Jim Saddler, great guy
Posted on 10/20/2017 6:39:28 PM PDT by markomalley
An Air Force One veteran turned Indiana high school referee was slammed with an 18-month suspension for choosing to walk out of a game he was refereeing after he saw an athlete kneeling during the National Anthem.
Jim Saddler, 67, said he couldn’t help himself when he saw a volleyball player taking a knee during the “Star Spangled Banner.”
He said that he was barely able to contain his anger when he saw fans “sitting on their butts” during the anthem, but seeing an athlete kneeling was what pushed him over the edge.
“What they did just upset me so badly that I just could not stay there,” Saddler told IndyStar.
He added that, in hindsight, he regrets the decision, because as a military veteran, he knew that he had a duty as a referee and did not live up to his commitment.
“In the Air Force, you have a duty, and you do it,” Saddler, a retired Presidential Flight Attendant on Air Force One, said. “The same with sporting events. I guess I went AWOL. I feel bad about it.”
He also said that, after much thought, it was the athlete’s “constitutional right to do what she wants to do,” regardless if it offended or upset him.
”(But) I know it’s her constitutional right to do what she wants to do,” said Saddler. “And it wasn’t fair to the other girls who were standing and respecting the flag. After I thought about it, you know, sometimes it takes you a little time to sit down and think about stuff and what you did. And after I thought about it, I would never ever do that again. I would never break a contract.”
A few days after the incident, Saddler received a letter from the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) suspending his license for the rest of this school year and until winter sports begin next year.
He said he expected to be reprimanded or maybe suspended for a couple games, but getting suspended for a year-and-a-half seemed excessive to him.
Saddler told IndyStar that he’s never been in trouble with the IHSAA before and considers himself a well-respected official in Indiana, an account the North Central Athletic Director Paul Loggan confirmed as true:
“He’s a very well-respected official and man,” said Loggan. “He’s been a volleyball official here and a softball official here, and we’ve never had any issues with him.”
Saddler petitioned the IHSAA commissioner, explaining why he did what he did and promising never to do anything like it again.
“But it fell on deaf ears,” he said.
"I don't think the IHSAA (cared) about what I said or what I did or that I said I wouldn't do it again," Saddler said. “Here I am a retired veteran, you have to see my point of view of what I did. Right?"
His suspension stands because, according to the IHSAA, his license is “a privilege and not a right” and he violated his contract.
So people have ‘the right’ to kneel but this man does not have ‘the right’ to walk away?? Professional ‘athletes’ are paid and thus should be required to adhere to employer policies. While HS students are not paid, I presume the school and athletic events are supported by taxpayer dollars. Would hope majority of taxpayers in that area support the National Anthem and do not condone kneeling. Hope veteran gets a good lawyer!
Nice find.
This man will find his way - via google - to this thread and will be reading our comments.
To him I say:
Sir, thank you for your service to your country and your love and respect for our National Anthem and Stars & Bars.
You have the right to free speech and to object to offensive behavior.
You have our respect and prayers.
God bless you and the USA!
I say, “Yea, Jim Sadler!”
A true Patriot.
This guy is an idiot. He makes a decision and then spends the whole article apologizing for it and reverting to the old “it’s her constitutional right” bs. Same logic, isn’t it a HS valedictorian’s right to thank God or to,say a prayer? The guy is a complete tool.
Jim Saddler, great guy
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| "I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense." |
I ref high school volleyball in Texas. A fellow referee encountered this same situation. He stayed to ref the match, and then called the assigner and told her he would not ref any further matches involving the school.
That’s the correct way to deal with this situation.
That said, I think the guy has a viable claim against the state association for the ban; and especially the length of it. He is being deprived of his right to earn a living.
The guy apologized and stated it would not happen again. That is sufficient.
Somethings are just more important than games
>> His suspension stands because, according to the IHSAA, his license is “a privilege and not a right” and he violated his contract.
If the parents fail to rally in support of the ref, then the pathetic league doesn’t deserve the ref.
IHSAA should be crowd-shamed.
>> That’s the correct way to deal with this situation.
Too bad we didn’t all hear about the ‘correct’ way.
FWIW, I agree with him. This sh*t has got to stop.
Are there any lawyers here on FR that can answer a question?
The question being...
If someone pays to go to a Broadway show (as an example), and the show people go into tangents with political rhetoric...
Can’t the show goers sue the producers and actors and theater owners for fraud? IOW, the people who paid, say, $50-$200 to see the show, were not expecting to see something which offended them and which was entirely unexpected and not advertised? People didn’t pay good money to see something that they had no idea was going to be “part of the show”.
Same with football or any other sport where people paid good money to be “entertained” and not offended.
So, can the fans that attend stadiums to see their favorite teams and favorite athletes, sue for the extracurricular “activity” which many may be offended by, such as “kneeling” when the National Anthem plays and the flag is brought out for the fans to face and salute?
Free speech is one thing, having to pay for a “part of the show” which is deemed offensive and unexpected and which was not advertised as part of the show, is something entirely different.
Anybody got the answer? Anybody? Buehler? Buehler?
“... it was the athlete’s “constitutional right to do what she wants to do,” regardless if it offended or upset him.”
Wait a minute: “ isn’t it also your constitutional right to disagree?”
I can respect this man for what he believes, but if I was in charge of the high school athletic association I’d suspend him for 18 years. As an official you don’t walk out on a game like that and ever expect to work again.
God bless him!
Free Speech for effing liberals but NOT for us. That's the lesson here.
Parents, don’t send your children to public schools. Either send them to a good private school, or homeschool them.
So the girl can protest but he can’t?
Sounds like what liberals call logic.
Anyway, Mr. Saddler... Freepers have your back. :) If you are not a member, please join us. We have a lot of fun here. :)
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