Sunday 30 September 2012

Reality TV

Probably one of the final games of the year for me. I can't do high school league due to early start times.
So, switching to training mode hopefully after thanksgiving. Have organized off season training sessions past couple of years and each year more and more members join. Very excited for this off season and getting more young refs out.

On an unrelated note, watching Amazing Race as I type. Has there ever been a team of two soccer refs?
Seriously, they have Chippendales, so why not two refs? I would watch that.

I have an idea: Ref Camp. 10 aspiring refs are followed 24/7 as they attend a Regional upgrade session. The drama, the tears, the swearing. I would also watch this.


Game Summary:

This was a good game from two competitive teams.
Weather was fantastic so no complaints from me. One team upset with a call early on, but same team had two, yes two, PK's late in game... and only converted one. So, yah.


Stat Line:

half / km / avg speed / top speed
1st / 2.54 / 2.9 / 24.5
2nd / 2.67 / 3.2 / 17.3

Total distance thru 90 min 5.21 km


Visual:
2nd half..


 Bookings
3 cautions, 1 send off.

Assistants
Game 1: Morgan and Ciaran.

Kit
Adjudicator

So, players are encouraged to 'skate' when they need to hustle. Are hockey players told to 'run'? #confused.

Broke 100 followers! Now onto 200!
@_neil_farber

Wednesday 26 September 2012

Bo knows

Little known fun fact about me... back in the day I used to be Provincial level volleyball referee. I remember refereeing Cariboo College matches whilst in high school. Haven't reffed in a while though. So, I'm at the TRU match the other night and what happens? The officials are short a linesman and the head referee sees me in the crowd. Yup, I was recruited to flag the lines on a University exhibition match.

Good match, but got me thinking. How I felt (nervous) is probably very much like younger, newer officials when they first start. All the more important that the soccer crew works as a team. A great pre-game discussion, warmup, eye contact all help create a team atmosphere and gives a less experienced official a huge confidence boost.

I'm next to the pole, wearing shorts.
Speaking of confidence boost, had two this past weekend. I know, two!
Keep wearing the underarmour cause I think it's going to be cool and I'll need the warmth, but nope, super warm and I sweat a storm. Plus, the black underarmour and ref shorts look is super hot! I've mentioned it before but I think an underarmour kit would kick butt. But I digress...

Game Summary:
Both games were weird in the sense that game 1) was exhibition and game 2) was the last league game that didn't affect the standings (so kinda like exhibition).

Stat Line:
Game 1 (40 min halves)
half / km / avg speed / top speed
1st / 2.70 / 3.3 / 19.8

2nd / 2.64 / 3.6 / 18.2

Game 2

half / km / avg speed / top speed
1st / 2.18 / 2.7 / 20.7

2nd / 2.03 / 2.6 / 17.3

Total distance thru 90 min (game 2)  4.21 km

Yup, 4.21 km. The game didn't need anymore.

Visual:
Game 1 was so very one sided! or the field markings are off in the overlay image.

Game 2. The track over compensates on to how little I moved.



 Bookings
1 through both game

Assistants
Game 1: Chris and Bailey (a late night coffee order)
Games 2: Kyle and Quinn (awesome name for a law firm)

Kit
El Presidente and Adjudicator


So, back to the volleyball reffing, yes I am a multi sport official. The Bo Jackson of officials if you will.
Sigh, just realized my two readers have never heard of Bo.
Ask your parents, the Bo commercials would cause bars to go quiet.



Wednesday 19 September 2012

Can't Replace This

Can't beat this Sept weather, that's for sure. And can't beat playoff soccer.
Tracker's working too.

Game Summary:
Felt good, legs much better than the other night. Good to know I can keep up with this league at least.

Stat Line:
half / km / avg speed / top speed
1st / 2.77 / 3.5 / 18.5
2nd / 2.96 / 3.8 / 21.3

Total distance thru 90 min: 5.73 km

Made a conscious decision to keep intensity up through the 2nd so good to see km's higher than first.

Visual:
Scatter graph of km's by half. Early season when I started tracking is to the left, most recent games to the right. Good trend recently of halves inching closer to 3 km per half. 
 Bookings
1

Assistants
The Hynes brothers.

Kit
Adjudicator.

So, I've been thinking about the NFL replacement refs. Can you imagine the pressure these replacements are feeling? For the most part they are lower college level and now they are reffing in the show. Preseason was one thing but now, after two weeks, we're starting to hear things from players and coaches. The league has stats showing the number of calls is roughly the same as the first two weeks as last year. Coaches and players (and commentators) bemoan the calls not made.

I know these replacements are doing the best they can and if they are given enough time they too could probably become good officials at the NFL level. But what a crash course.

Couple of thoughts...
* this really highlights for me why you need to put in the work to be a top official. You need to be fit, know the rules, and put in the time analyzing reflecting on performance and always continuous improvement.
* respect is something earned and clearly these replacements haven't earned it yet. You want to be a top official and you must give respect to earn respect.
* if FIFA locks out its refs and needs an aging District to cover a World Cup tournament, I'd be in. If only for the free kits.

If you're not following me on Twitter, why the heck not. My tweets are funny, insightful and occasionally brings a tear to the eye. Plus, follow me and you get a coll Shout Out.

@_neil_farber

Sunday 16 September 2012

Heavy Metal


Well, it's been a while - since I've posted, since I've had a game, and since I've been able to track a full game.
Well, wait no longer! The internet's least read blog (except when Guest poster fills in) is back!
Got some (interesting?) thoughts but those are after the game recap.

Gosh darn my legs felt dead. Like I was running in water. Loosened up by second half but first half was painful.

Game Summary:
Got a new battery so bb works like a charm now. No more cutting out during calls, and more importantly I have enough juice to track 2 halves. Ah, technology, gotta luv it.

Stat Line:
half / km / avg speed / top speed
1st / 2.8 / 3.5 / 29.2 ?!
2nd / 2.38 / 3 / 17.1

Total distance thru 90 min: 5.18 km

Max speed 1st half is a bit off, but I'll take it. Ironic that my legs were dead and I run like the Flash.

Visual:

Quickly conferred with AR that's why the track deep in AR quadrant.

Bookings:
4

Assistants:
Linda and Kyle
Good communication and awesome work!

Kit:
El Presidente

So, I went to a Blazers game Friday (thanks  for the tix). I watched the refs quite a bit. I noticed a couple similarities.
The hockey crew had several instances (that I could see) of communication, lots of subtle hand signals. I know personally I'm working to improve my communication with my teams and it was good to see officials in a different sport on what they do.
The last couple of minutes of intermission they are the first ones on the ice and do couple quick laps to warmup. I generally do a a pre game warm up (albeit quick sometimes), but maybe need to do a sprint or two before 2nd half to get back in the mode?
I really think soccer refs should wear numbers. Hmm, what number would I be? 99... been done. 00... maybe. 69... to obvious but funny.
Regardless of what number my 2 followers wear, they'll always be #1 in my heart!



If you had to list top heavy metal bands it would go something like this:
1 Black Sabbath
2 Judas Priest
3 Iron Maiden
4 Panthera
5 Mothorhead
6 Slayer
7 Metallica (con Cliff Burton)
8 Ozzy Osbourne
9 Black Label Society
10 Magadeh

Until next time, stay thirsty my friends.
And follow me on Twitter, so close to 100 followers.
@_neil_farber

Friday 14 September 2012

Mix & Match


Hey there, another guest post by Shake.

Last Weekend: Had the opportunity to watch Darnell Johnson referee a men's PACWEST match.  It was super inspiring watching the kind of field presence he has on the field.  There was no question of who's field it was.
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Brainy Stuff:
CBC Radio, Quirks and Quarks host Bob McDonald interviews Dr. Mazyar Fallah, an assistant professor in the school of Kinesiology and Health Science at York University, and delineates research findings regarding the brain and how it processes the colour red. It's rather interesting.  If you'd like to listen to the actual interview, here is the link:  http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Quirks+and+Quarks/2010/ID/1580124604/?page=6&sort=MostRecent
            Fallah elucidates that although motion and locomotion are separate streams from colour, form, and shape – in the brain, they are able to both influence and converse with each other.  Fallah’s research finds that the brain processes speed differently when stimulated by different colours.  For example, while the colour blue is found to be associated as being slow in the brain, the colour red is the opposite.  Red is perceived as moving at a speed greater than any other colour.  This is substantiated through Fallah’s research, which finds that through monitoring the visual processing of different colours – the target colour red provides stimulus that makes the eyes move more quickly.  These research findings lead McDonald to inquire wither there is any impact on sports.  Fallah suggests that in some sports, like figure-skating, where speed plays a vital role – athletes who wear the colour red may be able to make the judges think they are performing at a speed greater than they actually are.  However, while figure skaters that wear red may be able to benefit, Fallah suggests that not all athletes will experience beneficiaries by dressing in red.  For example, hockey teams that dress in red will be stimulating the eyes of the referees more than non-red opponents; therefore more focus on red jerseys may translate to disadvantageous higher foul recognition rates.  To restate, this would be merely because the eyes would be focused on the players wearing red jerseys for a greater percent of the time, which could increase the chances of that player being caught doing something unlawful.   

It is my understanding that questions will likely be raised as to the ethicality and fairness involved with the findings of such a study.  More research and experimental studies will have to be conducted in order to determine how greatly colour can impact the outcome of sporting events.  Perhaps if an unfair advantage is found, the colour red will be banned from certain activities.  What would this mean for countries like Canada – whose national colours include red?  Even if the colour red is found to have a greater impact on certain sports, would it simply be deemed as a part of sport – adversity through which teams must learn to overcome?  To conclude, the findings of Fallah’s study is igniting many questions through which only further research and experimentation can provide answers. 


Tchernikov, I., Fallah, M.  A colour hierarchy for automatic target selection.  PLoS ONE, 5(2): e9338.doi;10.1371/journal.pone.0009338
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Some Thoughts By Strimaitis On Pure Motivation:  Author (and millionaire), Adam Strimaitis suggests that generally everyone wants the same things in life.  "Everyone wants to make enough money to buy whatever they want, enough time to do whatever they want and whenever they want to".  He suggests that the determining factor to being able to fulfill those wishes, is motivation.  He doesn't mean having just any motivation either.  He means attaining pure motivation.  The story he used to depict what he believes, is one which he read in some Chicken Soup for the Soul book.  Its synopsis: A professional athlete wins a tournament in which she has beaten over 110 other athletes.  Her reward is a $100,000 check.  After the event, as she walks to her car she is approached by a visibly distraught man.  The man emotionally tells her about his son who is three years old, and has been diagnosed with cancer.  He tells her of the misfortunes that have come his way.  He lost his job, consequently also losing his benefits.  The medical treatments his son needs is more than he can afford.  He is sacrificing his pride in hopes to give his son a fighting chance at having a life.  She did not need to hear any more.  She stopped the man, and without hesitation she pulled out a pen and endorsed the back of her large check to the man.  "I hope this helps." Tears streamed down the man's face, and he gave his thanks.  The winning athlete went home, feeling great.  She won the tournament, and bettered the life of a child.  Later that evening while enjoying a family thrown celebration party, her cousin stood visibly upset, and pointing at the newspaper.  "There's a warning about some man who has been scamming people, and pretending to have a child dying of cancer!"  Everyone awaited the response of the champion.  A look of relief crossed her face, "There is no dying child, well, that's the best news I've heard all day."  The pure motivation for the athlete was to win the tournament, just as it was to help the child to live.  The money was merely a by-product of her objectives; clearly inconsequential.  In the end, the results were that her motivations were fulfilled, and therefore, nothing else mattered.  

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