Happy to Scoob my boy...
Yes, Joe's job was made easier by the fact he was not deciding "A", "B", or "C" and only dealing with Pro's. But you would be amazed how many guys would show up wanting to race at a pro supercross. It was nearly a weekly occurrence that Jim Bob in a flannel shirt would drag an 8 year old P.O.S. out of a truck and want to ride. It was easy to deal with those guys by simply telling them you don't have a license or experience. But then you had the slow "A' riders that in their mind, they where fast enough. Its a tuff job to tell someone "you cant do it because your not good enough" (Well I have been told it is tuff, I find it pretty easy to tell someone they suck.) This all led to the "earning" your license though other races like Arenacross and amateur championships. "The road to Supercross' crap we all hear.
If the AMA or other organizations, would create a class where referees could be properly trained on talent and safety, this would level the playing field for the participants and the promoters. The promoter is already paying a guy to act as the ref. Often times (in the past) this was the guy who had a child that raced and he was coming to the race anyway, or it was the job you gave to the "member" of your club that you did not like or was the last drunk in the corner during your meetings. Either way they did not, and in my opinion, still do not, have the mindset of what best for the rider.
I am not attacking anyone and I want to thank anyone and EVERYONE that has volunteered to be a ref in the past... No offence please..
A good ref is impartial to the facility and participants and grants judgment on the rules as they are written. These impartial referees should come from a pool and be assigned to a specific event on a weekly basis.
What a PERFECT example? High school football... Where do you think those guys come from? They are all trained to the rules by the organization and subscribing leagues, then they are grouped as a team and assigned to a specific game. The home school does not pick the ref they get, but they pay them.
Lets face it, I have the greatest ideas EVER... its just that simple. I should be named Grand Poobah of Moto.....