“You have to love it when they boo.”
Generally, it’s a quote associated with sports officiating. In deciding to become a sports official, I really considered the quote a bit. On the surface, there seems to be something a little insidious about it.
To clarify, to me the quote does not mean that we WANT you to boo. I am speaking for myself here, but I’m not doing anything on the field or court in the hopes that you will voice your displeasure with my call by booing, but, to a certain degree, you should know that, despite having many of the same qualities of any human, I am also not going to let your potential unrest impact my decision.
So maybe it’s not that I “love” it when they boo, but more that I’m a bit indifferent. If there is anyone in the building about who’s opinion I care in regard to my performance, I can guarantee it’s someone who’s worn the stripes and worked the job.
That being said, I’ve decided to share my experiences and thoughts as a sports official in this public way, if nothing else to hopefully encourage others to perhaps heed the call.
