I officiated (chain gang) at a (Little League) Pop Warner football game yesterday afternoon between the Merritt Island Mustangs and the Daytona Buccaneers. Now these kids are 8, 9, 10 and 11.
The preceeding game had ended in a 6-6 tie in regulation with a different officiating crew. Overtime places the ball on the 10 yd line and gives each team four attempts to get 'er done. Whomever is ahead at the end of Overtime (as many as needed) is declared the winner.
Daytona's first overtime attempts failed. Merritt Island's fourth down attempt in the first overtime was fumbled at the goal line, recovered by Merritt Island, and the officials indicated touchdown. Merritt Island wins a close one and remains undefeated.
But wait a minute! The coaches for Daytona are livid and charge the field shoving the officials screaming that by rule "you can't advance a fumble", which is true and the Head Official tells them it was a score by being on the goal line when it was fumbled...the ball broke the plane of the goal - touchdown.
Well, that just didn't satisfy the Daytona coaches and they incited their team and fans into a colorful language and gestured frenzy. They shove the Refs, pushed them around with their bodies, screamed at them face to face, and basically threatened them. They took the field in protest - directed their kids not to leave the field and to sit down at midfield - and refused to allow the continuation of play (next game). When given 10 minutes to clear the field or FORFIT the remaining three Daytona games of League play that day they were indignant and refused to leave immediately. The Sheriff was called and grudgingly they left the field, but not the area.
As I officiated the follow-on game on their sideline, my ears were burning with the words, accusations, and threats being issued mostly by the MOTHERS, and coaches, and a lot of the "grown-ups" on that side of the field. The chain gang crew reported its "concerns" to the League Officials at halftime (mostly subsided my then), but that first quarter was a real blistering with no one watching our backs.
What a fiasco. What a way to teach boys and girls POOR Sportsmenship.
I have to report that the Daytona players were well manored and behaved sportsman-like to their credit.
