Travis Ford tossed from his son's HS basketball game

[BCSooners]

Fans AND refs are getting out of control...we have a people problem in our country right now. Refs are not any more righteous than anyone else

I agree and just like fans most refs are level headed, but a few make the rest look bad.

 

[AdaSooner]

I never said that and I never mentioned junior high school. I don't want fans doing that but I also don't think an official should start ejecting fans the first time he or she hears profanity. I would just take a softer approach to controlling a crowd, I think. With that said, I have never officiated and I might quickly learn my idea wouldn't remotely work.

The softer approach worked for me. Officials are told at annual or bi-annual meetings to ignore fans. I didn't follow that advice. I communicated with them at every opportunity, usually during a timeout or at halftime. On occasion, it might be something as simple as, "did we finally get one right?" as I ran down the floor after a call.

Officials know right away where the verbal abuse is coming from and which fans are guilty. I made it a point to get close to that area when I could, look at the offenders with a smile on my face, and make an attempt to carry on a brief conversation.

It didn't always work, but in most cases that fan, or group of fans, cut back on the harassment or stopped screaming at the officials completely. I did it because I firmly believed, and still do, that communicating with fans made them see us as real, live human beings, not some robot in a striped shirt with a whistle hanging around his neck.

I'm a people person, so that approach came natural for me. When you look at fans and smile, it has to be genuine. They definitely know the difference in a smirk and a smile.

 

[BigTime]

Fans AND refs are getting out of control...we have a people problem in our country right now. Refs are not any more righteous than anyone else

Very true.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I firmly believed, and still do, that communicating with fans made them see us as real, live human beings, not some robot in a striped shirt with a whistle hanging around his neck.

very true. and true for the athletes as well

 

[campbest]

Refs and fans have completely different objectives and perspectives when it comes to a basketball game, especially when you add the emotional component of being a parent and watching your kid compete. That's the basic foundation of the problem, which will never be solved.

 

[AdaSooner]

Refs and fans have completely different objectives and perspectives when it comes to a basketball game, especially when you add the emotional component of being a parent and watching your kid compete. That's the basic foundation of the problem, which will never be solved.

Absolutely true! Parents put more pressure on their kids than they realize. They can also be a source of embarrassment for their kids. I have heard players mumble half under their breath, "I wish you would shut up!"

I have been in the stands as a parent myself. It wasn't easy to sit there quietly as an innocent observer when I saw an official blow a call, or fail to blow his whistle when a violation occurred. So, I get where Travis Ford was coming from. He just needs to grow up and learn to keep his mouth shut.

I still remember the time he was caught on camera booing an official's call two or three years ago. I have tried unsuccessfully to find the video clip online a number of times, mainly because I had never seen a head coach do that before. I was watching the game. He had both hands cupped over his mouth, booing the official. I was surprised he didn't get a T. Maybe the officials didn't see or hear him, but anyone watching the game that night sure did.

 

[Max Power]

Absolutely true! Parents put more pressure on their kids than they realize. They can also be a source of embarrassment for their kids. I have heard players mumble half under their breath, "I wish you would shut up!"

I have been in the stands as a parent myself. It wasn't easy to sit there quietly as an innocent observer when I saw an official blow a call, or fail to blow his whistle when a violation occurred. So, I get where Travis Ford was coming from. He just needs to grow up and learn to keep his mouth shut.

I still remember the time he was caught on camera booing an official's call two or three years ago. I have tried unsuccessfully to find the video clip online a number of times, mainly because I had never seen a head coach do that before. I was watching the game. He had both hands cupped over his mouth, booing the official. I was surprised he didn't get a T. Maybe the officials didn't see or hear him, but anyone watching the game that night sure did.

It was during the OSU game vs Kansas in GIA in February 2013. I'm sure video of it exists somewhere

 

[SoonerBounce13]

It was during the OSU game vs Kansas in GIA in February 2013. I'm sure video of it exists somewhere

didn't he also yell "block out" right when one of our players was shooting a free throw too? like right at the point of release

 

[chuckb]

I never said that and I never mentioned junior high school. I don't want fans doing that but I also don't think an official should start ejecting fans the first time he or she hears profanity. I would just take a softer approach to controlling a crowd, I think. With that said, I have never officiated and I might quickly learn my idea wouldn't remotely work.

I agree that this is the right approach. If a fan gets out of control, the ref should probably ask a school administrator or police officer to handle it so they don't have to. If a ref engages a fan, things are just likely to escalate. Nothing good comes from that.

 

[AdaSooner]

I agree that this is the right approach. If a fan gets out of control, the ref should probably ask a school administrator or police officer to handle it so they don't have to. If a ref engages a fan, things are just likely to escalate. Nothing good comes from that.

When I was an official several years ago, that was the way it was supposed to be handled. I assume nothing has changed since then? But who knows how a thin-skinned official like the one who gave Ford the heave-ho might have handled it?

 

[AdaSooner]

It was during the OSU game vs Kansas in GIA in February 2013. I'm sure video of it exists somewhere

If you can find it, please post it on this thread. Despite what appears to be an overreaction on the official's part, posters need to know that Ford's behavior can be immature as well as annoying on occasion.

 

[NickZepp]

I've been reading old threads from 4 or 5 years ago because of another thread and several posters here said that Ford wouldn't last another year or two. OSU can't be dumb enough to keep him that much longer can they?

 

[DenverSooner]

I've been reading old threads from 4 or 5 years ago because of another thread and several posters here said that Ford wouldn't last another year or two. OSU can't be dumb enough to keep him that much longer can they?

Let's hope they do.