Stories We're Most Proud Of Archives - Referee.com

Not Enough Refs (October 2001)

Referee — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 15:00:50 +0000

NASO data reported in Referee as early as 2001 revealed what our current survey is making absolutely clear, there is, and has long been, a serious shortage of officials in this country.

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Death of a Union (May 2000)

Referee — Sun, 24 Apr 2022 15:00:12 +0000

Years of strife between the Major League Umpires Association and Major League Baseball came to a head in July 1999 when Richie Phillips, the executive director of the MLUA, suggested the umpires resign en masse.

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The Art of Being an Official (July/August 1977)

Referee — Mon, 18 Apr 2022 16:00:02 +0000

Building a schedule, working with other officials, managing the game — the very essence of what it takes to be and means to be an official — was dissected for the first time by Referee in our 10th ever issue in 1977. It’s amazing how much of that wisdom still applies today, more than 40 years later.

The post The Art of Being an Official (July/August 1977) appeared first on Referee.com.

The 18 Best Calls in Officiating History (March 2007)

Referee — Tue, 29 Mar 2022 15:00:28 +0000

While 24-hour sports television networks replay perceived missed calls ad nauseum, no one had ever attempted to compile a list of officials’ best work. That, we figured, was up to us. When so many others in the world are dying to point out officiating mistakes, we celebrated the courageous, talented and alert officials who got ’em right.

The post The 18 Best Calls in Officiating History (March 2007) appeared first on Referee.com.

Louisiana Lockup (December 2014)

Referee — Sat, 17 Feb 2018 13:00:43 +0000

The outrageous treatment of two Louisiana high school football officials proved one of the most compelling stories in our 40-year history. James Radcliffe and Chris Gambino were taken off the field in handcuffs, photographed and jailed for trying to get fans to move to safer ground off the sideline.

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In the Line of Duty (August 2013)

Referee — Sat, 10 Feb 2018 13:00:48 +0000

A disputed call, a punch thrown at an official, a tragic death.

The post In the Line of Duty (August 2013) appeared first on Referee.com.

Locked Out (January 2013)

Referee — Sat, 03 Feb 2018 13:00:30 +0000

One of the most bitter labor actions in sports history occurred when the NFL locked out its officials before the 2012 preseason and put widely unprepared replacement officials on the field.

The post Locked Out (January 2013) appeared first on Referee.com.

Court Presence (April 2008)

Referee — Sat, 27 Jan 2018 13:00:59 +0000

Referee called on Alan Goldberger, an expert on officiating-related law, to summarize the most important court cases in the history of the industry.

The post Court Presence (April 2008) appeared first on Referee.com.

They Made Officiating (November 2007)

Referee — Sat, 20 Jan 2018 13:00:17 +0000

One of our more challenging compilations identified the people who were most influential in shaping and maintaining the officiating industry.

The post They Made Officiating (November 2007) appeared first on Referee.com.

Nobody Told the Officials (August 2006)

Referee — Sat, 06 Jan 2018 13:00:51 +0000

It’s rare to encounter highly unusual or extraordinary situations, but such was the case when a high school football crew in Cincinnati put player safety ahead of political correctness and was lampooned nationally for its efforts.

The post Nobody Told the Officials (August 2006) appeared first on Referee.com.

The Case for Three-Person Mechanics (October 2005)

Referee — Sat, 30 Dec 2017 13:00:08 +0000

Referee’s landmark story has been used as a roadmap by many officials associations when they negotiated with schools, conferences and assigners, and ultimately helped usher in the age of three-person basketball officiating.

The post The Case for Three-Person Mechanics (October 2005) appeared first on Referee.com.

Say Good Knight (November 1999)

Referee — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 13:00:28 +0000

Referee got an exclusive interview with Ted Valentine, the referee whose run-in with Indiana basketball coach Bob Knight featured discord on the court as well as in the officials’ locker room.

The post Say Good Knight (November 1999) appeared first on Referee.com.

Heads or Tails (May 1999)

Referee — Sat, 11 Nov 2017 13:00:56 +0000

It was the coin toss heard round the world when veteran NFL referee Phil Luckett seemingly “screwed up” the simple flip. Amid a media firestorm, an anonymous package arrived at Referee’s door that led to the unraveling of the prevailing narrative.

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Vindicated (February 1999)

Referee — Sat, 04 Nov 2017 13:00:17 +0000

A simple call on the world’s biggest stage led to widespread international vilification of U.S. soccer referee Esse Baharmast. But when the call was proven correct a few days later, the tune changed.

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Camp ACC (May 1998)

Referee — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 13:00:35 +0000

The business practices of Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball officiating coordinator Fred Barakat came under scrutiny when a Referee probe uncovered that Barakat was making a fortune by hiring only officials who had paid to attend one of his camps.

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In the Fraternity (March 1998)

Referee — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 13:00:25 +0000

Violet Palmer and Dee Kantner made history when they were hired to the NBA staff. The story of how they broke the gender barrier through hard work and the forward thinking of NBA vice president Rod Thorn also uncovered some leftover male chauvinism.

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Fight for Independence (January 1998)

Referee — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 13:00:14 +0000

Are officials employees or independent contractors? Referee’s feature told the story that started with a local California official applying for unemployment compensation, a local association finding itself on hook for $50,000 and sounded a warning to officials across the country to find out their state’s position on the issue.

The post Fight for Independence (January 1998) appeared first on Referee.com.

The Games of Stephen Peterson (March 1995)

Referee — Wed, 18 Oct 2017 13:00:58 +0000

The strange story of a high school football official who bore a resemblance to an NFL official. Peterson had hoodwinked his friends, the local newspaper, fellow residents of Shawnee, Okla., and even his family into believing he was working NFL games.

The post The Games of Stephen Peterson (March 1995) appeared first on Referee.com.

A Long Way Down (July 1991)

Referee — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 13:00:56 +0000

A gut-wrenching profile in Referee revealed that a former NBA legend was an alcoholic, living in the backseat of a dilapidated auto and was occasionally suicidal.

The post A Long Way Down (July 1991) appeared first on Referee.com.

Are You Your Own Worst Enemy? (September 1980)

Referee — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 13:00:24 +0000

In the first of what would prove to be many features on the psychology of officiating, Referee suggested that officials point an accusing finger at themselves.

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