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Bar News - November 19, 2004 Jim Gleason's Time Out from the Law By: Dan Wise
HEALTHY LAWYERS CHOOSE different ways to get away from the pressures of their profession such as playing golf, running marathons, raising horses, or writing novels. NHBA President Jim Gleason's refuge from stress is to take on another kind of pressure. Every weekend of the autumn you'll find him dodging flying tackles and making tough calls in front of tens of thousands of roaring fans at big-time college football games, wearing the zebra stripes of a member of the officiating crew. A football game from ground level, from the sideline, is nothing like watching it on TV, Gleason says. "There's an incredible intensity to it, the action, the sounds, the speed. As an official, you get very involved in the game and in its details- you almost lose track of the score." He's on the road every weekend, since, as a precaution, officials in big-time college football aren't assigned to nearby games where they might be known. In the offseason, Gleason has to study up on changes in the rules and pass yearly exams on his penalty-calling proficiency as well as his physical conditioning. The game is not only exciting, it's dangerous down there. Officials must have the agility and stamina to keep up with the action and be smart and quick enough to stay out of the way when the play comes their way. The consequence of being in the wrong place at the right time can be both embarrassing and painful. Gleason believes he's been smart and lucky in that department. "I haven't been injured yet; I've never been run over. It happens a lot and it's happened to every other member of my crew." Gleason, 51, started officiating high school and college lacrosse games shortly after he began practicing law in Henniker in 1978. He switched to football within a few years and then began steadily moving up the ranks. Three years ago, he moved up to the Division 1-AA level after he was hired by the Atlantic 10 Conference, which includes the University of New Hampshire. At the time, he was the only lawyer refereeing football at that level. Two years ago, he switched from referee to line judge. Instead of lining up in the middle of the field, behind the quarterback, Gleason, as a line judge, now patrols one of the sidelines, monitoring infringements on the line of scrimmage, spotting the ball, and making calls on out-of-bounds, possessions, and penalties. On the sidelines, he's closer to the coaches and players. While some officials don't like that added pressure, Gleason says he enjoys the banter that goes on. Sometimes it is gentle jibes exchanged with players or a coach when the game is young; or it's players lobbying him to watch out for an opposing player's tendency to grab or hold illegally. But sometimes he's within earshot for shouted criticism of controversial calls. Amidst the action and the intensity, like a good judge, the referee must keep his head. "You can't meet emotion with emotion. You can't let things get to you personally," Gleason said. "Thousands of people are screaming, the situation is getting emotional and people are yelling at you. You are tempted to yell back, but you can't let the situation escalate or be tempted to throw flag." "As the season goes on, there can be a big difference for a coach's future between a 7-3 and a 5-5 season. That's a lot of pressure for these guys. Imagine if your livelihood depended on the efforts of a bunch of 18- to 20-year-olds. I can see where that can be maddening."  As a "line judge," Jim Gleason is one of a seven-member crew officiating at Atlantic 10 college football games. He earns about $700 per game. Photo by Scott Brown. The idea of officiating first occurred to Gleason when he was playing free safety at Northern Michigan University. He recalls one particularly cold, windy, snowy game in late November. Suffering through the tough conditions with him was an official in the backfield. He and Gleason first traded comments about the weather and then Gleason, no doubt trying to keep on the official's good side, asked him how he had become a football official. He encouraged Gleason to consider it after his playing days were over. "He said, 'We need young guys to get into it.' I remembered that and later I took his advice." Gleason says the practice of law and sports officiating do have similarities. They both intertwine fast judgments and the necessity for calmness in the midst of a storm. Referees like judges, have to be willing to take the heat and make the call even when the situation isn't crystal-clear. "The worst moment for an official comes when you have to make a call that will determine the outcome of the game -to rule 'catch' or 'no catch', was it a fumble or not," said Gleason. "In college there are no instant replays [in the NFL, officials' calls can be appealed and decided by the referee watching instant replays] -which is as it should be. It's an awful feeling in your gut when you know you didn't get a good look at it. You can't say I want to think about it for awhile. You don't know for sure if you're right, but you have to make the call." Gleason adds, "The best moment for an official occurs when the losing coach tells you did a good job - and that does happen often in our conference. I am really proud of the sportsmanship in our conference." Though it takes a substantial amount of time out of his schedule, Gleason said having outside pursuits is critical to enjoying his profession. "How do you not find time to do something like this? It's important for everyone, not just professionals, to have some interests outside their occupation. You can't just do your job and say that's it."
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