Enough already
-
- April
- 29
If there was one thing that would link together just about every game I’ve seen thus far, it has been a complaint about officiating.
Look, these games can’t ALL be poorly officiated. So I’m beginning to think that players and coaches are just looking for reasons to take their frustration out on the refs.
In two of the last four games I’ve covered, a coach has been ejected. And there have been countless misconduct penalties. It’s ridiculous. Adjust to the sport and the officials. Lacrosse referees don’t want to hear it. They’re quick to give out misconduct penalties and people should adjust accordingly.
It’s so tiresome. If they get a call wrong, they get a call wrong. It happens. I really don’t see why it’s that hard to move on. In the course of a lacrosse game, there are tons of calls that need to be made, many of which are tough. The refs are going to get some wrong, and chances are, they are going to get some wrong for both side. They don’t have an agenda against either team.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 at 10:39 pm by Jeff Gold.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
Share and Enjoy: Digg Google StumbleUpon Technorati Yahoo! | 
Print This Post
| 
Email
I would say that many refs try their best but are not ready for varsity lacrosse. There are so few of them that they are rushed up to varsity and are not ready. I know a few refs who honestly try very hard but are still learning on the fly. Then they get major games like Jay-Greeley or LP/Somers, etc. Pay the refs more and you will get better officials. Otherwise, we are all stuck with what we have adn that is some good officials and some very lousy ones here in Section 1. Again, I am not one to bash them as I see it as a very hard job without a doubt. But more time studying the game needs to take place. To just throw out there that everyone needs to shut up because of what you have seen in a few weeks in this area is not right. I have been watching lacrosse here for over 25 years and the refereeing has gotten a little worse. This is because the game is growing too fast that there are not enough good refs to keep up with the massive schedules. 20 years ago, there was no Rye, Somers, etc teams on the schedule. Now almost everyone has a game on the same day leaving us with the good officials scattered around Section 1 and the others all over the games of that day as well. Again, how do we solve this issue? Pay the refs more, give em a break every now and then, but they should have to know the rules, no doubt.
Good points Billy and a lot more thoughtful than just complaining about coaches who complain about refs.
The majority of the officiating is good. Of course you are going to get a few stinkers once in a while, but that's the nature of high school sports.
I must make a slight addendum to one of your points though. I don't know how long you have been around high school lacrosse Mr. Gold, but there certainly are some ref's who have an "agenda against either team." It's calming down within the section in the past few years. But in the past, it was nearly impossible to get a fair game called when you went up county. This happened because almost all the refs grew up and played for the prestigious up county schools: Pac, Town, Jay, Lakeland.
Furthermore, Mr. Gold I don't know how you cannot at least question the officiating in the Town vs. Melville game. Twelve penalties against one? The kid's were in danger out there, a lacrosse stick is a deadly weapon. (Just ask those boys who got in trouble at UMASS.) It is irresponsible journalism on your part to just "move on."
I am not condoning complaining. As I said before, the majority of officiating is good. But if a team gets jobbed, they have a right to complain.
NYLAX10:
I played at one of those prestigious programs that you listed above and I couldn't disagree more about going up county and getting shafted. Most of the time refs would look to keep the other team in the game.
On the status of referees in Section 1: plain and simple there are not enough good guys doing it. There are about 10 very good refs and 30 average. But with the over whelming amount of good section 1 lacrosse games now you are going to at some point bump into a sub par ref.
Easiest solution, all the parents, coaches, players that want to run their mouths should go take the referee class and pick up some games, or even better JUST LEARN THE RULES!!!
Thank you to the referees who continue to do a good job, and help grow the sport in Section 1
I KNEW you had an axe to grind, LaxBroadcaster, did you play against 'Town coaches back in the day? Which prestigious team was it & which years? – cause your comment on the other thread was awfully personal. :o)
Well, everyone knows the Rockland officiating is much worse than Westchester… but that is in all sports not just lacrosse.
The officiating in Lax is getting worse becauase the sport has grown leaps and bounds and every one now knows the rules and the game that much better.
With that said most of the refs stink and it doesn't make a difference what side of the river that you are on.
I have no axe to grind with anybody. I am the only person that is willing to speak an unbias truth no matter what team i played for.
No matter what team we are talking about i will give an honest opinion, which i can 100% is more lacrosse knowledge based then yours and if you don't like it then that is why there are these types of boards so you can respond.
As for my last post about Town coaching, it was mentioned by many others on laxpower forums too!
Enjoy the season and the officials
whatever LaxBroadcaster, you don't sound unbiased, I guess you don't want to say when and where you played, that's fine. And it doesn't matter if "others" spouted the same venom, doesn't make it true. The words you chose sounded vindictive, and I'll bet you do know at least one of them personally. I think most people respect a degree from Hopkins. Where is yours from? One can make their point in more sophisticated ways. How do YOU KNOW you know more than I do? P.S. you need to edit your post, you made a few grammatical errors, oh wise & arrogant one… "which I can 100% is more…"? You enjoy the season too… & lighten up.
I do think the Yorktown-Ward Melville game 12-1 disparity in penalties was very alarming. But that was an exception. And I still don't see how yelling at the officials serves any purpose.
Jeff Gold, you are obviously biased toward 'Town, unlike Judge LaxBroadcaster who has no bias. He can teach us both, as well as the 'Town coaches, a thing or two about lacrosse. When would you like to schedule our first class LB?