What a night!

Last night I white hatted a Jr. Varsity game between to local "power house" schools. The game went great for most of the night. We had three seasoned officials and one that was still a little green. Our crew's first stumble was when the home team was stopped short of the goal line. One of my linesmen signaled appropriately and the other gave the touchdown signal. Upon discussion with both officials it was agreed that the team was indeed short of the goal. The home team coaches went ballistic, but his team scored on the next attempt. I told my green official to explain to him why he had touchdown and why the other official had the runner short of the goal. Basically the explanation should have been "I screwed up" because he didn't see the runner actually cross the goal, he just assumed from the push that the player crossed the goal. The official on the other side actually saw the knee come down before the ball crossed the goal.

The next mistake came in the closing minutes of the ball game when, as a crew we didn't agree on what the down should be. The umpire and I had 4th down and we stopped the clock for change of possession. The two wing guys had 3rd down and tried to keep the clock going. The visiting team coach came running out on the field and began to raise a fit. It was a moment of chaos that I wished would not have happened. When the visiting team coach came out on the field the home team coach want me to flag him and back the team up, which I could have back him up 15 for unsportsmanlike conduct and 5 for delay of game. I chose not the throw the flag since it was our crew that had things screwed up. It was one of those nights that had me asking myself why do I put myself through all of this. The answer I steal from a movie with the same title, "I do it for the love of the game". So I will lick my wounds and jump back in there Thursday night!