One thing that I have been thinking about is rhetoric when it comes to sports. A ref or an official gets to make the calls whether or not things were legal or any fouls were made. They get the final say as to what is going on. So, when bad calls are made, what is the point of arguing with a ref? Too many times when watching a football game or any other sport and you see a ref make a call, you will always find someone who wants to argue with him. No mater if the ref is right or wrong, he gets to make the call and it is pretty hard to overturn that call.
Now before we had playback and reviews, we never questioned the referees and their calls. Even when we did question them, it is not like they were going to change their mind. So what is the point of having people get kicked out of games for arguing with referees who won't change their mind? Why put in all the work, when deep down you know they are not going to change the call?
Last week I saw 3 men get kicked out of a water polo game because they believe the ref made a bad call. They were trying so hard to persuade the ref that they did not deserve that call and were trying so hard to get him to change their minds. Too many times though, when you see people arguing with ref's, they are fighting and not arguing. When that happens, of course the refs are going to get angry and warn them and what not and possibly going to kick them out of the game too. So why do we do it when we know what the outcome is going to be? Can a referee really be persuaded?
5 comments:
I feel that if a referee is a pushover they might be persuaded. Although I don't know much about referees, I would assume that they would go through a training process and be the type of person who wouldn't back down, based on the job description. They are probably prepared to deal with players who will argue with them. I think that if the players agreed with the call (even if they didn't think it was right) that in the future if they had a question and posed it the right way the refree may take them more seriously and actually listen.
I definitely feel that when a ref makes a bad call they are fighting and not arguing. Our book says that a fight is over something that can't be resolved and that's exactly what a fight with a ref is. The amount of times that a ref overturns a call is very few, so to me that's proof that this isn't an argument at all.
Good point... Refs always seem to have the upper hand and sometimes I do feel that it is unfair. The question at hand is just like the lolly pop commercial "How many Licks to the center of a tootsie pop?" I am not sure either question can be answered. I suppose in sports, well in sports today, players get out of hand when trying to make a point, they are not just questioning a call they are trying to be "better" than the ref, they are famous, well paid, and to them the best thing ever, so in their eyes what they say should go. Sometimes I don't think they take the time to see through the refs eyes. I mean yes there are times when a ref is wrong, but a better approach than arguing or trying to be up show the ref, would be to use kinder words and gestures. You can read a persons face before you hear what they have to say, and well if your face says anger and hostility, then the ref has the choice to give that attitude back and make what ever call he feels in necessary. Arguing is the way to go, not fighting. You must see and understand where the opposite side is coming from, not just your own.
I completely agree with you in that arguing with a ref is actually fighting and not what we've learned to be arguing. In the case of sports, I don't see how an athlete and a ref can be working toward a common goal, and that is what we defined as an argument. Both side is holding on to what they believe is truth and if you toss in some loud voices and name calling, it just makes the situation less able to persuade. It seems that the adrenaline of the sports can get in the way of the thought of persuading a ref to see the athlete's side.
Well, the referee position is a paid position and the origin of the original referee scandal is that the penguins can be bribed with cold hard cash. In present day terms this would be known as VEGAS ODDS BABY!!!!!! You can persuade a ref to make a better call in your favor later in the game if you show you "respectfully" disagree with whatever verbal/nonverbal signage that you want. Its all fair game
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