Referees wearing earrings

[Simon Thomas]

Thanks Simon. I spent seconds thinking up that joke.

..................

Dickhead!

Sorry Level 5 dickhead - to give him his official title.

Is that a North Group L5 dickhead LLP ?

Please tip me a wink when he is coming down on his South East and South West exchanges ;-)

 

[Simon Thomas]

Yes, of course. They are throwing their bodies around in contact... I, most definitely, am not.

(Other things i wear which players don't = a sports bra and the occasional lick of make-up) :biggrin:
And in local society games a heart-rate monitor/GPS... God forbid someone should pull that and "twang" it... could cause a minor boob injury.

lick of make-up, you don't need that yet !

elastic band twanging fair game target though - BFG you been reading this ?

 

[SimonSmith]

well no my view is almost the exact opposite : it's "if no one else on the pitch is allowed to wear it, then the referee shouldn't wear it either "

You are making a moral assertion with neither law or actual data top validate it.

I have a fairly good female referee in my society. She likes to be well presented at the game while not drawing attention to herself. She sometimes wears stud earrings, and I have yet to hear a murmur from anyone about them. In all my years of refereeing - just over 20 - I have never had head or ear contact with a player. I don't think I'm unique. Can you tell me if it's OK for her to wear a hair band to keep her long hair in place? If you're being consistent, then the answer is no.

By your standard, I should be making sure that any Christian wearing a cross around his/her neck should have it removed. Whilst not a believer, I would oppose that kind of restriction wholeheartedly.

I have circulation issues with my hands in very cold weather. By your argument, I can't wear full gloves. That deprives the teams in my area of a referee, in an era where, in contrast to Hampshire, we are resource constrained.

I wear a CGM in my belly, and carry the receiver in an arm strap. I also carry my radio kit there. Is your serious argument that it's OK to carry the radio there and not the CGM? By the logic of your argument, that is what you are saying. But if the radio kit is on, that's the risk element present, not the CGM.

I'm trying to create a welcoming environment for referees. I don't think your stance is that.

Now, you're going to look at my list and say (for example) that the CGM is OK. If that's the case, then the debate is about where the line should be drawn, and the not the absolute nature of the line that you're proposing

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Is that a North Group L5 dickhead LLP ?

Please tip me a wink when he is coming down on his South East and South West exchanges ;-)

Indeed.

I will.

 

[crossref]

It's not a moral assertion , it's just my view of what is best practice

Generally speaking I do think that if it's an item that you would demand that a player removes, then best practice is not to wear the item yourself .

I don't really understand why that's so controversial. It seems more like common sense

It's best practice not definitive .. of course wear your gloves or CGM for medical reasons (but in fact .. surely you would let a player wear the same things for the same reasons , wouldn't you, if so it's not even against my policy )

I agree let's not go through your list item by item , but just to choose one ..would you really as a referee require a player to remove a crucifix ... while yourself wearing a crucifix ? Surely not

 

[VM75]

....... In fact, I've had more comments about my painted toenails from the other match officials than i have about earrings ;-)

Then it's time you stopped wearing open toed sandals & started wearing boots like everyone else !

 

[andyscott]

No one outside of the refereeing world gives a monkeys toss how you look.

Andy, I wish that were true. Image is still part of the projection but secondary to comportment.

Tee shirt, Bermudas and bare feet display a lack of respect not so much to the game but to the players. Sweats and a woolly hat on a cold day are fine by me.

Now, I haven't seen the old bloke with a pipe for many a year.

Sorry thats bollocks.

Turn up to a 7s Fijian tournament all in shorts, sunglasses and flip flops and all is normal. Turn up in a blazer you look like a dick.

Everyone at the community game bleats on abut blazer and chinos.

Panel - Softshell and trousers, so some would say thats scruffy.

 

[crossref]

Sorry thats bollocks.

Turn up to a 7s Fijian tournament all in shorts, sunglasses and flip flops and all is normal. Turn up in a blazer you look like a dick.

Everyone at the community game bleats on abut blazer and chinos.

Panel - Softshell and trousers, so some would say thats scruffy.

But all the examples you give demonstrate that people DO care how you dress.

(and I would totally dress differently for a Fijian 7s than for Old Fartonians in England, playing in a cup final)

 

[andyscott]

But all the examples you give demonstrate that people DO care how you dress.

(and I would totally dress differently for a Fijian 7s than for Old Fartonians in England, playing in a cup final)

People care of course but they shouldn't

Most people don't bat an eyelid, just the odd knob head.

Players really don't care, they just care about accuracy

 

[SimonSmith]

It's not a moral assertion , it's just my view of what is best practice

Generally speaking I do think that if it's an item that you would demand that a player removes, then best practice is not to wear the item yourself .

OK, but

I don't really understand why that's so controversial. It seems more like common sense

I don't think it is.

It's best practice not definitive .. of course wear your gloves or CGM for medical reasons (but in fact .. surely you would let a player wear the same things for the same reasons , wouldn't you, if so it's not even against my policy )

The law is specific about the kinds of gloves that players may wear and full length is out.

I agree let's not go through your list item by item , but just to choose one ..would you really as a referee require a player to remove a crucifix ... while yourself wearing a crucifix ? Surely not

Would I make a player remove a necklace? Absolutely. A referee? Absolutely not. Why?

if you want to put these things in place, you have to articulate why it's a good idea. A simple assertion of "best practice" won't cut it, especially when I can present a compelling argument that it isn't. Your hat, my friend, is on a shoogly peg

 

[crossref]

if you want to put these things in place, you have to articulate why it's a good idea. A simple assertion of "best practice" won't cut it, especially when I can present a compelling argument that it isn't. Your hat, my friend, is on a shoogly peg

I think I explained why, in my first post
1 if it's an item that you are making the player remove on grounds of safety .. for example because it's sharp .. then referees should also remove it on grounds of safety (yes of course a sharp item carried by a ref is not as much risk as when carried by a player, but it's still a risk and the referee is the person on the pitch actually responsible for safety ! )

2 if it's an item you are making a player remove because it's illegal .. like leggings ... then I simply think it is respectful to the game and the players for the ref to also take off his own leggings

That's why I think it's best practice

Of course there can be exceptions , both for ref and for the players .. I'd try and let the player wear your gloves

and if you do ref in leggings (for example) then of course the world won't end

 

[Paule23]

I think this might be (another!) of those areas where some people will have to agree to disagree.

My view is a referee is NOT a player, and also not bound by the laws that apply to a player. We can (and do) wear a watch, sometimes I am mic'd up so my assessor can hear my appalling communication skills. That establishes referees wear and use items prohibited for players.

I understand the respect argument, one of the reasons I don't wear leggings in cold weather as players cannot, however I have no problem with other referees wearing leggings. I have no problem with referees wearing gloves or jewellery. I think there is a line (no Mr.T chains for example) but laws for players are there for safety reasons, referees are not (or should not!) be in contact with other players so the same safety arguments do not apply. Unless there is a compelling argument for safety for referee earrings, wedding rings etc then I don't see any problem with this.

And note I say compelling, of course there is a very low risk a referee may get caught in a tackle situation, knocked by a player etc., which is why I would say Pat Butchers are out, but studs? Yes there is a minuscule change they get caught by a passing player, and I know some would say why even run that risk. But that same risk applies to my watch, applies to my mic and the transmitter (a player could fall, hit their head on my transmitter and get knocked out, but we still allow them).

Let's just be sensible here.

 

[ChrisR]

Sorry thats bollocks.

Turn up to a 7s Fijian tournament all in shorts, sunglasses and flip flops and all is normal. Turn up in a blazer you look like a dick.

Everyone at the community game bleats on abut blazer and chinos.

Panel - Softshell and trousers, so some would say thats scruffy.

I agree with your point about location but are we talking about the same thing? I'm talking about referees, not spectators or club officials.

I've attended youth tourneys and been pressed into service with T-shirt, shorts and bare feet. Not an issue. But for a scheduled club match I'd expect something more.

Sweats, gloves, hats? Suit to the weather. I wear a bandanna on my head in sunny weather.

 

[Rushforth]

refs have to have a whistle, obviously, but you surely wouldn't carry a whistle with a sharp edge.

Please reread my post #6. It was an Acme Thunderer and no player contact was involved. Metal whistles have sharpish edges. This helps the tone and volume, compared to plastic.

 

[Not Kurt Weaver]

FWIW, in 04 I was expected to be clean shaven, black shorts (never white), black socks, use pocket for pen and card (not socks), polished boots. Shirt contrasting and tucked, no way to showing undergarment or compressions shorts. Whistle lanyard never dangling.

I don't think we even thought of wearing jewelery, hats, or gloves.

This standard occurred before I was given a society shirt and shorts after 3 active seasons.

 

[Phil E]

White Laces....

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

White Laces....

Ironed...

 

[Paule23]

FWIW, in 04 I was expected to be clean shaven, black shorts (never white), black socks, use pocket for pen and card (not socks), polished boots. Shirt contrasting and tucked, no way to showing undergarment or compressions shorts. Whistle lanyard never dangling.

I don't think we even thought of wearing jewelery, hats, or gloves.

This standard occurred before I was given a society shirt and shorts after 3 active seasons.

Polished boots? Mine never get the mud brushed off never mind a bloomin' polish.

i do have some nice new Puma Kings now though so maybe time to break out the dubbin.

 

[Not Kurt Weaver]

White Laces....

Please explain

Do you mean shoe laces or do you mean lace like lingerie lace? or something else

 

[Lee Lifeson-Peart]

Simon Thomas had to brasso his aglets....