HELLO, EVERYBODY, AND welcome again to the state football playoffs - coaches, fans, parents and players. May your team win today's game - or at least come in second place.

Before you enter the stadium, there's something we need to talk about, so everybody have a seat and please read on.The referees. Leave them alone.

Do not abuse the Men in Stripes. Remember they are almost people, too. Go ahead and voice your displeasure occasionally, but don't throw things at them, don't curse at them, don't lay hands on them.

Treat referees respectfully because, for the life of you, you can't figure out why anyone would want to do this job, but somebody has to do it. Respect them because they have to wear stripes, blow an annoying whistle and everybody hates them.

Treat them well because most of them don't do it for the money but only because it gets in their blood for some strange reason. Treat them well because they leave their real jobs early, work a game for three-plus hours, not counting travel time to and from the game, and get about $50 for their trouble.

Just once during a game, try telling the stranger next to you, in a voice loud enough to be heard by others, "That was a good call." Even if it's against your team. Especially if it's against your team.

Treat the playing field as if it were a classroom and the referee a member of the school faculty, because that's what

they are - an extension of education. Since you would never swear at or attack a teacher in the class, don't do it on the football field, either. Since you would never teach bad manners and vulgarity and loss of self-control and refusal to take accountability to a classroom of children, don't teach it in the stadium, either.

To school administrators: Do not lock referees out of their locker room after your team has lost, just to claim some measure of revenge. Do not leave them huddling, defenseless and quivering, outside their locker room so they will be subjected to the abuse of players and fans.

To coaches, principals, athletic directors: Promise never to visit the referees' locker room because this is their refuge, and besides, what's the point?

Control yourself, coaches, because everybody makes mistakes, including you. Because there are times when referees think to themselves, `Oh, what a stupid play,' but he never says so.