Referee Talks On Cell Phone During Basketball Game Like He Doesn't Give A !@#$

As if referees weren't criticized enough.

Watch this on-court basketball official chat on his cell phone Tuesday while a youth game is in progress.

Deadspin reported that the ref talked for about a minute during the showdown between North Whidbey Middle School and Oak Harbor Middle School in Oak Harbor, Washington.

Oak Harbor Public Schools rep Kellie Tormey told The Huffington Post that the referee, who is not a district employee, was on the phone with his supervisor to find another official for a game across town. The other game did not have a referee. "It was poor judgment but he was trying to do the right thing," she said.

Still, outlets cried foul. Deadspin called the official the "world's worst referee." The Sporting News wrote of the call, "It better have been an emergency."

H/T For The Win

This post has been updated with new information from the school district.