Introducing Say Something Nice About a Ref for Charity Day 2007

Okay, so we go out and referee games. We bust our butts for kids and we have the satisfaction of a job well-done.

But do we want to do more?

Of course we do.

Additionally, we take ridiculous amounts of abuse. Sometimes it's immediate and on the game site--stupid crap from the crowd, players, and coaches. Sometimes its stupid television commercials. Sometimes it's friends who think they understand officiating (they never do). It's a chant at a game we go to. Sometimes it even escalates to violence.

Do we want a little ref-love?

Of course we do.

I now will attempt to accomplish both goals...to do something more and to engender at least a little bit of ref-love...in one action.

I introduce to you "Buck-A-Comment Day"...also known as Say Something Nice About a Ref for Charity Day/Comment Contest.

(By the way, I'm working on changing the name.)

The rules (as stolen/adapted from a guy whose blog I frequent):

At 12:01 AM Pacific time Thursday, December 27, I will put up a post inviting everyone to post comments. For each warm-fuzzy comment from a unique visitor up to 250 (I'll keep an eye out through Statcounter), my wife and I will donate a dollar to the Special Olympics in my home state. (I chose it over a coalition for the blind. See? I have a sense of humor.)

Then, I will examine the comments. The best comment (as judged by me, or perhaps by a vote of readers the next day...not sure which) will win an equal donation to the amount of comments (up to $250) to the registered 501(c)3 charity of their choice.

Can we get 250 comments in 24 hours? Will people actually say nice things about refs? Can the 4 or 5 people who read this blog manage to contact enough friends, and, in turn, their friends, to get up to 250 unique visitors commenting? What will people say?

Well, we'll know soon enough. Start telling your friends, and sending your links. We're fishing for compliments for charity.