The Power of the Whistle
For the past couple of weeks, I’ve been watching the NFL and NBA to no end, and I love it. But there is something that I’ve seen that’s becoming a bother to me, fans, and players alike: the referees. Yes, their job is most important on the court or field, they can determine the outcome of a game with just one whistle. So, how did we get here?
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Referees are known as the head o/icials to ensure the game is fair, professional, and legal. According to Skillshark.com,” A referee is responsible for the management of the sporting event; they hold the key to the game's outcome.”Meaning they hold players and coaches alike accountable for their actions. All it takes is a blow from their whistle. How powerful is that? To know that you, the referee, can determine the outcome of a game
seems like a major responsibility. When a referee’s decision improperly determines an outcome, is it fair or manipulation? Between gambling and revenue streams, the outcome is closely looked at or frowned upon when it doesn’t go a certain way. I would loathe to discover that refs are assisting on bets to cover the spread or not, being as though their professionalism and expertise are what players, coaches, and fans rely on
for a complete and honest game. Most of the refs in the NBA are African American men who have either played, coached, or had professional knowledge of the game. So the burning question is, where is the disconnect? For a black man who makes on average $150,000-400,000 a year, who has the power over an entire game based on players who make millions of dollars, their actions may tend to go overboard. It’s like the kid you picked on in school turned out to be a cop, and they pull you over just because they can. There’s a power dynamic that forces referees to show who oversees the game, whether they’re right or wrong.
Cause of Mistakes
To be clear, referees are human beings. They’re not machines that have all the right answers or a computer that can analyze quickly and accurately. So, it’s natural they make a few human errors every once in a blue moon. Say the refs called a travel on an NBA game in the fourth quarter, with less than a minute left in regulation. Fans and coaches alike are in an uproar as they look up at the jumbotron and CLEARLY see that it was a simple euro-step! That’s another debate for another day. Refs are the first ones to call themselves out when they’ve made a mistake or unclear call. There’s also, and again, this is just an observation of mine, that there are referees out there who are biased
toward certain players or teams. Take the Kansas City Chiefs and their amazing record this year. If I’m being totally honest, half of those wins were by luck or “luck-of-the-ref.” There have been a few blocked field goals this year, most of any NFL season, which will always leave a sour taste in the mouth. Do the referees feel they are responsible for ensuring popular teams win? What would have been the talk for the week if the Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Las Vegas Raiders, who were 2-5 at the time? Or is it simply a lack of training? I’m not sure of the stipulations of what and how the referees train for professional games, but there seems to be a slight slump in awareness and protocol.
Impact of the Game
As I notice the power struggle during games, I look closely at the game's impact. I watched how the fans burst into outrage and harsh hostility toward the refs and the opposing team. This, at times, can cause heated arguments, fights, and even riots. Who could’ve thought so many negative e/ects would result from a bad call from the refs, whether intentional or not? Let’s not forget the players themselves and how it impacts their style of play. I’ll give you two examples from each league. For the NBA, Draymond Green is the poster child for technical fouls and ejections. It wasn’t until last season when it went too far, and he was suspended for over 20 games. Now, most of those techs and ejections were warranted, but some weren’t. This season, Draymond seems like his old self, without the techs, with hard plays and fewer fouls. He still tends to be a hothead at moments, and I respect that he remains true. Recently, in the NFL, Houston Texans Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended for three games after an unsportsmanlike contact hit on Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence. In this instance, the refs acted by deliberating the action and deemed it worthy of an ejection. A few days later, the league enforced a three-game suspension. In this case, the ref’s impact on the game was meaningful and possibly a teaching moment for the league.
A Path Forward
The NBA and NFL must continue to invest in measures to regulate bias and improve consistency. Proper, e/icient, and logical training for o/icials, while also relying on technology for reviewing decisions and greater accountability through public o/iciating reports, are steps in the right direction.
At the same time, fans and analysts must acknowledge that referees, like players, are humans who make mistakes. The push for perfection must be tempered with the understanding that human error will always play a role in o/iciating. In the end, the goal should not be to eliminate people refereeing but to ensure that it complements rather than subtracts from the beauty of the game. Until then, the conversation about power dynamics, bias, and fairness in o/iciating will remain an enduring subplot in the story of sports.
