MultiBrief: Does military hold the solution to a shortage of game officials?

PO3 Sherill, while I agree that the tolerance for stupidity and antics will very minimal, I have to disagree with you on two points.
1) Veterans not being a good fit: I believe they would be, because after a few ejections by an official, the players and coaches will get the message that "this official is not to be fucked with"
2) Cancel the games: This would be un fair to the other players that have not done anything wrong. Eject the offending player(s)/coaches, and then let the coaches/school officials suspend them for their actions.

SPC David McPherson - You may be right on the first point. They may get the picture that they need to play the game, and not mess with the official. As for point 2, you actually are making my point. The point is that as teammates, they share in the responsibility. If there is one player who is a constant problem, then they need to be removed by the school, but if it is a culture of abuse, then the culture needs to change. If it takes cancellation to show that the state athletic governing body is serious about changing the culture, then it forces all the players to look at their conduct. In reality, it is sad that this even needs to be discussed. There are things that players and coaches have control over. That is the play calling, and execution. Officiating is not one of the things that players and coaches have control over. If a player gets called for a penalty, and it occurs consistently, then it is on the player to understand that the official is going to call that penalty every time and change the way they are executing. Same with the coaches, if their team is getting called every time they perform an action, then they need to adapt to that. The caveat is that it has to be within the rules. If it is a ref who is just calling penalties arbitrarily, then it needs to be addressed with the governing body, not on the field. It is like boot camp, when one screws up, everybody screwed up. "You learn from each other's mistakes."

Well said. I see your point, and agree.