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
In Memoriam: Paul Price (1950-2023)
By
Geoff Kimmerly
MHSAA.com senior editor
July 14, 2023
The MHSAA recently published its annual list of officials who have reached milestone years in their service to Michigan school sports. On the “40 Years” registration list was the name of Paul Price, a longtime official most recently from Republic who has been missed greatly especially in the Upper Peninsula officiating community since his death in January.
Price, who died Jan. 9 at the age of 72, began his officiating career with the MHSAA with basketball during the 1973-74 school year. Also an educator, he taught, directed, administrated and coached in Michigan, Colorado and Michigan again. He added softball and volleyball to his officiating in 1991-92, football in 1995-96, and over the last eight years was registered in football, basketball, volleyball, cross country and track & field while also taking an active roll in leadership and mentorship in those communities.
He was a mainstay at the Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals and was missed there at this season’s championship event in June. He’ll be missed similarly in November at the 8-Player Football Finals at Northern Michigan University, where he’d coordinated the chain crew for the MHSAA’s two championship games at the Superior Dome.
Price was a graduate of East Lansing High School and Central Michigan University, and finished his educational career in 2011 as superintendent of Republic-Michigamme Schools. He previously had served as principal and athletic director at Fife Lake Forest Area among other stops, and he was recalled as a mentor to administrators as well during his many years in education.
PHOTO Paul Price, second from left, takes a minute for an officials photo during the 2022 Upper Peninsula Track & Field Finals at Kingsford. (Photo by Cara Kamps.)