Football Officiating > War Stories

Best officiating "comebackers..."

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Ralph Damren:
Sometimes an official's response is worth remembering ;D. This occurred many years ago when umpiring a Little League tourney. I had the plate and Harvey (a mailman) had the bases. A batting cage was built into the centerfield fence with a challenging ground rule of : "If the ball strikes the support of the cage (pipes) above the homerun fence, it's a home run. If it hits inside the cage it stays in play."

(1) A home team batter hits a shot directly at the cage;
(2) I couldn't tell if it hit inside the cage or the support;
(3) Harvey felt it hit inside;
(4) the centerfielder fielded the ball and nailed the batter trying for a double;
(5) out of the home dugout came : 3 coaches, a grandmother scorekeeper and a hunting dawg;
(6) they were are all yelling/barking that it hit the support;
(7) Harvey's attention was ,however, drawn to the local Catholic Priest who had been standing next to the batting cage;
(8) he was now running along the outside of the fence yelling : "HARVEY...HARVEY....";
(9) Harvey didn't go postal , he just raised his big hand and said : "With all due respect, Father, out on this field I'M GOD >:( !";
(10) the priest stopped and retreated back to his post in CF, coaches, grandma and dog all returned to their dugout.....

...AND THE BAND PLAYED ON  pHiNzuP

Ralph Damren:
As I watch the snow fall on VP Hamlin's statue (under Lincoln) in the park below, I recalled another "comebacker" I felt you guys might enjoy.....

(1) Early '70s, game in lumberjack country, WH was a retired Army Ranger with a tour in Viet. ;
(2) game ended with home team runner fumbling just before breaking goal line plane with potential winning TD;
(3) WH made the brave, but correct ruling after we conferred;
(4) as we were hurrying off the field, we were approached by a huge ,Paul Bunyon size, lumberjack;
(5) he went nose-to-nose with our WH ,who was half his size but twice as brave, and said;
   
   "I'd punch you in the nose if I wouldn't go to jail >:( >:( "

WH responded : " You wouldn't go to jail, sir, You WOULD GO TO THE HOSPITAL  pi1eOn !"

The lumberjack cowered and quickly walked away.
The local sheriff  P_S walked over to ask if there was a problem  ??? ??? .

WH responded : "Just a friendly discussion about the last play  8] ."

......as we left I felt he had witnessed  many events that would make that one a "friendly discussion"  :patrioticon: :patrioticon: :patrioticon: :patrioticon: : (4-man crew then)

yarnnelg:
Coach says "Ray, I know what the crew's problem is. You all wear glasses!"

Thought for a second, stepped back ...."Coach, you wear glasses too."

AlUpstateNY:
Remember a game, a while back, working with a senior HLM, who had a serious hearing deficiency.  After a specific play, that required a brief conference with crewmembers, before agreeing with the HLM's call, the aggrieved coach let loose a string of invectives at the HLM, who asked the U, "what did he say?"

The U replied, "He said you were doing a hell of a job", to which the HLM replied, to the coach, "Thanks, just doing my job".  The coach didn't offer a peep the rest of the game. 

Hard of hearing can be a special gift to football officials, and husbands.

Etref:
Working a wing in a high school game. Coach behind me is snippy from the start. He gets louder and louder as the game progresses.  R had a hold (takedown almost) and the coach lost it calling him a “gray haired SON OF A GUN” I flagged it and we marched another 15 towards his goal line. This put the ball about the 23-24 yard line. He is still behind me mouthing. I never looked back, just said “ you are inside the 25 aren’t you coach?)

His priceless reply was “ well yeah, I’m stupid but not crazy”

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