{"id":892,"date":"2012-09-25T00:03:29","date_gmt":"2012-09-25T04:03:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=892"},"modified":"2012-09-25T00:09:36","modified_gmt":"2012-09-25T04:09:36","slug":"silenced","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/intramuralist.com\/?p=892","title":{"rendered":"silenced"},"content":{"rendered":"

Perhaps you\u2019ve noticed…\u00a0 If you\u2019re a fall football fan (and please don\u2019t quit reading if you\u2019re not \u2014 as I promise this message is not about sports),<\/em> there\u2019s been an unusual development that supposedly we\u2019re not allowed to talk about… or at least those closer to the source have been silenced.\u00a0 For example…<\/p>\n

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Two timeouts were given to the San Francisco 49ers, who had no timeouts.<\/p>\n

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A 20 yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty was given to the Washington Redskins, even though such behavior only merits 15 yards.<\/p>\n

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An Oakland Raider was hit in the head, helmet to helmet, which is illegal contact; the player was carted off the field and subsequently hospitalized; no penalty was called.<\/p>\n

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And last night the Seahawks beat the Packers on one of the most ambiguous, controversial, shakiest touchdowns ever called.<\/p>\n

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Pass interference has been constantly questionable. \u00a0Officiating has been completely inconsistent. \u00a0Incomplete passes have somehow evolved into fumbles.\u00a0 In other words, far more than footballs have been fumbled.<\/p>\n

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As those of you who are sports fans are well aware, the NFL referees are on strike, having been locked out by the league.\u00a0 Replacement refs are currently officiating games.\u00a0 Note:\u00a0 since most large conference college refs are bound to their conference, the replacement crews were recruited from smaller college divisions, the United Football League, Arena Football League, and \u2014 yes \u2014 even the Lingerie Football League.\u00a0 These referees do not necessarily have the skill nor experience to do what we\u2019re asking them to do.<\/p>\n

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We are asking them to officiate… to be in charge… to preside over an event in which large sums of money are involved… to lead.\u00a0 But yet, they just don\u2019t seem totally qualified.<\/p>\n

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Question:\u00a0 what are we to do when leaders aren\u2019t quite qualified to do what they\u2019ve been called to do?<\/p>\n

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… to manage people?<\/p>\n

… to oversee all operations?<\/p>\n

… to comprehend the financial aspects?<\/p>\n

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Are we able to acknowledge weakness, especially when our leaders may or may not be qualified?<\/p>\n

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After week 2, with the replacement refs\u2019 errors becoming more frequent and glaring, the NFL decided to step in, responding to the escalating complaints.\u00a0 How did the National Football League respond?<\/p>\n

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Senior league officials called the owners, general managers, and coaches from all 32 teams, telling them that they expect better treatment for the referees; they will no longer permit the perceived disrespect.\u00a0 NFL executive vice president Ray Anderson said, “We’re not going to tolerate it,”<\/em> affirming that flags, fines, and suspensions are possible for coaches and players who violate this instruction.<\/p>\n

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Coaches and players cannot be disrespectful… even with questionable, inconsistent, and fumbling officiating.<\/p>\n

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At the onset of this post, I claimed this message would not be about sports; it\u2019s not.\u00a0 This is about how we react to ineffective \u2014 or unqualified \u2014 leaders.<\/p>\n

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In no sense would the Intramuralist advocate intentional disrespect; however, what strikes me in the NFL\u2019s response is not so much the disrespect, but rather, the perception that the referees cannot be significantly questioned or disagreed with; their lack of qualification is not a permitted topic.<\/p>\n

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Such causes me to think of one of the more glaring challenges in leadership today, for leading has become more about rhetorical promise than actual capability.\u00a0 We aren\u2019t good about saying, \u201cHere\u2019s what I\u2019m gifted at; here\u2019s what I\u2019m not.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 We aren\u2019t good at accepting significant, challenging questions.\u00a0 We love to speak of strength \u2014 but we rarely acknowledge individual weakness.\u00a0 We don\u2019t like to admit that one we believe in may not be thoroughly qualified.<\/p>\n

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That includes those that should or shouldn\u2019t be in government \u2014 and those that should or shouldn\u2019t be a referee… even in the lingerie league… especially at last night’s Packers\/Seahawks game.<\/p>\n

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Respectfully,<\/p>\n

AR<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Perhaps you\u2019ve noticed…\u00a0 If you\u2019re a fall football fan (and please don\u2019t quit reading if you\u2019re not \u2014 as I promise this message is not about sports), there\u2019s been an unusual development that supposedly we\u2019re not allowed to talk about… or at least those closer to the source have been silenced.\u00a0 For example…   Two … <\/p>\n

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