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Be the Referee: Under the Bus

March 16, 2017

This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl explains why officials are not the correct target for criticism when a basketball game gets chippy or sloppy. 

Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

Below is this week's segment – Under the Bus - Listen

It seems whenever a high school game breaks down in a negative way, the coaches, players, fans, and school administrators quickly blame the officials. It’s easy to take out aggression on these nameless, faceless, almost inanimate objects.

But sloppy or chippy play is on the coaches to control – not the officials – as they simply call what happens. Fans up in the stands then quickly follow the lead of their coach berating the officials, thinking they are so well versed in the art of officiating – but often don’t have the guts to put on the stripes themselves. Officials aren’t perfect, but often they have to clean up messes created by others during the game – the people who should really be thrown under the bus.

    Past editions
    March 9: Hockey Hits - Listen
    March 2: Deciding the Game - Listen
    Feb. 23: Pitch Counts - Listen
    Feb. 16: Recruiting Officials - Listen
    Feb. 9: Ejections - Listen
    Feb. 2: Wrestling & Technology - Listen
    Jan. 26: Post Play - Listen
    Jan. 19: Ice Hockey Overtime - Listen
    Jan. 12: Free Throw Change - Listen
    Jan. 5: Ratings - Listen
    Dec. 22: Video Review - Part 2 - Listen
    Dec. 15: Video Review - Part 1 - Listen
    Dec. 8: Registration - Part 2 - Listen
    Dec. 1: Registration - Part 1 - Listen
    Nov. 24: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
    Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
    Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
    Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
    Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
    Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
    Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
    Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
    Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
    Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
    Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
    Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
    Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
    Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen

    Be the Referee: Deciding the Game

    March 2, 2017

    This week, MHSAA assistant director Mark Uyl discusses why officials must make calls even in the final moments of a close game during tournament time.

    Be The Referee is a series of short messages designed to help educate people on the rules of different sports, to help them better understand the art of officiating, and to recruit officials.

    Below is this week's segment – Deciding the Game - Listen

    Every American sports fan knows when the calendar turns to March, it’s time to start thinking about basketball tournament games.

    With all of the pundits out there talking about the matchups and who may advance on the brackets, the comment gets made every single year that we simply hope the players decide the outcome of every game – and not a referee’s call.

    The fact of the matter is that in the last 10 seconds of a tied game, when a player drives down the lane and gets hit and get knocked to the floor, an official has to make that foul call because the players did decide the outcome of that game. For the officials to simply swallow their whistles and let one team break the rules for a clear advantage is not letting those players decide the outcome.

      Past editions
      Feb. 23: Pitch Counts - Listen
      Feb. 16: Recruiting Officials - Listen
      Feb. 9: Ejections - Listen
      Feb. 2: Wrestling & Technology - Listen
      Jan. 26: Post Play - Listen
      Jan. 19: Ice Hockey Overtime - Listen
      Jan. 12: Free Throw Change - Listen
      Jan. 5: Ratings - Listen
      Dec. 22: Video Review - Part 2 - Listen
      Dec. 15: Video Review - Part 1 - Listen
      Dec. 8: Registration - Part 2 - Listen
      Dec. 1: Registration - Part 1 - Listen
      Nov. 24: You Make the Call - Sleeper Play - Listen
      Nov. 17: Automatic 1st Downs - Listen
      Nov. 10: Uncatchable Pass - Listen
      Nov. 3: The Goal Line - Listen
      Oct. 27: Help Us Retain Officials - Listen
      Oct. 20: Point After Touchdown - Listen
      Oct. 13: Untimed Down - Listen
      Oct. 6: Soccer Penalty Kick Change - Listen
      Sept. 29: Preparation for Officials - Listen
      Sept 22: You Make the Call: Returning Kickoffs - Listen
      Sept. 15: Concussions - Listen
      Sept 8: Equipment Covering the Knees - Listen
      Sept. 1: Play Clock Experiment - Listen
      Aug. 25: Clipping in the Free Blocking Zone - Listen