Embarrassing Moments at Work

I feel sorry for the replacement refs. No really, think about it. We all make mistakes at our jobs once in a while, right? These guys are making mistakes on national television that has the whole country talking about how incompetent they are. That's gotta be tough.

One Ref Signals Touchback as the Other Signals Touchdown

There they were at the very last play of Monday Night Football, one of the highest, if not the highest rated programs on television. Two refs standing and facing each other giving two completely different signs with their arms. In the replay, you can actually see them looking at each other with a sort of "What the bleep are you calling that for?" expression on their faces.

Can you imagine what a stealth life these guys must be leading these days? Imagine walking into a sports bar in any city other than Seattle as a replacement ref. Conversation starts at the bar and eventually that dreaded question is asked as it always is, "So, what do you do for a living?" If you are replacement ref, you absolutely have to lie about your job. "I'm in sanitation. Um, I manage a pit bull adoption agency. Um, I manage a Kato Kaelin fan website." You would literally say anything other than "I'm a replacement ref for the NFL."

I've made mistakes at work. Probably the most embarassing...so far...happened early in my career. I was summoned to present an overview of the fledgling marketing program to the board of directors of the consumer software company in which I worked. I had gone through my PowerPoint presentation and rehearsed several times. I knew that thing cold. I was ready. So, I got into the meeting room with those board members and went through each section. There was "Advertising." There was "Trade Shows and Events." There was "Partnership Marketing and Licensing." And, there was "Pubic Relations."

I'm sorry, what was that last one?

Yup, I forgot one little "L" and it changed the tone of my whole presentation. There it was projected on an 8-foot by 10-foot screen (this was pre big screen tvs)...my strategy for "Pubic Relations." Thankfully, I just did this in front of 8 men who found neither humor nor repulsion in my slide.

Now imagine completely screwing up your job in front of millions of viewers. Imagine half the country talking about how awful you are, so much so that your employer has to call a press conference to comment on your actions. These guys are going to be lucky to ref a U12 soccer game after they are done with this gig.

So, the next time I have an "oooops" moment at work. The next time I pop off with a sarcastic comment in a staff meeting that would have been better left unsaid. I can think to myself, "at least I'm not a replacement ref in the NFL."