Official, Umps, Refs

[Billy 40]

Does anyone know anythign about them? They play such a vital role in every game, yet we know very little abotu them, never see them interviewed, no trading cards - I wonder why?

 

I also wonder why the Officials in teh NFL are all 70 years old? Maybe it just seems that way to me? TEhy are in phenominal shape, I wonder why they don't have any 30 year olds making calls? It also seems hte same way in College football?

 

Other spors have younger officials, but they seem to have to run around a lot less. Baseball they just stand there, even in basketball they only have to run half court.

[John M]

All I can say is this, its a tough job and I respect what they do. Its hard to make the call for many many reasons. Anyone who thinks its an easy job is a complete fool. Im sure they have constant training and evaluation going on. Im sure they also have physcial stds and stds of perfromace they have to meet to keep working.

 

I referee rowing, im both a national and international umpire. Not a big time sport like the NFL, but ive worked everything from little HS races to Olympic trials to World Championships. Its taken years and years to get where I am, have I made every call right? of course not, but ive made far more right calls than wrong calls. In fact the road to the 2012 London Games starts saturday, with our first elite event of this quadrenium.

 

I wonder how many other referees we have around here.........

[Billy 40]

I'm not saying they have an easy job, at all. I would just think considering what an integral part of EVERY game tehy play, we'd know a little more about them.

 

I know a little abotu Baseball umps at low levels, HS, sandlot. They can emake a nice penny doing these games. Heck, the beer league softball ump gets like $45 a game. A guy I playe dBaseball with in college, managed to do a PEnn LEague A ball game for the SI Yankees, I thinkhe said he got like $600. I know for the Division 3 games, teh umps were getting something like $125 a game, and more for Playoffs.

 

not a bad side thing if you are good and move up and get "certified", although there are lots of politics involved.

[John M]

Billy I understand what your saying. Many sports pay for the umpires. I had awoman working for me whose husband was the regional coordinator for soccer referees. He made sure all the HS games in the country were covered, he would pick up about 15k a year doing this.

 

Ive heard this many many times from my mentors, the best regatta (or game) is the one where we go in, do our job and no one knows we were there. Thats always the goal. No one comes to see the umpires.

 

As for the politics, there are many. thats one of the reasons its hard to make calls sometimes.

[Belmo]

I also wonder why the Officials in teh NFL are all 70 years old?

 

 

Believe it or not, Billy, refereeing in the NFL is not a full-time job. This is because despite the staggering amount of money the league makes, they're too cheap to pay guys enough to be full-time employees. So all the officials have other jobs: lawyers, accountants, custom rod builders, etc., and work the games on weekends.

 

With billions of dollars involved, and with the amount that's bet on the NFL every week (legally and illegally), it boggles the mind that the league is enough of a skinflint to have part-time officials because they don't want to pay guys $100k a year to do it full-time. But they do. Never underestimate the cheapness of people, especially rich people.

[minivin5]

Does anyone know anythign about them? They play such a vital role in every game, yet we know very little abotu them, never see them interviewed, no trading cards - I wonder why?

 

I also wonder why the Officials in teh NFL are all 70 years old? Maybe it just seems that way to me? TEhy are in phenominal shape, I wonder why they don't have any 30 year olds making calls? It also seems hte same way in College football?

 

Other spors have younger officials, but they seem to have to run around a lot less. Baseball they just stand there, even in basketball they only have to run half court.

 

I have Umpires trading cards from Topps Heritage 07 I think, they are pretty neat with the facts and stats. I will try to find them in my collection and post them.

[squidlips]

Does anyone know anythign about them? They play such a vital role in every game, yet we know very little abotu them, never see them interviewed, no trading cards - I wonder why?

 

I also wonder why the Officials in teh NFL are all 70 years old? Maybe it just seems that way to me? TEhy are in phenominal shape, I wonder why they don't have any 30 year olds making calls? It also seems hte same way in College football?

 

Other spors have younger officials, but they seem to have to run around a lot less. Baseball they just stand there, even in basketball they only have to run half court.

 

 

Teh personification of trying to hard.