Earlier this year, a local high school official was suspended after a game between Benton and North DeSoto. The explanation was that the official was "out of position", yet witnesses at the game have said they believe the suspension was "deeper" than that.

There are always complaints about officials at nearly every level of sports, in nearly every sport. Pro tennis, college basketball, the NFL, high school basketball, the PGA, rec league hockey, and especially high school football. Being an official is NOT EASY. Rarely do fans praise great officiating, you don't hear a lot of coaches getting fines for being too happy with officials at a press conference.

It's a tough job, and I have a ton of respect for officials who go out there, and do their best to make the right calls.

But occasionally, you run across a game, or sporting contest, where you can see the officials have decided that they want to inject themselves into the contest. We saw it earlier this year when a sensitive tennis official became the unfortunate star of the US Open when he came for Serena Williams.

Last night, we saw another high school official directly influence a football game in our area.

Last night Loyola was taking on North Webster, and the officials took it upon themselves to throw multiple questionable flags, eject players, and even call the cops. No joke. The whole thing was documented by Loyola's online broadcast. We can start at this first targeting call (2 hour 9 min mark):

That first call could have easily been considered an isolated call, and just a hiccup on the game. Even though it was a targeting call on a 125 pound freshman.

But now try to follow along with this ejection, which apparently takes place before the ball is even snapped, then the play is allowed to go, then the player is tossed, but there's no penalty yardage either (2 hour 17 min mark)...

Now I really don't even know how to describe this series, there's one play, then about 60 yards in penalties. This goes on for over 5 minutes (2 hour 43 min mark).

Oh, and the police? Here's where he decides it time to call the police in against someone on the sidelines (1 hour 38 min mark)...

I feel so bad for all the players on the field, the parents, and the coaches in this one. Because the players on the field were playing their hearts out, and the losing team will always wonder what would have happened with different officials, and the winning team will always have the "yeah, but the officials were so bad' looming over them.

 

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