Integrity - On and Off the Field

Three months ago when an NBA referee admitted that he bet on games he officiated, it shook the sports world. It cast a shadow of suspicion over everyone who officiates over any kind of sporting event. His Christian Duty Recently, CBN News spent a Saturday afternoon with a college football referee who sees it as his Christian duty to maintain the integrity of the game. Steve Shaw is a sales executive with AT&T in Birmingham, Alabama. This is Saturday, however, and Shaw is not meeting with clients. While fans are filtering into the stadium to watch Auburn University play host to South Florida, Shaw and his fellow referees are at a nearby hotel where they will spend several hours preparing to officiate the game. That means brushing up on the rules, looking at tape of last week's games, evaluating the calls they got right and ones they may have missed. "We're gonna have to just keep working hard. I imagine the intensity will pick up today," Shaw said. Shaw played football in high school and went off to college with the idea of becoming a coach. "Nobody grows up wanting to be a referee. You hear kids say, 'I'd love to be a fireman or a policeman,' or whatever. But nobody wants to be a referee," he said. But Shaw began refereeing high school games in 1981 and got hooked. He graduated to the college game and since 1996, he's been officiating in the intensely competitive Southeastern Conference. This is the big time, where the refs receive a police escort to the stadium and every game is not a matter of life and death - but almost. "The coaches today are under immense pressure," he said. " I mean we all know that one loss can ruin a season; ruin a career at times. And so we recognize the pressure they're under. And what we try to do is be that stabilizing influence on the field." Shaw admits he feels the pressure too, but says his Christian faith allows him to keep it in perspective. 'There's a Bigger Purpose than Just the Game' "It's a great thing to know that when you walk out into that stadium, there's a bigger purpose than just that game that day. That game that day is very important, but there's a broader purpose," he said. For Shaw, that broader purpose involves demonstrating integrity on the field and off. He says it is especially important in the wake of former NBA referee Tim Donaghy's admission that he bet on games he officiated. "It was devastating for all officials. Gambling is something that is an absolute taboo for us - we run from it. You can't gamble on horse racing in the off-season and then come back and try to work college football," Shaw said. But Shaw says he also tries to demonstrate integrity simply by being the best official he can be. He said, "What makes you a good official is working proper mechanics. And we spend more time around mechanics, where you gonna be on a call, how are you going to be in the right position to get it right. Because if you're in the right spot, you'll get it right most of the time." Shaw added, "And then the other side of that is the rules study. The rules change every year and so we spend a lot of time with that every week. I mean it's like reading your Bible - read your rule book." The challenge of keeping all the rules straight and making a split-second decision is compounded by the fact that there are 90,000 people screaming their heads off. Plus you know that a coach on either sideline is probably going to be unhappy with you. But you won't hear many coaches complain about Shaw. He's refereed two national championship games and is regarded as one of the best in the business. "He understands the rules and he works hard at those rules. And that's what good officials have to do. They have to understand the rules, but they also have to put the common sense with those rules, knowing it makes the game a lot more fair - not just the rules, but using the common sense of applying those rules," Auburn Head Coach Tommy Tuberville said. 'If You Only Think it's a Foul - It's Not' Shaw says officials never want to be the ones who decide a game. In fact, they try to abide by an unwritten code: If you only think it's a foul - it's not. But every referee has been in a tough situation. For Shaw, that came in a 1999 game between South Carolina and Florida. South Carolina scored late in the first half, but Shaw called the play back when one of his fellow officials called a penalty. Coach Lou Holtz, suffering through a winless first season at South Carolina, came unglued and had to be restrained by his assistant coaches. Shaw said, "We always say we're never intimidated, but I will tell you that was one of the few times I was really concerned for our physical safety…That was a tough situation.". But Shaw says he was relieved to discover later that the call was right. Fortunately, there was no controversy in that Saturday's game. It was close: South Florida upset Auburn 26-23 with a touchdown pass in overtime. But with all the jubilation on one side - and disappointment on the other - no one noticed the refs. And that's just fine with Shaw. He said, "If nobody knows we're there, nobody even mentions the referee ... that's our best day."