# College player punches ref in the Face. **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 11, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706 "2016-09-11T20:25:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/1 "2016-09-11T20:25:49Z")
The player was arrested and charged. There’s no excuse for this in Sports. [http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/09/11/mt-san-antonio-junior-college-football-player-punch-ref-arrested-video](http://www.si.com/college-football/2016/09/11/mt-san-antonio-junior-college-football-player-punch-ref-arrested-video) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/2 "2016-09-11T22:48:58Z")
It wouldn’t be the first time a ref was attacked by a player – it happens in pro-sports too. Granted, I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone being arrested – at most just suspended. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/3 "2016-09-11T23:11:04Z")
Let’s hope that referee learns his lesson, and doesn’t earn any more face punchings in the future. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/4 "2016-09-11T23:33:16Z")
Watching the video [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUuneyGfDDQ), especially the slo-mo at the end, I’m not entirely sure he was trying to punch the ref. Like one of the commentators states, it looks like he’s slapping the side of his helmet and it deflects and hits the ref. I know, it sounds weird, but watch the vid. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/5 "2016-09-11T23:42:14Z")
Yeah, it looks like he slaps the side of his helmet and it bounces into the ref. I’d drop the assault charges but still boot the kid from the team and the college. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2016, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/6 "2016-09-11T23:58:01Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Yeah, it looks like he slaps the side of his helmet and it bounces into the ref. I’d drop the assault charges but still boot the kid from the team and the college. I suppose he could be civilly negligent, but if it’s a single unintentional incident why should he be kicked off the team and out of the school? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/7 "2016-09-12T00:00:16Z")
He punched a referee. Inadvertent or not, that shit cannot stand. He’s probably in the school on a football scholarship to begin with. JuCo or not, punching a ref is a Bozo No-no. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/8 "2016-09-12T00:09:21Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > He punched a referee. Inadvertent or not, that shit cannot stand. He’s probably in the school on a football scholarship to begin with. JuCo or not, punching a ref is a Bozo No-no. Referees are contacted inadvertently all the time. I don’t know of any case where that’s resulted in the consequences you describe. I don’t see how his scholarship status or the type of school it is makes a difference either. If he did not intend to strike a referee then at worst he was negligent in slapping his own helmet with great force while in proximity to a referee. Perhaps some minor punishment like a one game suspension is deserved from the school, if anything at all. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/9 "2016-09-12T02:22:20Z")
They may negotiate a plea deal. Depends on whether the DA is convinced this wasn’t a deliberate punch. I’m not sure either way from the video. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/10 "2016-09-12T02:27:48Z")
It looked to me as if the player’s right forearm was being held by another player. He jerked the arm free by pulling up HARD; his arm came free and all the force caused him to hit his own helmet and then hit the ref. He didn’t punch anyone; the ref got hit inadvertently IMO. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/11 "2016-09-12T03:24:31Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > They may negotiate a plea deal. Depends on whether the DA is convinced this wasn’t a deliberate punch. > > I’m not sure either way from the video. I wouldn’t be surprised if the charges are completely dropped. In the initial video, yes, it looks like he was punched, but in the slow motion video, to me it looks like what **Snowboarder Bo** describes. There’s certainly not enough evidence there, in my observation and opinion, to say this is anything but an accident/inadvertent strike. I’m still not even sure how or where he hits the ref hard enough to knock him down. It’s just a weird looking video. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/12 "2016-09-12T04:02:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **aceplace57** > There’s no excuse for this in Sports. Yes up until now sports have always been the last bastion of the noble. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/13 "2016-09-12T12:37:46Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Referees are contacted inadvertently all the time. I don’t know of any case where that’s resulted in the consequences you describe. I don’t see how his scholarship status or the type of school it is makes a difference either. If he did not intend to strike a referee then at worst he was negligent in slapping his own helmet with great force while in proximity to a referee. Perhaps some minor punishment like a one game suspension is deserved from the school, if anything at all. But he wasn’t just “in proximity” to the ref - the ref was holding him back to keep him from going after someone on the other team. I’d say in that instance, he’s got to be extra careful what he does. It’s not like a ref not getting out of the way of a fullback cutting towards him. ETA: Does he deserve criminal charges or expulsion? Absolutely not. But a suspension for a few games would be warranted IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/14 "2016-09-12T12:52:46Z")
> [@muldoonthief](#): > > But he wasn’t just “in proximity” to the ref - the ref was holding him back to keep him from going after someone on the other team. I’d say in that instance, he’s got to be extra careful what he does. It’s not like a ref not getting out of the way of a fullback cutting towards him. > > ETA: Does he deserve criminal charges or expulsion? Absolutely not. But a suspension for a few games would be warranted IMHO. Sure, if that’s the case, his behavior even without the inadvertent punch could warrant some action. Not criminal action, even civil action is unlikely, a game or two suspension is probably the max. Even if combined with previous problems and kicking him off the team is warranted he shouldn’t be expelled from school, although it’s likely to be the end for him if he was only there on a football scholarship. But if this was the first such incident, and it was unintended, I’d say do nothing but make it clear he has to keep better control of himself on the field and let it go. ---
**Author:** ![muldoonthief](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muldoonthief/32/3188_2.png) [@muldoonthief](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muldoonthief)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/15 "2016-09-12T13:44:28Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sure, if that’s the case, his behavior even without the inadvertent punch could warrant some action. Not criminal action, even civil action is unlikely, a game or two suspension is probably the max. Even if combined with previous problems and kicking him off the team is warranted he shouldn’t be expelled from school, although it’s likely to be the end for him if he was only there on a football scholarship. But if this was the first such incident, and it was unintended, I’d say do nothing but make it clear he has to keep better control of himself on the field and let it go. Did you watch the video linked in post 4? That’s exactly what happened - he was jawing to a player on the other team, the ref ran up and started walking him back, his teammates came over and also tried to walk him back, he started back towards the player on the other team, the ref & 3 or 4 teammates tried to hold him back (note, the guy was huge, towered over even his teammates), and the hit occurred. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/16 "2016-09-12T16:40:17Z")
Give him a criminal sentence but suspend it if he stays clean for a year, ban him from the league for life, and brand his forehead with “ANGER MANAGEMENT PROBLEM” as a public safety precaution. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/17 "2016-09-12T16:45:15Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Give him a criminal sentence but suspend it if he stays clean for a year, ban him from the league for life, and brand his forehead with “ANGER MANAGEMENT PROBLEM” as a public safety precaution. Except the video doesn’t, to me, seem to show anything criminal or anything deserving of a life-long ban. I’d be fine with **muldoontheif** ’s several-game suspension, unless something else comes out to point that he did intentionally try to punch the ref. ---
**Author:** ![Sparky812](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Sparky812](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparky812)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/18 "2016-09-12T16:59:48Z")
Yep, I think **Snowboarder** has it right. I don’t know what the precedence is for a game suspension, but that’s all it should be. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/19 "2016-09-12T17:36:24Z")
So what if it is unintentional? Let’s say I’m in the checkout at a grocery store, and I forgot to buy milk. I do one of those “I shoulda had a V-8!” head smacks, and somehow I miss and KO a bystander. Is someone saying I shouldn’t be arrested for that? There’s no intrinsic part of football that involves socking one’s self in the head to gain self-control, as opposed to, say, going for a tackle and accidentally hitting a referee. The lineman’s violence was outside the game, so yeah, I can see punishment for that. The player has apologized and given his side of the story: > **[Mt. SAC lineman 'truly sorry' for hitting ref during Ventura College game](https://www.vcstar.com/story/sports/2016/09/11/mt-sac-lineman-truly-sorry-hitting-ref-during-ventura-college-game/90230672/)** > > The Mt. SAC football player arrested for alleged assault on referee says the incident was unintentional. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706/20 "2016-09-12T17:41:53Z")
> [@Ravenman](#): > > So what if it is unintentional? > > Let’s say I’m in the checkout at a grocery store, and I forgot to buy milk. I do one of those “I shoulda had a V-8!” head smacks, and somehow I miss and KO a bystander. Is someone saying I shouldn’t be arrested for that? 😕 Well, yes. Why would I want you arrested if it was an accident? ETA: OK, I mean, I guess arrest you if we need to sort out what happened, but if it were obvious to me it was just an accident, of course I wouldn’t want you arrested. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/college-player-punches-ref-in-the-face/765706.md?page=2)