A focus on Conflict Management in The Sports World

1. False calls and false
Assumptions
A focus on Conflict Management in The sports world
Seth Stillman

2. Article Overview
-Numerous Articles providing a bread overview of this particular organization process to
determining and resolving sports team conflict involving False Calls and assumptions.
-The Article first identifies typical issues that arise within a sports organization
-Personal issues
-False calls
-Assumptions
-Violation of team rules
-Damaged culture

3. Article Overview-This Organization and the NFL itself implements a conflict management system and team accountability
The organization and the NFL’s framework for evaluating and achieving conflict management system is as
follows:
-Objectives
-Composition
-Participants
-Capital
-Benefit

4. Organizational Conflict
-Organizational Communication is the approaches and processes, by Katherine Miller that states five phases of organizational
conflict.
1) Latent Conflict: parties interact in independent relationship, making incompatible goals impossible.
2) Perceived Conflict: At least one of the parties realize that their situation is characterized by incompatibility and
interdependence.
3) Felt Conflict: Parties personalize perceived conflict by focusing on the conflict. Management strategies begin being planned.
4) Manifest Conflict: The is the communication aspect of the conflict amongst the parties. They implement their own personal
strategies when interacting about the issue.
5) Conflict Aftermath: Whether the issue is resolved or not, there will either be positive or negative consequences from the conflict.
It affects the individuals, the relationship, and the organization.

5. Real Examples
-I am going to use many real life sports conflict examples to paint a picture on how these certain
situations went about the five phases of conflict and then connect it with the ideology of the Sports
Conflict itself to determine the following
1) The Issue itself
2) Framework for a Conflict Management System
3) The possible rebound on assets
4) The possible ramification if the conflict was not settled

6. Coin Toss Turmoil
-During a 1988 Thanksgiving day game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Detroit Lions,
Jerome Bettis of the Steelers was heard on the broadcast to call “tails” during the coin flip before
overtime.
-The referee said he had called “heads” However, and the Lions not only won the toss, but kicked the
game winning field goal on the next posession.
-Referee Phil Luckett, would later say that Bettis had in fact called “heads-tails” and he went with the
first thing he heard.

7. Coin Toss Phases of Conflict
Phase #1- Latent Conflict
-The coin toss turmoil situation provides several aspects to this phase of conflict. It appears Jerome Bettis tried to be a
schemer and win the coin toss by saying “heads-tails” This shows how the Steelers plan to execute for their team goals.
Phase #2- Perceived Conflict
-The NFL, Media and all of the public began reacting immediately after the coin toss was handled.
-Bleacher Report came out with an article after the game saying that referee Phil Ducket “went with what he heard first”

8. Coin Toss Phases of Conflict
Phase #3- Felt Conflict
-Although not proven guilty if the referee was wrong or not, the NFL decided to carry on with the game which lead to a
Detroit Lions victory. Referee Phil Luckett didn't announce what he heard until the post game which lead to even more
controversy.
Phase #4- Manifest Conflict
-Thank to the media and public, both teams, the NFL and referee committee began addressing the public on their
thoughts and actions towards the situation.
Phase #5 Conflict Aftermath
-Unfortunately, due to the call on the coin flip and the results of the game, nothing could be changed after the game
winning field goal was kicked by the Detroit Lions. However, both parties let the public know how they felt.

9. Coin Toss Conflict
-This issue with this situation was communication. If the ref heard Jerome Bettis say “heads-tails” he should of either
communicated with the other referees or called for a new coin toss.
-Since the results were final and the Detroit Lions were ruled victorious, nothing could be changed.
Results
-Blemished fan base
-An injured NFL reputation
-Damaged record for the Pittsburg Steelers

10. Framework
-Goals: To assure all NFL Referees are on the same page and communicate during the coin toss, especially in overtime.
-Processes and Structure: How the NFL should go about post game results due to false assumptions.
Stakeholders: Anyone who has some sort of relationship with the NFL are all critical parties
Resources: We can refer to the NFL commissioner, Roger Goodell, who deals with all poor situations that happen in the
NFL.
Success and Accountability: Only time will tell how the NFL deals with a coin toss crisis again.

11. NBA Playoffs
-In the 2015/2016 NBA Playoffs, The Oklahoma City Thunder faced off against the San Antonio Spurs when a wild last
play of the game caused commotion
-Dion Waiters of the Thunder violated an NBA rule by reaching over the out of bounds line and creating contact during the
inbound with Spurs guard, Manu Ginobili, which caused the ball to get stolen.
-Right after the game, it was addressed in the press conference that the refs missed the call.
-The refs confirmed the call after looking at it with instant replay review
-NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, later on released a statement saying that nothing can be changed but the NBA refs did
indeed miss the call.

12. Thunder vs Spurs phases of Conflict
Phase #1- Latent Conflict
-It may have not been intentional, however, this phase of conflict is expressed by the Oklahoma City Thunder that
the refs did indeed cost them the game.
Phase #2- Perceived Conflict
-The NBA officials reviewed the play post game and came to the conclusion that they were wrong for not blowing
the whistle on Dion Waiters which may have costed the Spurs the game and the shot at a potential championship.
Phase #3- Felt Conflict
-This is where the NBA begins looking at how to take action towards to referees for not making the correct call

13. Thunder vs Spurs phases of Conflict
Phase #4- Manifest conflict
-The NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, released a statement saying that the game officials committed an
error when not blowing the whistle on Dion Waiters for going over the line during the inbound and creating
contact. The NBA refs were not to ref the next series
Phase #5- Conflict Aftermath
-In the press, The Thunder were of course still happy because they got to advance to the Western
Conference Finals.
-This was not the first time an incorrect call has falsely crowned a team in the NBA or any sport. This is
another example of how the NBA and all organizations should be allowed to change the outcome of a
game due to an error made by the game officials.

14. Thunder vs Spurs phases of Conflict
-This issue was a violation to the NBA rulebook.
-Due to the high level of social media use and media publicity, the
NBA was obligated to at least release a statement about the issue
that took place in the Western quarter finals.
If they didn’t take action, they would have to deal with:
-Flawed reputation
-Hurt fan base
-A lack of motivation from officials and players

15. The False Call at Comerica
-In 2011, Jim Joyce, an MLB official, called the runner safe with two outs in the bottom of the 9th when
Detroit Tigers pitcher, Armando Galarraga was robbed of a no-hitter.
-All of Comerica Park was on their feet with one out to go as Armando Galarraga was about to make history,
just before Jim Joyce completely botched the call.
-The ballpark, media, fans, players, coaches, etc, all erupted.

16. False Call Phases of Conflict
Phase #1- Latent Conflict
-Jim Joyce completely blew the game and caused history to be made damaged, which conflicts with
goals of keeping the public safe as riots were likely to happen after the game
Phase #2- Perceived Conflict
-As the Police Department of Downtown Detroit received a call that there was a game blown by an
umpire and there may be a riot in the streets after the game, they realized this isn’t a joke and actions
need to be taken even if there are no riots, just to be safe.
Phase #3- Felt Conflict
-Detroit Police officers quickly began planning how they would deal with this situation if it were to
happen.

17. False Call Phases of Conflict
Phase #4- Manifest Conflict
-Detroit Police officers must communicate with one another and make a game
plan. They cannot simply act last minute, it is their job to protect the people of and
in Detroit.
Phase #5- Conflict Aftermath
-The aftermath of this conflict wasn’t as bad as they thought. A few fights and cars
tipped over but no fires or anything of that Caliber took place. More so, umpire Jim
Joyce, was absolutely humiliated and ripped by the press and by the whole city of
Detroit.

18. Review
-There are several different types of conflict that arise in sports
Smaller: Team controversy, or individual issues with the organization
Large: Global issues like security and communication
-The five phases of organizational conflict listed in the book are examples in all situations when
conflicts arise in the sports world.
-Interdependent goals will always conflict with organizational goals, especially in the sports
world.
-Conflict is usually bad in the moment, but it creates more progress later on and creates more
structure moving forward.

19. Questions
-What is going through an officials head after he/she blows the game?
-Who makes the first call when a potential attack/riot may take place?
-Should we feel bad for officials when they blow a game?
-When its all over with, does one move on or hold a grudge at the falsely accused call?

20. Work Cited1) By the ninth inning, they're on their feet, readying for the 21st perfect game in major league history.
Joyce had witnessed such history just a few weeks prior, when he worked second base for Oakland pitcher
Dallas Braden's perfect game. He knew Braden had a perfect game as it was being thrown, just as he knew
-- sometime around the seventh inning -- that Galarraga had one going, too. (2011, January 9). Missed call
haunts umpire. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://www.espn.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=5993137
2) By Topice-LearningPollsSCI TVSports Conflict NewsRecommended Reading. (n.d.). Sports Conflict
Institute | Prepare for Optimal Performance™. Retrieved October 26, 2016, from http://
beta.sportsconflict.org/
3)Rapp Timothy Rapp , Featured Columnist May 4, 2011, T. (2011, May 4). The 25 Most Controversial
Moments in Sports. Retrieved November 20, 2016, from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/690603-the-25-
most-controversial-moments-in-sports/page/5