So let me get this straight - as a ref at Wayville, you think the social comp is lame? That's awesome! Did it occur to you that your officiating may be perpetuating the said lameness? Pretty glad I don't waste my money there anymore.

(Caveat - comment above is based on my experiences of about 3ish years ago. If things have improved since then, then that's great.)

Please put your feedback in writing and I will address if after the game

At woodville once, while officiting, the other referee made a pretty bad call. Player X was going on about it. After about 5 minutes the ref had enough and shouted at the player:

'Let it freakin' go man, do I carry on like that when you put up a crap shot?'....

Silence was golden.

It is funny how your out look on ref's changes when one of your kids becomes one.

#235467:

I take your point, and I nearly didn't post what I said for that very reason. That is, I know refs cop a lot, oftentimes unfairly from players that are hot-headed or otherwise out-of-line, and as such I don't want to just pile on them for no reason. I agree, being a ref is a tough job and all that, and I've never done it professionally so I'm sure I don't appreciate their perspective very well. Furthermore, I'm not "offended", and if you look at the thread you've mentioned, you'll see down the bottom that I actually posted something complimentary about the refs in the comp I'm currently playing in. Besides, that thread was just for laughs really; I don't think refs are being personally identified, apart from possibly one or two infamous cases. If refs want to have a bit of fun poking back at players, I'm all for that too, of course.

And yeah, totally, social ball is ultimately just having a bit of fun and a run around and all that; no point getting sheep-stations over it. However, when I played social at Wayville and Mars in recent years, the reffing, for the most part, was enough to make me stop playing. Literally. Not because it "offended" me, but because most of the refs were, frankly, too lazy to do much of anything at all, or even make a half-decent attempt to be consistent. (As I said, my opinions could possibly be out of date now because I haven't played at those venues for over a year. In fact, I really hope they are!)

Honestly, all I want out of a social ref is:

a) some sort of consistent reffing philosophy, especially with regards to the sorts of fouls they'll call and let go (and don't "play advantage", it only annoys people and rewards the fat/slow players who have to resort to dirty tactics), and
b) reasonable protection from the football-player-disguised-as-a-social-basketball-player morons who grab, tug, shove and slap behind the play, all game long.

I don't care if a ref stuffs things up now and again or misses an obvious call - they're only human, and that's part of playing sport. Sadly, in the experiences I'm referring to here, the odd missed or wrong call was the least of their problems.

Having said all that, apologies, I don't want to drag this thread off-topic:

My favourite ref thing ever was at an NBL game, can't remember who the player was, but someone totally flopped to dry and draw a charge. Can't remember if it was Crouch or Mildenhall - one of them anyway, cupped one hand around an eye and started rolling the camera with the other hand... classic!

Back in the golden ages of my refereeing career, I was officiating an ABA game with a very well known now retired referee when he had an altercation with a former well known SA junior coach who may or may not be coaching at the AIS presently.

The coach said "Ref, look at the foul count, you're !@#$ing have to be kidding me?"

The referee replied "Hey coach, look at the scoreboard, you're getting your ass kicked!"

The coach then then turned to me and said "Can he say that?"

I replied "Well apparently you can, I heard it too!"

It was soooo funny!

when the refs say "do i complain when you miss a shot" that is total bullish!

do i get paid to make that shot? NO, but you get paid to make that call, so do your job and quit coming up with smart arse answers

if i make a mistake at work i get yelled at, youre at work, do your freakin job properly lameo

I can guarantee that the standard of refereeing ar MARS has certainly not improved...

That's about as lame a collection of comeback lines as you'll ever hear.

It pretty much summs up social grade refs.

A bit off topic but still in the same vane.
A few years ago during a men's ABL game one of the then senior refs (now retired) made a shocking call against a North player. The North coach stood up to have a piece of him as he ran past. As the ref ran past he called to the coach - "Sorry Richard I stuffed up". The coach sat down without a word. That ref gained an enourmous amount of respect right there!
Same ref, different occasion reffing another ABL men's game at Hillcrest was heard to say to a then junior, now senior, ref - "If you call a tech I will kick your arse"

How about "I need to toughen up and stop being so thin skinned"?

Firstly, all credit to those who dare take on reffing. I know I have done my fair share of lambasting refs on occassion.

For the most part I am sure they call it the best they can for a game that has a lot of interpretation.

I think the main problem is the shortage of refs and the resultant need to employ under (un)qualified people or those with a major inferioriy complex or shoulder chip.

"Shut the f*ck up!"

"Don't tell anyone, but I'm just calling this terrible foul to make it onto that forum list on Hoops."

the refs want to say in amazement "great dunk" when I give a facial to an opposing player .. however they can't as it would seem bias to the other side

Things "as a ref" you want to say but can't:

how about this one "i screwed up"

"I wish I could play but I can't so I'll ref instead and take out my frustrations on players who are better than me at life"

A slightly bit off topic but Milldenhall tells a great tale of him and Ray Borner many years ago. During the game billy makes a call against Ray and the dialog is:

Ray: Billy
Billy: yes Ray
Ray: Can i get a tech foul for what im thinking?
Billy: No Ray you cant get a tech foul for what your thinking
Ray: Good, I think your a F*CKWIT

All Billy could do was laugh.

The ref told me softly "have mercy fella" after a ridiclously sick breakaway dunk in a game .. we were up by about 25 points by that stage