Steve Welmer

BigTime

BigTime

The Red Wig
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might just be my favorite official in the land. He was having fun with the students last night and will tug his pants up on command.

steve-welmer-large.jpg
 
Welmer needs to lose a few pound before he has a coronary that could end his career, not to mention his life. But, I can't think of a better college official or one I like more than Steve "my pants won't stay up" Welmer. He might miss a few calls, as all officials do. Yet, you can always count on him to be fair, whether it's at home or on the road.
 
Does Steve Welmer do NCAA Tournament games?

I heard a rumor that he didn't (for a particular reason), just wanted to confirm if he works the tourney or not.
 
Back in my ballboy days we always looked forward to Steve doing our games. He is a class act in every sense of the word. He would even chat it up during timeouts. A little known fact is that he is one of the refs in the movie "Blue Chips."
:tinypower
 
campbest said:
Does Steve Welmer do NCAA Tournament games?

I heard a rumor that he didn't (for a particular reason), just wanted to confirm if he works the tourney or not.
Click to expand...

campbest, you brought up an interesting question about Steve Welmer that peaked my curiosity enough to cause me to search for the answer. Here's a story I found that not only addresses your question, but confirms why Welmer is one of, if not the most popular referees in college hoops. As you will see, he has indeed called NCAA tourney games, but the NCAA has never given him the opportunity to call Final Four games and beyond.

I knew that Welmer officiated a lot of games, but had no idea that was because he is a full time college official. This is a great read if you have the time:

The elusive goal

Despite being popular with players and coaches, Welmer has never received the phone call that all referees wait to get.

The 34-year officiating veteran has never been chosen by the NCAA to work the sport’s biggest spectacle, the Final Four.

“It’s just never happened,” Welmer said. “I’ve had numerous regional championships where the winner went to the Final Four, but never a Final Four. Would I like for it to happen? Obviously, I’d like for that to be a part of my career.”

photo

Photo by Mindy Ricketts

Welmer knows his style of officiating, which players like, doesn’t sit well with everyone.

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” Welmer said. “I am kind of known for letting them play a little bit. I try to work with the kids a little bit and try to referee where we don’t call as many things. I’m not sure how well suited that is for the NCAA.”
Click to expand...

http://www.kansan.com/news/2008/apr/23/college_basketball_referee_te_top_his_game/
 
AdaSooner said:
campbest, you brought up an interesting question about Steve Welmer that peaked my curiosity enough to cause me to search for the answer. Here's a story I found that not only addresses your question, but confirms why Welmer is one of, if not the most popular referees in college hoops. As you will see, he has indeed called NCAA tourney games, but the NCAA has never given him the opportunity to call Final Four games and beyond.

I knew that Welmer officiated a lot of games, but had no idea that was because he is a full time college official. This is a great read if you have the time:



http://www.kansan.com/news/2008/apr/23/college_basketball_referee_te_top_his_game/
Click to expand...

Maybe I was thinking of the Final Four and not the earlier rounds.

Welmer is a good official who is very popular with the players and coaches from what I have heard. A lot of the "old school" basketball fans don't like him too much because (as the article says) he lets some contact go to keep the flow of the game. I personally like his style more, playing the "advantage" so to speak is in the best interest in the college game.
 
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He's definitely my favorite official. It's obvious that he enjoys the game, the players and the coaches. He does a good job of controlling the game without coming across as an overbearing jerk. Fans are never going to agree with every call that an official makes but he has never come across as being anything but fair.
 
BigTime said:
might just be my favorite official in the land. He was having fun with the students last night and will tug his pants up on command.

steve-welmer-large.jpg
Click to expand...

Not completely on command, one time he held up his index finger as if to see hold on a for second after I requested a pants pull up.
 
Guys, I ref college ball for 25 yrs, one of you made the statement that he always seemed fair at both ends of the court - it can't get much better than that. It was always nice to here fans give positive comments about refs.

As I was various games I still watch the officials and Steve is right there doing a good job. He wont get them all right but he is in position and therefore it makes it hard to question is calls.

I like the fact that he talks with the students and I have noticed he does a lot of talking with the players. Last night he had Willie laughing about something.


:clap
 
It's good to see him back out there after missing most of the season with an ACL tear last year. It's also amazing how many games these guys do per year. It seems like they work daily.
 
First, it's good to see my ol' friend oketex on the board! :woot

A number of things I read in that article about Welmer reminded me of myself when I called high school basketball in Oklahoma many years ago. Veteran officials who spoke at our annual meetings told everyone to ignore fans in the stands and not to engage them in conversation. I never followed their advice. I thought it was best to communicate with people, when possible, because it made the officials appear more human and less of a robot in a striped shirt with a whistle around his neck.

I have tons of interesting, as well as funny stories, but my approach usually worked well for me. I'll bore you with one to prove my point. One of my officiating buddies and I were calling a girls high school game in a town not far from here. Two of the locals, both in cowboy hats, were seated in elevated bleachers a few rows up from the center court line. One of them had a loud, booming voice, he used effectively to complain about nearly every call that didn't go the home team's way. I didn't know him personally at the time, but I had already identified the source before the first half ended. I also knew he had a daughter playing in that game, because I heard her say under her breath when she was on the line getting read to shoot a free shot, "I wish he would shut up!"

I made it a point to take the ball off the scorer's table a little early before the second half began and walk to the mid-court line on the other side, close to where the two cowboys were seated. I stood there for a minute or two, before I turned and said, "How are you guys doing tonight? I'll bet one of you has a daughter playing in this game." One quickly turned, pointed to his friend and said, "He does!" I replied, "I had an idea that might be the case. I remember what it was like when our daughter played high school sports."

I exchanged a few more pleasantries with them before the second half started. But, that was all it took to silence our heckler the entire second half. He never said another word. By the way, I met him a couple of years later and he is now a friend of mine.
 
AdaSooner said:
First, it's good to see my ol' friend oketex on the board! :woot

A number of things I read in that article about Welmer reminded me of myself when I called high school basketball in Oklahoma many years ago. Veteran officials who spoke at our annual meetings told everyone to ignore fans in the stands and not to engage them in conversation. I never followed their advice. I thought it was best to communicate with people, when possible, because it made the officials appear more human and less of a robot in a striped shirt with a whistle around his neck.

I have tons of interesting, as well as funny stories, but my approach usually worked well for me. I'll bore you with one to prove my point. One of my officiating buddies and I were calling a girls high school game in a town not far from here. Two of the locals, both in cowboy hats, were seated in elevated bleachers a few rows up from the center court line. One of them had a loud, booming voice, he used effectively to complain about nearly every call that didn't go the home team's way. I didn't know him personally at the time, but I had already identified the source before the first half ended. I also knew he had a daughter playing in that game, because I heard her say under her breath when she was on the line getting read to shoot a free shot, "I wish he would shut up!"

I made it a point to take the ball off the scorer's table a little early before the second half began and walk to the mid-court line on the other side, close to where the two cowboys were seated. I stood there for a minute or two, before I turned and said, "How are you guys doing tonight? I'll bet one of you has a daughter playing in this game." One quickly turned, pointed to his friend and said, "He does!" I replied, "I had an idea that might be the case. I remember what it was like when our daughter played high school sports."

I exchanged a few more pleasantries with them before the second half started. But, that was all it took to silence our heckler the entire second half. He never said another word. By the way, I met him a couple of years later and he is now a friend of mine.
Click to expand...

so you fall for the cowboy type? ;)
 
probably shouldn't be fist-bumping joe c. during the game. other than that, good dude. you can tell how much he missed working.
 
he is a nice guy .. he was joking around with us during the all college .....

but he never ever ever calls fouls in the post ... well almost never ..
 
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