Cal.E.'s Korner

C.: (ring) Hi, d.c. I haven’t heard from you in a few days, so I thought I would give you a ring (hehehe)

d.: Is that because I asked you to write the blog solo…

no, by yourself, and you haven’t produced anything to talk about all week?

C.: Well……yes. And I see, since we are on facetime, that you have your thinking cap on,

d.: Yes I do, and, fortunately for  you, Cal.E., I do have something on my mind.

C.: Do tell.

d.: I was thinking about the sport Texas is famous for.

C.: I assume, since the World Cup is being played in town, you’re talking about football.

d.: Yes, but not the kind you are referring to. I’m talking about American football.

C.: Isn’t that out of season? I mean, it’s summer, so baseball season in in full swing…

d.: It is, and the Astros are doing better

(although they did lose today. Anyway, I’m thinking about the people who are called on to make decisions about whether someone did something illegal or not.

C.: Then, you’re referring to the officials.

d.: I am. I grew up in Mississippi, where I played football for six years. I always thought that Mississippians took the sport seriously…until I moved to Texas.

C.: Yes, there is a reason why there are so many professional football players who call Texas home. The sport seems to be taken to an extreme in this state.

d.: And at every level. I will admit that I’ve never attended a seven-on -seven game, which is what the skill position players participate in at this time, but I have attended quite a few high school football games. I believe I’ve seen games involving teams from every classification of high schools, and one thing stands out in my mind.

C.: Which is?

d.: Well, high school officials aren’t paid a lot, but the way the parents and other fans take the game so seriously may put their well-being (or even their lives, at times) in danger. Why would anyone expose themselves to that kind of scrutiny?

C.: d.c, I realize that there were only about three people on your high school football team, so the refs were probably parents of the players, right?

d.: It was a three A school, so there were more than 250 students at the high school, but, yes, some parents did officiate our games.

C.: And they always called the games fairly, even if their child or their child’s school was involved?

d.: Well…no. I’m sure that most of them did their best, but I think it should be outlawed to do this.

C.: Because they would call the game unfairly in favor of their child’s school?

d.: Not necessarily. When my sons were playing instructional league baseball, the parents would call the bases. I would usually call one of my sons out if he was loafing to first base to make him realize that it’s important to always try your best.

C.: And it was instructional league, so it had little bearing on anything important.

d.: Correct. But these officials at Texas High School football games are under a lot of pressure. They may call a game with several potential college players on the field. The scouts may be watching this game, and the coach and parents would get terribly upset if the referee made a mistake that may cost a player to be evaluated poorly.

C.: So, you’re saying that the officials are under almost as much pressure as the players and the coaches?

d.: Yes. I started out playing special teams. The referee would usually correct us, without penalty, if we lined up wrong. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that in a game in Texas.

C.: Because the parents from the other team would get upset and say the officials were cheating against their son (or daughter’s) team.

d.: Yes. I suppose the takeaway from this is, if you play or officiate football at any level in this state, you must be at your absolute best, because all eyes are on you.