rockyraccoon wrote:Don't think for a second these guys don't hold grudges, they are human. I saw a guy couple of years ago at New Boston walk over to the fence and yell "you people are idiots" up at the stands. Saw another one who kept telling the opponents they were offsides during the game until the other team complained. For the most part they do a great job, but there are a few that just make you groan when you see them walk out on the field.
There are some officials that will hold some past games of dealing with coaches, fans, players against some teams, but I'm not sure that this is the case just because I have not been to many games. I know that most officials that would have to ref at Clay several years ago dreaded it because of the fans. I do know that running a 2-man team to officiate a game is very tough. I would love to see a 3-man system be implemented, but the numbers just aren't there. In the Columbus and Dayton area I know for a fact, because I've officiated them, that U-12 teams run a 3-man system. Making some long distance calls are just going to be part of soccer in the SOC because you have to watch the off-sides line and can't stray too far from it or you'll get beat and miss a lot of those calls. BUT, in the case at the Valley game, those two PK calls were in excess of 50 yards, he couldn't identify the player committing the infraction and wouldn't be able to tell if the infractions were committed in the penalty area from that distance and the faint paint on the lines. Being a good official is having the ability to be in the best position to make the right call as much as possible. I don't want to keep ragging on one official because I appreciate that he is taking
HIS time to officiate these games for the kids. But every official, professional level or youth level, can alway get more knowledge and experience.