[Pirate Pal]

Pirate, that's one HUGE problem with officials theses days. They don't have thick skin. To be an official, you have to have thick skin. There is no way that a T should have been called, unless the player was cussing, threatening bodily harm, or questioning his manhood. Old time officials let everything go in one ear and out the other. Newer officials take what's said to them to heart.

At the All A final, Ted Hall, a retired official that was pretty daggone good, was sitting next to me. One of Paintsville's fans told an official to get his head out of buttocks (The fan said something else, you know). Next time down the floor, the official had the fan removed. Ted laughed his butt off. He said the official gas no business on the floor if can't take that. He also mentioned officiating right now is the worse that he's ever seen.

I think that one of the reasons that refs are quicker to call a T or remove a loud fan is just the dangers in today's society. School shootings, violent parents, stabbing by fans, etc. I went to high school in the 80's and there may have been a fist fight break out once in a blue moon, but nowadays, I would be worrying about a gun fight to break out if tempers flared.