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On the Shoulders of Giants
We are standing on the shoulders of giants.
Unfortunately, it sometimes feels like we have forgotten that. Every sport seems to recognize, remember and honor...
FROM THE CHAIR Leadership Is a Privilege
"Leader-ship is a privilege” are words I heard from U.S. Army four-star General Robert W. Cone. Bob Cone is my friend.
I met him after...
Sirmons on the Mount
By Michael Clark
Published in Referee Magazine, April 2025
A
sk any aspiring NCAA basketball official what the greatest assignment could be and 100% of them will...
An Inside Look at the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four
As a winter bomb cyclone slammed Denver on March 13, Matt Palumb was home in Syracuse, N.Y., with two things on his mind: the...
#RefereeRecruit
If you had to sell officiating in 140 characters or less, what would you say?
“If you want to do something unique that sets you apart,...
Highest Ranked Crew
Cohesion and unity are essential if a military unit is to function at peak efficacy. Those qualities carry over onto the football field.
Scott Jacobson...
Coach ‘Em Up
By Tom Schreck
Experienced officials are often asked to mentor men and women who are just beginning a career in officiating. It can be a...
Inside Look: 2025 CFP Championship Game Officiating Crew
When Ohio State linebacker Jack Sawyer completed his scoop-and-score after sacking Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers with a little more than two minutes remaining in...
Return To Play
Think back to the beginning of your officiating career, those Saturday mornings working Pop Warner football or Tuesday evenings overseeing CYO basketball.
Chances are, your...
Dad’s Boy: John Hirschbeck, His Son and a Family’s Fight Against ALD
This story is about John Drew Hirschbeck and his family, a remarkable little boy fascinated by tractors and bulldozers; an amazing family drawing strength...
Assaulted: Now What?
It was a good game, a close game, and both teams competed hard. The home team wins by one and as you’re leaving the...
The Referee Assault That Became National News
Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the February 1996 issue of Referee under the title “Incident in Black and White.” It recounts a...
Take a Number
What's in a number? You'd be surprised how some NFL officials wound up with their uniform numbers, and the history behind those identifying digits.
On...
Help Rains Supreme
By Brad Tittrington
It has been said that difficult times often bring out the best in people. What transpired in late July and early August...
Q&A with Dr. Karissa Niehoff
Dr. Karissa Niehoff needed no prompting to address the elephant in the room.
“We’re definitely supportive of the great work that our officials are doing,...
Officials Who Coach
We start with my story.
I was officiating with a rookie partner (who had great potential) on a middle school championship basketball game. Perfect pairing...
The Largest Officiating Survey Ever
17,487. That is the number of officials whose investment in this avocation motivated them to respond to the recent National Association of Sports Officials...
Bob Delaney: From Undercover Cop to NBA Referee
You’re used to seeing 14-year NBA veteran Bob Delaney on the court with Shaq or the Mailman. But long before his officiating career ever...
His Plate is Full
By Dan Ronan
Dan Bellino’s phone, email and text messages never seem to stop. His schedule and life are packed full, 24/7/365. He’s been a...
SQUAWK BOX
By Dan Ronan
A late May MLB game between the New York Mets and the St. Louis Cardinals pointed out the challenges ESPN, Fox and...
Referee U
The University of Central Florida Officiating Class is making a positive impact on the industry.
Jose Acevedo has everything an assigner (or even a coach)...
Harassment Halt
A
ll sports officials are potential targets for criticism. When we don a striped shirt and pick up a whistle, we understand criticism comes with...
Three-Dimensional
By Rick Woelfel
To say Mara Wager is a busy woman is an understatement. If it’s a fall weekend, she’s likely working a women’s college...