OT - Fight Hunger Bowl will have two female officials
The Fight Hunger Bowl will make history with two female officials this year.
The game between BYU and Washington on Dec. 27 in San Francisco will be called by a crew from Conference USA that includes Sarah Thomas as line judge and Maia Chaka as head linesman.
NCAA national coordinator of officials Rogers Redding says it is the first time two female officials have worked the same FBS game...
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/fight-hunger-bowl-will-have-2-female-officials-121813
December 19th, 2013 at 10:22 AM ^
If two females played in the game that would be news.
Men referee women's sports all the time I don't see why this is an issue.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:44 AM ^
why is this news other than publicity for an also-ran bowl? "Hey, look at us! We're progressive! Men's College Football - NOW with more women!"
As long as they're choosing referees based on skill and merit vs. some sort of quota or desire for p.c. equality - it shouldn't be that big of a deal.
December 19th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
Female referees at this level are just as likely to be substantially better than the average male referee, having overcome additional hurdles, as they are to be any worse, having been granted unfair advantages for political purposes. I strongly suspect the former, but YMMV.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:48 AM ^
I never thought of it that way and you're right. Why is it a major deal when a woman referees a male-only sport?
December 19th, 2013 at 11:28 AM ^
The game is the same, the only differences are the size of the ball and the distance from the three point line to the basket. With a few slight exceptions, like overall speed and athleticism, the games are exactly the same. The male ref at one time likely participated and understands the intricacies of the game. He does not get all the info from a manual.
However in contrast, very few women (percentage wise) participate in football as a youth. Te perception is that these women could not all the game as good as men because they ne'er had first hand playing experience.
Argue what you will about the logistics but this is likely one of the contributing factors why so few women ref men's football games at all levels.
December 19th, 2013 at 1:22 PM ^
December 20th, 2013 at 10:09 AM ^
but I'd guess that ~70% of NCAA softball umpires are men. Some stuff must easily transfer from baseball, but the differences in the games are definitely significant.
December 19th, 2013 at 12:12 PM ^
Like you said, men ref womens sports all the time - nothing exciting there. But you almost never see a female ref at the FBS level, much less two in a single game. Thats why its news
December 19th, 2013 at 1:14 PM ^
I don't think it should be news though.
December 19th, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^
Sure, it probably shouldn't be news, but holding that position totally ignores the magnitude of the event. You could say that you don't think Jackie Robinson's story "should be news," (and it's cliche of me to invoke this example), but that ignores the actual circumstances.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:24 AM ^
they'll be hot women in form fitting uniforms, ironically representing the whole ideal of "fighting hunger."
Hey sweetheart, you look to be a stomach flu away from your ideal weight...
December 19th, 2013 at 10:49 AM ^
She looks fun.
December 19th, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^
I support this!
December 19th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^
We've come a long way since the Michigan Marching Band first admitted women in 1972! It was about that same time that we had our first women cheerleaders as well.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^
to make horrible calls, miss blatant holding right in front of them, get pass interference completely backwards, and generally suck at officiating.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^
There have actually been a few stories written about Sarah Thomas over the last few years, but I believe that recently she became part of a small pool of finalists to fill a potential NFL opening as early as next year. She has worked New Orleans scrimmages as well as Colts practices already, so while she wouldn't technically be the first woman to officiate an NFL game (one replacement ref during the lockout was a woman), she would be the first permanent employee if selected.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^
on the big sexy linebacker with the broad shoulders......"
I guess you may see more "illegal shift" calls and perhaps some "hitting from behind below the waist" calls if ya know what I mean.
I will be here all week.
December 19th, 2013 at 10:56 AM ^
I really shouldn't have upvoted your blantently sexist remarks, but I did anyways
December 19th, 2013 at 10:38 AM ^
Where is the "sisterwives" joke?
December 19th, 2013 at 10:54 AM ^
December 19th, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^
Hard to believe it's taken this long for women to make inroads into officiating. Officials aren't typically physical specimens (ed hochuli's guns, notwithstanding). There's nothing masculine about keen observation skills and the ability to make quick accurate decisions. A woman can be every bit as competent or incomptent as a male official.
December 19th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^
with most of your premise, the delay of women's progress into many areas of our society has been a travesty, but I think a big reason behind this particular issue is that a much smaller percentage of women even like football enough to take on this responsibility.
Now, I can hear the voices responding now...yes, there are women who like football. But to the level that men do? And with as much passion to want to be a referee? We're talking about a very small cross section of individuals.
just my 17 cents...
December 19th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
Its like the women broadcasters for various sports teams/events. The commentary is initially scripted so it sounds fluid and normal but when the conversation or debate goes improv then the women sometimes sound like a fish out of water. I personally can't sand it but understand the reasoning.
We will continue to see more women becoming involved because football is marketed to women better today then ever before, ultimately stirring interest. Hopefully they do a fine job.
December 19th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^
This wasn't clear at all in my post, but I was referring to all officiating (football, baseball, basketball, hockey, etc.) There has been very little inroads for women officials in any sport, even those that women have been playing for a long time.
Your argument makes some sense with respect to football, though I would question just how much high school football experience would help an official in an NFL game. And I think there are far more women with background knowledge and familiarity with football than you or the commenter above you acknowledge.
December 19th, 2013 at 11:45 AM ^
And no high school wouldn't be necessary, but for many officials looking to make it a profession it typically seems like it would e towards the lower rung of a natural progression upwards through the ranks.
December 19th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Why not? Women get hungry too.
December 19th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
December 19th, 2013 at 11:47 AM ^
Let's not.
December 19th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
Should've included the /s but I didn't. My bad.
December 20th, 2013 at 1:12 AM ^
December 19th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
December 19th, 2013 at 12:53 PM ^
December 19th, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^
Can they smell mansplaining too?
December 19th, 2013 at 11:48 AM ^
December 19th, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^
A Pac 12 ref, on the other hand...
December 19th, 2013 at 2:24 PM ^
Still the only RB I've ever attended, had no idea they blew the call until seeing the picture in the paper the next day. Might have set a record for fastest replay reversal if they'd had replay then.
December 19th, 2013 at 2:26 PM ^
This new-fangled internet thing is so confusing....
December 19th, 2013 at 1:15 PM ^
Nice job board, civil, smart discussions like this make MGoBlog a rare place on the internet. We only had 2 comments or so that were "haha, look, she has boobs!" that weren't completely sarcastic.
That said, the comments above between Landon and MGoRay don't quite delve deep enough. Not only do women (and men) have to be knowledgeable and like football to ref, they also have to want to ref - which isn't easy and doesn't appeal to a lot of people of either gender.
http://mmqb.si.com/tag/game-150/
Peter King had a great longread when he was embedded with a ref crew for the NFL. (Coincedently, Gene Steratore the ref, went to Ann Arbor to ref a college hoops game during the game week) I'd never really thought of it, but the 8 officials have to be watching 22 different moving parts every play. Great read if you have the time.
December 19th, 2013 at 1:19 PM ^
Hopefully we'll get a point in the near future where having two female referees isn't a noteworthy moment, but good on them for getting a chance to officiate a bowl game.
December 19th, 2013 at 5:26 PM ^
No... NO!!!!
No
December 19th, 2013 at 6:51 PM ^
They'll look like they've beaten hunger. Soundly. Many times. Daily.
December 20th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^
I'm completely okay with female refs.