Don’t Sweat the Refs Part 1

I suppose it goes without saying that in order to become a good basketball player, it is vital to learn how to handle the referees. After all, they are an inevitable part of the game. Indeed, though no one in this world really seems to appreciate what they do, the game really couldn’t happen without them! Just imagine what the game of basketball would be like if the players made their own calls. The fights that break out on the playground or in the gym during pick-up basketball should be enough to give us a proper appreciation for the referees.  And just think, in those situations, we aren’t even playing with a clock or a crowd.

Sadly, however, we are not naturally inclined to appreciate and give thanks for the referees.  Consequently, the way we relate to them often hinders our own performance, the performance of our team, and the joy of the crowd.

So with that being said, I want to cover three things concerning a player’s relationship to basketball officials.  First, why you should resist consistent (or any) frustration with officials.  Second, how you should think about officials.  And third, how you should relate to officials.  We will take them in turn.  This week we will focus only on the first.

Why shouldn’t you (or I) ’sweat’ (or get frustrated with and in particular, argue with) the referees.  I offer three reasons.

1)  They are human beings.  

Though this seems ridiculously obvious, I think it is is necessary to point out before anything else.  For it seems to me that we as players (or coaches or fans) often seem to relate to athletic officials in a way that would be entirely unacceptable in any other area of life.  Somehow, we enter into the building, see them in their uniforms and forget that they are human beings just like us.  They have families and friends.  They watch movies.  They go out to eat.  They celebrate holidays.  They even enjoy sports (which is why many of them choose to officiate).  Indeed, if we actually knew them, we might even become one of their friends.  Imagine that!

Yet somehow a different spirit possesses us during an athletic contest.  A bad call comes and the person who made it all of the sudden becomes sub-human.  Indeed, in today’s athletic world, we somehow think we have a right to treat them as such.  But this is absurd and we all know it, for the truth is quite plain:  these officials are just like us.  They are human beings and as such, they deserve our respect, whether they made the right call or not.

2)  It doesn’t help anything or anyone.  

Now remember, I am writing this from a player’s perspective.  For I will be the first to admit that a Coach or a group of fans can persuade an official’s judgment. Sure, a referee is supposed to be impartial.  But to think that a referee can be perfectly impartial while numerous seemingly insane individuals are calling for his head is to forget that he or she is human.  I will be the first to admit that I would have a difficult time being impartial if a few thousand (or hundred) people were cursing me off and threatening my life.

Having said that, however, I would argue that even for the coach and the fan, ranting and raving against officials is beneficial for no one….even if you win.  After all, respecting an individual surely has to be higher on the priority chain that winning doesn’t it?  I would hope so, but then again, I’m not a hermit.  I am sure there are many who want to win so bad that they are willing to do whatever it takes.  I’ll save words for that problem for another day.

Anyhow, from a player’s perspective, it is really very simple:  when you become frustrated with an official (particularly to the point where you will actually argue with him), you help no one.  That’s right…no one.  Not yourself.  Not your team.  Not the fans.  Not the referee himself.  No one.

Think about it.  You become frustrated and argue.  Is the ref going to change his call?  Highly unlikely.  In light of your arguments, is he going to become more favorably disposed to seeing things from your vantage point and thus, giving you more calls?  I think not.  Even more, is he going to view with favor the players who wear your same jersey or your coach?  The answers are obvious.  Frustration and argument help no one.  In the end, they’re just not good, even if your end goal is only to win the game

3)  Because more times that not, they are right.

I once had a teammate who would argue absolutely every single foul call.  Seriously, every single foul call.  So one day I asked him jokingly, “Have you fouled anyone this year at all?”  We had a good laugh, but the point was clear.  Surely, at least one ref must have gotten at least one call right during 20 some odd games!

Even more though, I would argue that most of the refs got most of the calls right, for that is normally the case.  That might sound crazy coming from a player, but if you sit back and watch any game carefully (and without bias), you have to admit that officials make the right call more times than not.  Admittedly, they can be quite bad at times, but even then, they don’t make all the wrong calls.  Usually they are quite right.

We are wise to admit this fact up front.  For in the heat of battle, our emotions often get the best of us and therefore, do not allow us to see clearly.  Every call is against us…or so we think.  But might it be that we see the events before us in that fashion because we are blinded by our own desire to win?  Come on….you at least have to entertain the possibility! In the end, it seems wise for us to admit that referees are not as bad as might think.

Hope this helps.  Next week, we will look at point number 2.

Thankful for referees (even when the call doesn’t go my way),

Joe