This is not a case of someone yelling from the stands, or even making a threat during or after the game. The guy went down to the officials locker room looking for trouble and then proceeded to attack one of the officials!
I am a basketball official for high school and lower-level college and I have seen my share of idiots like this. Fortunately I have never had anyone attack me (although I have several times had threats made — i.e. "See you in the parking lot").
This has to come to an end... It's totally absurd what officials put up with on a regular basis. Without the support of the school or the state governing association, you are going to see a lot of officials walk.
Please contact the IHSAA and tell them to ban this guy!!! He has no place in high school sports. It's for the kids — not him!
I do not condone violence against referees at any level for any reason. I hope some of the referees do walk and maybe this will clean out the dead wood that needs to be gone!Oklahoma has more than its share of lousy officials and the OSSAA (Oklahoma Secondary School Athletic Association) will not take action to get rid of them.
The gretest compliment a referee can receive after a game is for the fans to say...."Gee, who were those guys?" Unfortunately many refs feel they are the show and should be the center of attention, not the kids and the game.
As a friend told me one time...."All basketball referees are bad, some are just worse"
regards - red
His organization does not have the authority to ban fans from games, but he has received at least 10 telephone calls from the management of local schools that have taken that action this season, he said.
If the IHSAA does not have the authority to ban this dangerous fool from the play offs it is incumbent on the hosting schools to ban this idiot.
If he is not banned the referees should make it clear that there will be not referees on the floor at these games.