expect to win. When you don't score them as well as someone from Jimmy-Joe-Bob's Action Karate, they get whipped up. I just like to point out that we're doing a martial art. Just because you can do a triple-back-flip-gainer-twist-split doesn't mean you showed any actual blocks and strikes in your form.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • Heck, I used to enjoy karate tournaments.

    Easy to tell who wins when only one is still standing 😉

  • Just because you can do a triple-back-flip-gainer-twist-split doesn't mean you showed any actual blocks and strikes in your form.

    True. After all, what's politics got to do with karate?

    - Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
    Property of The Thread

    "Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon

  • Steve Jones - Editor (8/12/2008)


    Heck, I used to enjoy karate tournaments.

    Easy to tell who wins when only one is still standing 😉

    That's the old days. Now, most karate tournies, it's a game of tag and you have judges guessing who touched whom first.

    I hate tournament sparring. I'll gladly take a kick to the ribs in order to sweep the opponents other leg and rain horror down on his face, but I would lose the "point." When I'm in a bad mood, I'll do it anyway. Take the points. The look of fear in the opponents eyes is the only victory I need.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • I prefer the games of tag at this age. Those body blows last a long time these days.

    Grant, FYI, there's a big aikido demonstration Nov 14-16 in Seattle, at Puget Sound Aikikai if you're interested in heading west early. Gail Shaw, me, Kalen Delaney, probably a few others checking it out.

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