This is one way officials get bad name

[NorCalMike]

http://youtu.be/dcECybTOV7Y

Seriously. 

[Ralph Damren]

Could he have been calling his bookie? At least it wasn't in our sport .

[HLinNC]

 

In no way am I excusing it- maybe it was a sick kid, pregnant wife, mad boss- stop the game and if it is some kind of emergency, take the call in the corner of the gym.
Maybe he's the booking agent filling in and the scheduled official is calling?

Why didn't his partner stop it?  You can't call anymore attention to the issue than getting on the Today show.

MS game so I am assuming these aren't in the top echelon of the local association but who knows really?

[bama_stripes]

It's called "multi-tasking".   

[SD_Casey]

My wife is always telling me I need to be better at multi-tasking.

Maybe I'll bring some of my paperwork with me on Friday nights.

 

[goodgrr]

This Celtics fan is the one that needs to learn Multi-tasking!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSSBXPda50w

[Getting Fat]

I don't know why he was on the phone, but I do have a story to share with you.  A "what would you have done story?":

It was one of my first Friday night varsity games, I was working HL.  During a timeout about half way through the 2nd quarter somebody affiliated with the home school walked up to the Referee with a note.  The Referee pointed at me.  The individual showed me the note, it read “[my name] call [my fiancé’s name + her number] immediately!” 

Upon reading that I knew that my fiancé had gone through the trouble to find out where I was working, call the school and somehow get ahold of somebody who felt it was important enough to come onto the field to hand me the note.

What would you have done at this point?

I called the B over and said work HL, I need to make a call.  After stepping off the field into a corner to try to hide, I called my fiancé with the trainer's cell phone.  Missed two plays, albeit one of them was TD – because of course it was…

Turns out, my best friend was in an ambulance on the way to hospital and unconscious.  The paramedics used his cell to call the last number dialed (my fiancé’s – don’t ask), they were trying to get in touch with his family. I called my fiancé back at halftime, when I had access to my phone, and gave her his brother's number.

The coach on my sideline (home team) was very understanding and sympathetic about the whole thing.  My friend is just fine.

Point of the story is, I took/made a call during a game. 

[goodgrr]

I wouldn't have an issue stopping the game or as you did reducing the crew size for an emergency.  You did the right thing in my book.

[Ralph Damren]

I wouldn't have an issue stopping the game or as you did reducing the crew size for an emergency.  You did the right thing in my book.

Being a human is more important than being an official.

[VALJ]

I wouldn't have an issue stopping the game or as you did reducing the crew size for an emergency.  You did the right thing in my book.

Being a human is more important than being an official.

Agreed.  Especially when you can handle a situation discreetly like that, instead of being on the court or field in front of God and everyone.

[Tom.OH]

I did work an F (maybe JV) game a few years ago where one official had his cell. We told him to keep the cell on him, we would cover if need be. His wife was in the hospital and was not doing good. Luckily he did not get any calls during the game, did call the nurse at halftime. This was a very serious situation versus a game. Years later she is fine.

[Kalle]

Taking a break to take an important call is OK on the levels most of us work (FBS and NFL are different) - it is just a game. Having your cell with the chain gang or other sideline person is OK, too. Having the phone in your pocket is a bit worse, as it might ring right when you need to make an important call (the extra couple of rings it takes to get to the sideline after the down is over should not matter in any situation - and if it does, are you sure you should be on the field at all?).

[JasonTX]

In no way am I excusing it- maybe it was a sick kid, pregnant wife, mad boss- stop the game and if it is some kind of emergency, take the call in the corner of the gym.
Maybe he's the booking agent filling in and the scheduled official is calling?

Why didn't his partner stop it?  You can't call anymore attention to the issue than getting on the Today show.

MS game so I am assuming these aren't in the top echelon of the local association but who knows really?

There are a lot of places that don't use "real" officials, but just a couple of local guys who only work the local jh games and have had no training.  If so, the don't know right from wrong.

[Cowman52]

The football or baseball field is the one place I get to go and leave every problem I have or think I have at the fence.  Nobody is so important he can't let it go for a couple of hours.

[justbill]

My understanding was that there was another game site where the officials did not show up and he was working on getting guys to cover it.

[AlUpstateNY]

Without having the slightest idea, what that call may have actually been about, why would ANYONE choose to speculate and condemn, what is clearly an unusual situation?

[HLinNC]

why would ANYONE choose to speculate and condemn, what is clearly an unusual situation?

Because like most anything that makes one come off looking bad, hindsight teaches us all valuable lessons.
I'm sure after seeing himself on the Today show, he now thinks of several things he should have done differently.  Continuing to try and officiate a game, while on the phone, chief among them.

While I appreciate your never ending effort to make all of us right all of the time sometimes there is no excuse.

[Kalle]

Without having the slightest idea, what that call may have actually been about, why would ANYONE choose to speculate and condemn, what is clearly an unusual situation?

Because I don't see ANY situation where talking to a phone while officiating live game is OK. And no, I don't consider trying to get officials to another game an acceptable situation. Take a timeout and handle it, and then continue.

[AlUpstateNY]

While I appreciate your never ending effort to make all of us right all of the time sometimes there is no excuse.

For the most part, I totally agree with you, and why I believe, and recommend, avoiding the potential by NOT EVER bringing a cell phone on a field, as a good idea. 

However, having accumulated a considerable amount of unnecessary "scar tissue" from making conclusions, without having benefit of ALL the facts, I've grown cautious of leaping to conclusions, especially about those things that are CLEARLY out of the ordinary without KNOWING all the details.

[Rulesman]

Remember that perception is reality.

[bama_stripes]

His wife was in the hospital and was not doing good. Luckily he did not get any calls during the game, did call the nurse at halftime. This was a very serious situation versus a game. Years later she is fine.

Not to be snarky, but if she was that bad off, why did he accept the game in the first place?

[VALJ]

The football or baseball field is the one place I get to go and leave every problem I have or think I have at the fence.  Nobody is so important he can't let it go for a couple of hours.

In general, I agree.  When my wife was in ICU after my daughter was born, I turned back games.  It wasn't until she was released to the "step down" care, and she insisted that I go for precisely the reason that "you need to let things go and not worry about me and [your daughter] for a couple of hours" that I didn't turn back my varsity game the next week.  And it was the most relieved I've ever been to be out on a football field.

That said, though, emergencies happen.

[AlUpstateNY]

Not to be snarky, but if she was that bad off, why did he accept the game in the first place?

Hindsight, if only we could get a little peek at it early.  EVERY male, over the age of 3, has likely uttered at least a few times, "Gee, it seemed like a good idea at the time", immediately after something has blown up in their face.

Unfortunately, we all learn the sometimes harsh reality, "Stuff" happens that we never anticipate, no matter how carefully we think we've got things covered (coincidentally when we get just a little smug about how well we think we've thought about EVERYTHING). 

It's good to remember, "There, but for the grace of God, go I"

Long story:  In a time before cell phones, Doctor scheduled an Outpatient "plumbing" procedure for wife, at 8:00am on a Friday, to take less than 2 hours with a recouperation period and discharge for Noon.  Friday nite game (locally) at 7:00, gathering at school around 5:00ish.  Wife comfortable with her being home by 1:00pm, advised I go do the game while she rested.

Arrived at hospital for Noon discharge, procedure successful, discharge pending.  Oops, she had problem keeping Jello down (learned that's an anestisia flag) wait an hour, try again, common reaction should pass. Didn't correct, kept retrying at 1:00, 2:00, 3:00.  Hospital "evaluating" keep over night or keep assessing for discharge.  Still assessing at 4:00, contacted assignor explained situation, he'd get a replacement.  6:00pm hospital decided to keep over night. OK, hospital best place to be, she resting, headed home to return in am.

Got home, found "message" light blinking, "upon further review" hospital "replay" advises situation has corrected, they are ready to discharge, come back and pick up.  Grumble, grumble but all turned out OK.

However, if I hadn't been able to reach our assignor, to arrange for a replacement or got someone myself as an emergency, I would have gone to the game, instead of home, when advised she was going to remain at the hospital overnight.  When I got home after the game, and found that "message light" would have still been blinking. When I got to the hospital to pick her up, 4 or 5 hours after she had been discharged, it's very likely somehere in my defensive efforts I would have tried, "It seemed like a good idea at the time, I thought I had it covered".  Sometimes "Stuff" just happens, and there's really no good way to deal with it.   

[NoVaBJ]

Not to be snarky, but if she was that bad off, why did he accept the game in the first place?

An assigner who constantly whines about availability and expects officials to schedule conception such that birth occurs outside of football season, including preseason scrimmages?

They exist, and they're all too common.