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Missouri legislator: Local sports referees need more protection from being threatened or attacked

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Barnes, D-Raytown (Tim Bommel, House Communications)

Sports officials acknowledge that their task is challenging on the field and from the sidelines, where disgruntled coaches and fans yell and jeer about calls they do not like.

But lately, says former referee and now state Representative Jerome Barnes, game environments are getting more violent.

He says in his own town of Raytown, outside Kansas City, a basketball official was hit and knocked out by someone coming out on the court. The victim had to get medical care and miss work.

“Referees are getting attacked, yelled at, cursed at, threatened before during and after the game and nothing is really being done about it,” says Barnes.

So Barnes has been repeatedly tackling the topic in the Legislature, and this year is sponsoring two bills this session:

H.B. 1570 which expands the definition of “special victim” under Section 565.002, RSMo, to include sports officials at a sporting event while performing their duties as sports officials, and

H.B. 1803, which creates a penalty for verbally harassing officials and defines “recreation athletic contest official.”

Barnes says emergency workers are legally protected as “special victims,” which also includes MoDOT workers and utility or cable service technicians.

“When the guy comes out to cut your utilities or cable off, it’s not because they want to do that, he’s following the company rules. If you hit him or do something to him, he’s in that special victims group. Same thing with the officials, they are not out there enforcing the rules because they like them, they are out there enforcing the rules of the basketball or football game and should be protected as well,” Barnes tells Missourinet.

Barnes says college and pro sports officials have escorts and protection before, during and after the games. Not so for high school and youth sports. He hopes adding a layer of legal protection will help.

He says most officiating is a “thankless job” and now there is a shortage because of the increasing stress.

Barnes cites a recent study by the National Association of Sports Officials that shows the median age of officials in all sports is more than 50 years old. Almost half of the male officials feel unsafe on the job because of spectators.  Most say they stick with it because of the love of the game itself. The survey also shows that 57 percent of officials say that sportsmanship is getting worse, mostly at the youth competitive level.

Barnes said he heard from an active referee about how to solve the problem:

“He says that if you assault a referee, then after you serve your sentence, it should be mandatory that you become a referee for three years–as punishment,” Barnes laughs.

More seriously, he says he is worried about the rise of violent crime among youth in general and what it may mean for sports.

“The way things are happening, you can see it coming,” Barnes says. “Once the word gets out about stiffer prosecutions, this will slow things down.”

Chiefs OC Nagy was last interview with the Bears before accepting head coaching job

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Matt Nagy, 39, the former Chiefs offensive coordinator will be introduced on Tuesday as the Chicago Bears 16th head coach in franchise history.  Nagy interviewed with the Bears on Sunday following the Chiefs 22-21 loss to Tennessee the day before.  Nagy was one of six who interviewed for the job vacated after John Fox was fired.

Nagy who helped develop Patrick Mahomes, selected 10th overall, will be responsible for developing Mitch Trubisky.  He was chosen second overall by the Bears in the 2017 Draft.

Nagy helped develop an offensive game plan that delivered 4,000+ passing yards from Alex Smith, 1,000+ rushing yards from rookie running back Kareem Hunt and 1,000+ receiving seasons from wide receiver Tyreek Hill and tight end Travis Kelce.  The Chiefs were just the second team in NFL history (1981 San Diego Charger) to accomplish that feat.

Nagy spent the last five seasons with the Chiefs and was the offensive coordinator this season, taking over play-calling duties from Reid last month. He was co-offensive coordinator in 2016 and before that served as the quarterbacks coach for three seasons.

Chiefs headed back to St. Joe for 2018 training camp

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Chiefs’ training camp at Missouri Western State University

The Kansas City Chiefs and Missouri Western State University have reached an agreement that will keep the Chiefs in St. Joseph, Missouri, for training camp in 2018. The agreement also includes an option for an additional one-year extension term that would cover training camp in 2019.

“We are quite proud of the recent success of the Kansas City Chiefs and are looking forward to continuing our relationship with them,” said Dr. Robert Vartabedian, Missouri Western’s president. “Our campus and the St. Joseph community take great pride in hosting the Chiefs, and I’m pleased they will return in 2018.”

“We have been engaged in positive, constructive discussions with Missouri Western State University representatives for months and are pleased to reach this agreement to keep Chiefs Training Camp in St. Joseph,” Chiefs President Mark Donovan said. “When we moved training camp back to the state of Missouri in 2010, we could not have imagined the reception and support that Missouri Western and the entire community have provided us. It’s an exciting time in Chiefs Kingdom and we look forward to returning to St. Joseph next summer.”

Under the extension, the Chiefs and Missouri Western have agreed to cost-reducing measures related to rental equipment and labor expenses to help drive down operating costs. Other conditions of the 2015 contract amendment and the original 2009 contract remain in place.

The Chiefs have held training camp on the campus of Missouri Western State University every year since 2010, when the club returned its training camp to the state of Missouri for the first time in 20 years. The 2018 version of Chiefs Training Camp will mark the ninth year at Missouri Western State University. Of the five total training camp sites used throughout franchise history, the nine-year tenure in St. Joseph is the third-longest at any one location.

Defensive end Frazier calls out former offensive coaches as part of the reason for Mizzou’s bowl game loss (AUDIO)

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Marcel Frazier (photo/Mizzou Athletics)

Missouri defensive end Marcell Frazier pointed the finger at two former offensive coaches following the team’s 33-16 loss to Texas on Wednesday at the Texas Bowl.

The focus of Frazier’s frustration centered around former offensive coordinator Josh Heupel and ex-offensive line coach Glen Elarbee. Heupel accepted the head-coaching position at Central Florida, with Elarbee joining him at the school.

“Realistically, Heupel left us in a bad position,” Frazier said. “It is what it is. And Elarbee left us in a bad position. As men they have to look in the mirror.”

“They let a whole bunch of teenage boys down, 18- and 19-year-olds,” Frazier continued. “They left and they have to do what’s best for their family, but I think it showed up a little bit today. We were doing things (on offense) we haven’t done since maybe the Auburn game. It showed up.  We practiced for almost a whole month without an O-coordinator or an O-line coach after having one of the most dominating offenses in the nation. It’s tough. I believe they let some guys down. They had to do what’s best for them. I don’t quite understand it.”

 

Drew Lock reacts to Texas coach Tom Herman mocking TD dance moves (VIDEO/AUDIO)

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Drew Lock is mature beyond his years.  Many Mizzou fans may feel even more mature than Texas head coach Tom Herman who was caught on video mocking Lock’s celebration after his third quarter touchdown pass.

Lock and his teammates created a celebration and a slogan after a touchdown, which came about from the rap song, “Secure the Bag,” Lock goes through his routine after each touchdown pass by pretending to strap on an invisible backpack. Here was Lock’s reaction after his first pass of the second half went for a 79 yard touchdown.

At the end of the Texas Bowl, Longhorns coach Tom Herman was shown celebrating/mocking with his players a move similar to Lock, but positioning his hands in the “Hook ’em” pose.

After the game, Lock said “When the head coach is mocking your dance move, you must be doing something right.”

Lock was asked if it was a classless move and he certainly understood how Herman’s players would appreciate the coach connecting on that level, but Lock noticed as well.

#Mizzou football just one win away from history (AUDIO)

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Paul Adams (L), Marcell Frazier (M), Drew Lock (R) attended the Texas Bowl media gathering on Tuesday. (photo/Mizzou Athletics)

A win over the Longhorns in Wednesday night’s Texas Bowl would be historic for Mizzou, as the 2017 Tigers would become just the second Power 5 team in college football history (Rutgers, 2008) to finish with eight wins after starting the season 1-5.  Mizzou has a six-game win streak in which their average margin of victory has been 30 points while scoring 45 or more points in each game for the first time in program history.  However, the numbers during the regular season may be misleading when you consider the following:

Mizzou head coach Barry Odom scoffed at those numbers at the Tigers’ press conference on Tuesday in Houston.

The Tigers will be playing in their 32nd bowl game and a win over Texas would bring Mizzou’s all-time record to 16-16 in bowl games.  Mizzou has won its last three bowls: 2011 Independence,  2014 Cotton (2013 season) and the 2015 Citrus Bowl (2014 season).

Defending D-II national champion Bearcats lose to Ashland in first round playoff game

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After a 15-minute lightning delay to the opening kickoff, followed by a rain-drenched first half, seven turnovers, and two blocked punts, the No. 9-ranked Ashland University football team did just enough to hold off the 13th ranked and two-time defending D-II national champion Northwest Missouri State Bears with a 21-18 final in Ashland, Ohio.

The Bearcats (9-3) came into Saturday’s game with the top-ranked defense in the country, but it was Ashland who held Northwest in check for most of the second half, holding the Bearcats to 2.2 yards per play in the victory.

Ashland scored first on a 13-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Travis Tarnowski to redshirt freshman tight end Michael Schweitzer. Northwest Missouri State, however, took short fields following an interception and a fumble to take a 10-7 lead early in the second quarter.  Jonathan Baker scored on a three-yard run, capping a short four-play, 23 yard drive.  The Eagles regained the lead at 14-10 when Tarnowski found senior wide receiver Jamie Hence in the end zone for a 21-yard score at the 4:25 mark of the second.

To start the third quarter the Eagles, after nearly losing the ball on a punt return, went 94 yards on six plays scoring on a 29-yard touchdown pass.

Northwest Missouri State added a touchdown pass and a two-point conversion with 7:42 to play, on a Zach Martin to Jordan Grove 35-yard TD but Ashland’s defense sealed the deal when junior safety Isaiah Stiverson broke up a fourth-down pass with the Bearcats at the AU 38-yard line.

Rountree to Hall — “That was your touchdown” #Mizzou

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Larry Rountree III celebrates one of his three touchdowns in Missouri’s win over Florida

It should have been Mizzou’s 16th play of the year with a gain of 50 or more yards.  Emanuel Hall streaked past Florida cornerback CJ Henderson.  Now, there might have been a little bit of a push off from Hall, but Henderson quit on the play and Hall hauled in Lock’s pass and fell into the endzone for what should have been a 50-yard TD strike.

As the Tigers lined up for the PAT, the officials took another look at the play and ruled that Hall was down at the one-yard line, giving Mizzou a first and goal.

“I was definitely robbed on that,” Hall said after the game.  “My knee was not on the ground.”

Lock wasn’t buying the ruling from the replay booth either.

“I’m not a ref and don’t know the strict rules on that, but I was hoping for a ‘tuddy’ (touchdown),” said Lock.

It was already a foregone conclusion the Tigers would score.  The only question would be, who would get the ball.  Well, there was never any doubt in my mind.

Rountree got the ball and plowed his way in for the score, making it a 35-9 game after the PAT.  After Rountree scored, he said he went right over to Hall.  For Rountree it was his 7th TD of the season, but he was happy to share.

Hall confirmed what Rountree said.

 

Barry Odom live–#Mizzou postgame following win over Florida

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Drew Lock looks downfield against Florida

The Missouri Tigers beat the Florida Gators 45-16 on Saturday for their third straight victory after a 1-5 start. Mizzou needs two wins in their final three games to gain bowl eligibility.

Drew Lock completed 15 of 20 passes for 228 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Emanuel Hall had five catches for 113 yards, but it was the run game by Mizzou that led the charge with 227 yards on the ground. Larry Rountree carried 15 times for 83 yards and three touchdowns, and Ish Witter added 83 yards on 17 rushes.

Despite the day belonging to the run game, Lock, who ran for 35 yards himself, moved past Brad Smith into second place on Missouri’s career touchdown passes list. Lock now has 58 TD passes, but is still 43 behind Chase Daniel.

Missouri head coach Barry Odom said the Tigers watched video over the summer on Florida QB Malik Zaire, during his time at Notre Dame, and anticipated meeting him when the two teams played. Zaire completed 13 of 19 passes for 158 yards and one interception. The defense held Florida to three straight field goals.

The Tigers outgained Florida 379-236 through three quarters.  At that point, the game was in hand at 35-9.

Mizzou hosts their final home game of the season next Saturday when they face Tennessee.

#Mizzou proves they must be near perfect if they hope to win in the SEC. Five plays that prove that point

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J’mon Moore is hoisted by center Trystan Castillo after the Tigers score a touchdown (photo/Mizzou Athletics)

“We’ve found ways to win and we’re responding to adversity,” said Kentucky coach Mark Stoops after his Wildcats defended their home turf in a 40-34 final against the Missouri Tigers on Saturday night.

That’s the type of quote Mizzou fans are hoping to hear from Barry Odom.

“In a game of evenly matched teams, it’s going to come down to who makes more plays,” Odom said. “I’ve been in games like that before. It usually comes down to six or seven plays over the course of the game. There’s a deciding factor, and that’s the way it was tonight.”

I’ll give you my take on the handful of plays that were the difference for a Tigers team that has zero margin for error if they expect to win in the SEC.

1.  Tucker McCann’s 45 yard field goal is blocked.  McCann was 2-for-3 on FG attempts with his longest attempt made from 27 yards.  If it weren’t for McCann’s acting skills, he would have been 1-for-3 after he pushed his second attempt of the game wide right, but tumbled to the ground drawing a penalty when a Kentucky player dove at his feet.  With the five-yard bump, McCann made that kick.  However, testing McCann’s leg from 45 yards is just not wise.  The way Mizzou was converting on third and fourth downs by running the football, I would have chosen to go for it on 4th and 6 from the Kentucky from the 28.  Which brings me to key play number two.

2.  3rd and 6 from the Kentucky 28.  The Tigers were 8-of-17 on third down conversions…a pretty good rate.  After converting earlier on the drive with an Ish Witter run on 3rd and 8, offensive coordinator Josh Heupel, with his team in four down territory, elected to send all four receivers straight to the end zone for basically a 3rd down Hail Mary.  Drew Lock’s pass was broken up leaving the Tigers to rely on McCann’s inaccurate leg and poor snapping.  Heupel could have tried another run, perhaps a safety route for Lock to check down.  Even if the Tigers gain three yards, a 4th and 3 from the 25 is still better than a 42-yard attempt to McCann.

3.  Damarea Crockett’s fumble.  The Tigers came into the game with a horrible turnover ratio, ranked 127th in D-I.  After Cale Garrett intercepted Stephen Johnson’s ugly pass attempt, Mizzou was in business at the Kentucky 34, trailing 20-17.  The Tigers cut the lead to three after a long 13-play drive that resulted in a field goal.  On the Tigers first play, UK’s Darius West got a helmet on the ball and Crockett coughed up the football turning it right back over to the Wildcats.  Kentucky answered with a nine-play drive to go back up 27-17.

From that point on, the Tigers had to continue to play catchup.  Drew Lock’s inflated numbers will look impressive with three touchdown and 355 yards, but the reality is the Tigers once again felt like they needed to take deep shots down the field.  Lock was fortunate to connect on a couple of those to Emmanuel Hall and Josh Johnson, thus boosting his numbers.

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