TunneySide of Sports

On The TunneySide of Sports March 18, 2019 #735 …Has abuse gotten out of hand?

After further review… Regularly in the sports section of our local paper is the notice: “Officials needed.” Our local high school sports teams have difficulty scheduling games due to a lack of game officials. The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) reports this is a national trend. They reason that men and women are reluctant to step into that profession because of the abuse from parents, fans, coaches, and players. Certainly, game officials have the authority to control the players on the field/court, but that too has its limits.

NASO reported that in a recent wrestling match the referee issued two unsportsmanlike fouls on a wrestler, which, by state wrestling rules, disqualified him from the next scheduled match. Unfortunately, that next match was the state tournament. The wrestler’s parents took legal action. The judge assigned to this case ruled in favor of the wrestler, thereby overriding the referee’s decision. Where is this going? Referees are held accountable for their actions by the assigning authority! It is the opinion here that any overruling must lie solely within that body!

My experience in officiating football and basketball at the high school and college level is much different. My first experience was basketball in summer leagues and industrial-type where my pay was .90 cents per game. Then I moved to the high school level where the pay for football and basketball was $12.50 per game. I was thankful to get it. Abuse? Sure, there was some from coaches and fans – none from players – but it was mild compared to today’s level.

Is today’s abuse a carry-over from the lack of discipline and civility in our society? Lawlessness is evident in today’s society. Has this carried-over into our sports environment? Who do we hold responsible for this trend? Is it a breakdown at the home level? Is it a general lack of respect of authority? Ask the teachers in your kids’ schools how the change in society’s behavior has hindered their teaching.

Professional athletes can or should set the standard for behavior. Is that fair to them? Some say if you’re gonna take the money, you have a responsibility to set proper behavior standards, since young athletes will follow what they do and say. Many of our professional athletes accept that challenge. Yet many do not! Can coaches help? Further, should coaches’ behavior on the sideline be held accountable for showing proper respect for authority?

Will you log-in your thoughts about abuse of game officiating?

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 To contact Jim, go to JimTunney.com or email Jim@JimTunney.com. Jim’s books are full of inspiration and interesting stories. Please visit his online store to learn more. Be sure to get Jim’s book ‘Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ by clicking this link or using the email above to contact Jim directly. These TunneySides take issues from real-life situations and relate them as inspiration for the betterment of others. Jim is available for speaking engagements on leadership and T*E*A*M Building. His books are available for $20 which includes shipping and tax. The Tunney Bobblehead is available for $30. Please visit JimTunney.com. Thank you!

On The TunneySide of Sports March 4, 2019 #733 Up Next… Turning Pain to Fame!

After further review… When Tangie and Terry Griffin found out that she was pregnant with twin boys, they were excited. Tangie is a medical data (nurse) analyst, while Terry works as a truck operator. However, their exuberance was short-lived when they were told the ultrasound revealed a fibrous strand of the amniotic membrane had wrapped around one of the two babies left wrists. If left alone, it would keep his left hand from developing. The doctors said they could try to remove that band, but in doing so it might wrap around the neck of the twins.

The Griffins, with all the advice they could gather, decided not to try the operation. But then discussed “How do we deal with a son with a deformed left hand or no hand at all.” Indeed, during pregnancy, these are ominous decisions for parents. They decided to treat him no differently than any of their other children and “never let him consider that condition to be a hindrance.” On July 20, 1995 Shaquill Griffin was born followed 120 seconds later by his twin, Shaquem Griffin, their son with the amniotic band syndrome. That disorder affected his left finger/hand causing severe pain wherever it was touched.

The pain became so unbearable for young Shaquem that he attempted to cut off his hand with a kitchen knife only to be saved by his attentive mother. Surgical amputation, at the tender age of four, was the only answer. Even so as a youth, Shaquem was a determined and talented young athlete playing football alongside his twin brother, Shaquill. Shaquem excelled in baseball, track and football at Lakewood High School in St. Petersburg, Florida. Both boys had great high school stats and were offered football scholarships at University of Central Florida.

As a redshirt UCF freshman Shaquem fell below standards. However, Coach Scott Frost opened the door for Shaquem who, in his junior year, was the Atlantic Athletic Conference defensive player of the year as well as AAC All-Conference first-team in 2017. While his brother, Shaquill a year ahead, was drafted 90th by the Seattle Seahawks in the 2017 NFL draft, Shaquem spent his senior year at UCF. He was then drafted 141st by the Seahawks in 2018 signing a $2.8 million four-year contract. Both spent the 2018 NFL season as Seahawks linebackers.

Shaquem is now spending his off-season in hospitals and care centers helping youngsters who have disabilities believe in their futures.

Will you believe you can turn your disabilities or setbacks into positives?

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 To contact Jim, go to JimTunney.com or email Jim@JimTunney.com. Jim’s books are full of inspiration and interesting stories. Please visit his online store to learn more. Be sure to get Jim’s book ‘Another 101 Best of TunneySide of Sports’ by clicking this link or using the email above to contact Jim directly. These TunneySides take issues from real-life situations and relate them as inspiration for the betterment of others. Jim is available for speaking engagements on leadership and T*E*A*M Building. His books are available for $20 which includes shipping and tax. The Tunney Bobblehead is available for $30. Please visit JimTunney.com. Thank you!