Unlike Tim, I truly don't believe one sport is tougher to officiate than another. Having worked hockey, basketball, baseball, and softball, I know each sport brings with it challenges unique to the sport. Let's look at what Tim said and see how other sports stack up.

The need for speed

Renneberg:

Let's begin with the speed. Hockey is the fastest team sport on the planet. Just staying out of the way of the players and the puck is an accomplishment worth celebrating. Staying out of the way is crucial to simple survival since we wear very little in the way of protective equipment.

But staying out of the way is hardly enough for good referees. We must make split-second decisions based on a glimpse of a quick happening. Did the player contact the puck before he tripped the opponent? Did the checker's hands contact the opponent's head? Was the puck above the normal height of the player's shoulders when he knocked it down with his stick?

Fastest team sport? OK, I'll concede that. Split-second decisions? Now that is one that I will not!

Continued...