KCSP afternoon sports talker Nick Wright’s recent bragging on his show (2/7) about how he was ejected from a seventh grade boys game as an assistant coach has infuriated at least one local veteran referee, who was particularly upset that Wright and his on-air partner actually went so far to mention the young referee by name numerous times.
Was their goal to have people harass the referee in the future? Could it result in harm coming to him?
The veteran referee, who has refereed basketball games at all levels for 19 years, says that for Wright to brag about getting ejected from a 7th grade “B” game was appalling.
“Wright wore this lack of sportsmanship like a badge of honor,” says the referee. “Imagine that?! An adult getting thrown out of a kiddie game? In front of both teams and parents in the stands. How noble?!”
The long-time referee pointed out that no referee wants to eject a coach. And to mention the referee by name on the air at least eight times crossed a line (podcast).
“Trust me. No referee wants to eject a coach in any league or weekend tournament,” he says. “The ugliness and rancor isn’t worth it.
“The final straw was identifying the zebra by name,” he added. “Cheap shot, dude. Wonder what your employer thinks about you being a moron in public?”
“Cheap shot, dude. Wonder what your employer thinks about you being a moron in public?”
I can already tell you that this guy has never tuned in to Nick’s show.
As a former National Federation-certified basketball (and football) official, I laugh at most sportswriters and sportscasters regarding their so-called rules knowledge. I see and hear their descriptions and most of the time they’re wrong. 98% percent of them would fail the first written test - and it’s an open-book exam. My academic advisor at SIU-C, the late great Joe Witwer said it best: “Sportscasters are an inferior race. They are NOT real people!”