Ref rips helmet off of player
- Thread starter Texas6Man
- Start date
Redraider092
Six-man fan
If it's a simple cut & dry case I would assume the consequences would be a rest of the year suspension and then a multi-year probation period. That's simply my uneducated guess. However, I also have my own opinion and assumption that there's more to the story that simply what a 10 second video shows. Questions around what might have been occurring prior to the incident. But of course, these are questions that are none of our business. It's between the UIL, TASO, the chapter and official now.Video
fb.watch
I saw this video on Facebook of a ref ripping the helmet off of a player. I know everyone probably agrees this is unacceptable, my question is what are the consequences for doing something like this?
dammitbobby
Six-man fan
UIL has overturned the ejection.
It doesn't matter what happened before the incident; this is beyond unacceptable. He could have hurt the kid had the helmet not slipped off. Is it not the refs job to get out of the way? The kid was clearly looking at the play and not the ref. Seems incredibly lazy and entitled on the part of the ref. Borderline assault, IMO...
He definitely grabbed it. He was very clearly agitated that the kid ran into him on accident.
dammitbobby
Six-man fan
The first action in the video, he puts his hand on the players back - happens a bunch every game - he's telling the player 'I am right behind you'. A second later, the player turns and literally tries to run through the ref, instead of going around him. You want him to get out of the way? The kid was what, maybe 1, 1.5 yards away at most, and ran right at his middle. Would YOU be able to get out of the way in time? The ref has right to be on the field too, and it is generally expected that players try their best to avoid laying out officials - who aren't wearing pads - in the middle of the field. It's hard enough being a U where players are coached to chip you intentionally or use you as a screen or shield, and some just don't like officials and want to make life hard. I don't know why that kid ran right at him but that action is on the player, not the U. He was where he was supposed to be, he let him know he was there, and almost got trucked for no reason.
I don't excuse or condone what he did, in any way - but I can certainly understand why he was irritated at the kid. He'd have been better off lowering his shoulder for the hit from the kid (which happens a fair amount also!)
As far as injuring the kid - it was literally no worse than any other FMM foul that happens every week, every game. I don't see any pearls being clutched when helmets get popped off during the course of a game, by being yanked like this, and we don't call it assault either.
/off soapbox
I don't excuse or condone what he did, in any way - but I can certainly understand why he was irritated at the kid. He'd have been better off lowering his shoulder for the hit from the kid (which happens a fair amount also!)
As far as injuring the kid - it was literally no worse than any other FMM foul that happens every week, every game. I don't see any pearls being clutched when helmets get popped off during the course of a game, by being yanked like this, and we don't call it assault either.
/off soapbox
Redraider092
Six-man fan
You're simply showing you've never officiated the game. Yes, the player is looking at the play, and so is the Umpire. Appropriately so for both. To say the official is "incredibly lazy and entitled" is simply an irrational statement. But if a proper investigation is going to be conducted then every aspect of what occurred has to be reviewed and considered. And that includes anything that might have happened leading up to the event. But if you want to play the judge, jury and executioner then go right ahead. You're certainly entitled to have that opinion.
You're right; I am allowed an opinion. The ref was behind the player in the field of play, so was most likely in his periphery. Scooting back a couple of yards would have been an easy way to avoid all of this, but it appears the ref thought his bubble was not to be touched. Again, an opinion, so I disagree that it is an irrational one...and you're right. I've never officiated a varsity game. I got here from an outside link and thought I was in the main forum. My points stand, and, I'm not in the minority on this. @Mike can remove all of these comments if others aren't allowed to comment their own opinions based on what they see and I'll try not to wander back in here!!
Redraider092
Six-man fan
Opinions and comments should be openly welcome. Why would you suggest they get removed? You're making your opinion based on what you see in a 10 second video and doing so without being interested in learning any other facts. Facts related to the game in question and facts related to proper officiating mechanics. It is fine if you want to formulate your opinion based on just the video and nothing else. Just like it's fine that I've formulated my own opinion to believe there's more to the story. I believe this because I've been in and observed games where there's ultimately an event that occurs and 95% of the time that event is perpetrated by numerous prior actions. But they are probably both opinions that neither of us will ultimately be able to validate because the said investigation and results is none of our business.
dammitbobby
Six-man fan
The U is where he is, for a specific reason. Moving back 'a couple yards' puts him in even more danger of being seriously injured, as that puts him in the way of patterns being run. It's one thing to be hit by a player who has a one yard head start, it's quite another to get blindsided by a receiver running full bore.
THK1138
Six-man fan
You're the first person I've seen anywhere online say this, and I agree. It doesn't excuse the ref, but the kid could have easily gone around instead of running right into him.
zachlumpkin
Six-man fan
