Football: Refs officially blew Temple City-Arcadia game
Plain and simple, the officials blew it.
That was the conclusion the San Gabriel Valley Football Officials Association came to after a nearly two-hour- long special meeting Tuesday night.
Joe Conte, the association's liaison to the CIF-Southern Section, met with the officiating crew working last week's Temple City-Arcadia game, which ended in a 28-28 tie after the crew refused to stay for overtime.
Temple City coach Anthony White and Arcadia's Jon Dimalante agreed to play overtime. Officials, however, informed both coaches they were not going to stay and proceeded to jog off the field, much to the dismay of a disappointed crowd that booed the officiating crew.
White said he heard one of the officials make a statement about overtime pay. Dimalante didn't recall that, but was disappointed with how the situation was handled.
Conte said he asked each member of the five-member crew if anyone mentioned anything about overtime pay.
The first four officials answered "no," but the fifth official - the official working the Temple City sideline - stood up, looked straight at Conte and said he indeed made the statement. Conte said the exact quote was: "You just can't pay me enough to work overtime."
"I looked at them and they were astounded, because they had no idea that a statement was made across the field," Conte said.
CLICK ON THREAD TO CONTINUE READING
Last week, umpire Darren Winkley, one of five officials who worked the Temple City-Arcadia game, told the Los Angeles Times that none of the officials made a comment about overtime pay and that it was the crew's policy not allow overtime before league games.
"The statement that Darren Winkley said was absolutely wrong," Conte added. "That we don't do overtime in nonleague games is wrong, and that statement turned out to be totally false because someone in fact did make such a statement."
Conte said the official went to retrieve the clips from the chain crew when someone asked him about an overtime period. That's when he made the controversial statement.
"He doesn't even know how he responded to it because it was a statement made as he walked away," Conte said.
More to the point, the officials had a lapse in judgement by not staying for an overtime period despite both coaches agreeing to it.
"The officials just made a bad decision," Conte said. "There was a miscommunication between the schools and officials.
"The school should have told them (the officials) before the game, halftime or in the third quarter, and it was never asked."
Regardless, Conte said the crew should have stayed for overtime.
"Yes," Conte said, "and that's in the bluebook - if both coaches agree to overtime. If one coach says yes, one coach says no, you don't play overtime. It has to be a mutual consent by both coaches.
"It was their (the officials') impression we don't do overtime, but it was a mistake on the officials' part. I don't know where they got that we don't do overtimes, because there must have been six overtimes (last) weekend."
Conte said the association will send a letter of apology to Temple City's and Arcadia's administrators. He spoke with both schools' athletic directors and added that none of the five officials will work a Temple City or Arcadia game the rest of the year and possibly into next year, too.
The officials have assignments this week, but Conte said further repercussions may come when the eight-member board meets Tuesday.
"The unit will have further action on this, which I have nothing to do with," Conte said. "I can't begin to tell you what, and I don't want to jump to a conclusion until the process goes through."
Conte, whose association oversees 49 schools in 17 sports, has been at the helm since 1975. He said it will take a long time before the association can recover from this setback.
"We're in the process of damage control right now," he said. "It was a mistake that was made - no malice, no bad intention.
"It'll take years to get over this, and it will hang with our unit for years and years and years."
miguel.melendez@sgvn.com
6 Comments
Leave a comment
About this blog
 |
|
Melendez worked as a correspondent for the San Gabriel Valley Tribune for three years and later landed a job as a freelance writer at the Los Angeles Times before accepting an offer at The Orange County Register covering high schools. Melendez covered Major League Soccer at The Register for three years before being promoted to report on the Lakers, Angels and Dodgers for the Web. Melendez also worked for the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Fresno Bee, Oakland Tribune and The Boston Globe. E-mail opinions, suggestions and tips to miguel.melendez@sgvn.com. |
This is the NEW CIF rule for 2009 1-2-3g; 9-8-3: A restricted area has been defined where a maximum of three coaches may communicate with players and substitutes during dead-ball situations. The coaches must move into the team box before the ball becomes live. There will no longer be an allowance for three coaches to remain in an area adjacent to the sideline during play.THIS IS FROM THE 2009 RULE BOOK. THE OFFICIAL WAS RIGHT.THE RULE WAS CHANGED THIS YEAR. THAT MEANS WHEN THE BALL IS SNAPPED ALL COACHES MUST!!!! GET BACK 5 YARDS PASS THE LINE.
T you and your reliable source are morons! You don't know what you are talking about! The official on the Temple City sideline was a tool who wanted everyone back behind the second line marker - the one at 5 yards vs. the one at 3 yards. CIF rules allow for 3 coaches to occupy the box! This tool thought it was his personal lane and wanted everyone behind the 5 yard marker so that he could limp on through. The only reason why he didnt throw a flag was because TC never had more that 3 in the box!
Its something small but important in this giant mess. Ive been told by reliable sources, that Temple City's sideline was very difficult to work for the linesman and that TC repeatedly violated sideline guidelines. The official working that sideline according to sources, agonized over whether he should or should not throw a flag on them late in the game (sideline violation flag is best thrown in the first half). He should of thrown the flag and got the sideline problem taken care of. He's trying to be a "good guy" and not interfere with this type of penalty in a hotly contested game and instead it came out in a poorly timed, off the cuff comment.
T
One of the positive memories and class act move from the game was the move made by Coach D of Arcadia - to make Backus honorary Apache head coach that evening. If you are ever wondering which coach out there is Backus, look for the trademark clipboard stuffed down the back of his pants, obscuring his plumber's crack or possibly a tramp stamp he got way back when....? I ain't even goin there.
In the corner end zone observing were former Backus TC staffers Loya, Valdes...along with Supelveda and a slew of former Rams from years past. Miguel stopped by to shake Loya's hand. Across the way, the TC crowd was definitely larger than the home field contingent on the Arcadia side, louder too.
Maybe next year they will let people in early enough to get a Tri-tip sandwich before kickoff, I waited in line but got 2 people from the window - when I had to bail for kickoff, same story happened at half. I think it is great the match -up has come back on the local scene.
I heard Joe Conte, the god father of the SGV association, is a man of honor from a co worker of mine who is ref and has known him for 25 years. I am glad he stepped up to the plate about this situation. It's over now. Nothing we can do now to bring back the moment. Forgive and forget and let's hope it doesn't happen again. It's time to move on.
Love it. This needs to set the standard for all refs across the board. Do your job because you love it.