---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is…"
description: "\"I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world. At the same time, I think there is way too m..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg"
---

#  I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job…

![“I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world. At the same time, I think there is way too much ego from their standpoint.” quote by Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg)

> “I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world. At the same time, I think there is way too much ego from their standpoint.”

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Managing elite athletes is demanding, yet their egos can hinder teamwork and growth.

**In simple terms:** Coaching top talent is hard and ego can be a problem.

Key Takeaway

Balance authority with humility.

Themes

leadership team dynamics ego management

Mood

reflective empathetic

Type

advice motivational

When to use this quote

- professional coaching
- team meetings
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

sports psychology performance pressure

Questions to Reflect On

- How can a coach channel ego positively?
- What strategies reduce ego clashes?

A Different Perspective

Ego may cause resistance to feedback.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Athletes World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes-world-1002430/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Best Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-athletes-346506/) [Ego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego/) [Ego Standpoint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ego-standpoint-1787475/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Ref Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ref-tough-1787473/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Tough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough/) [Tough job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tough-job/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Wrong Ref](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wrong-ref-1787474/)

## Related quotes

> [MMA fighters are said to be some of the best athletes in the world. My plan at the age of 47 is to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herschel-walker/mma-fighters-are-said-to-be-some-of-the-best-athletes-in-the-world-my/)

[Herschel Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herschel-walker/)

> [To me the Olympic spirit embodies the magic of competition, hard work and coming to a point in your career when you're around the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-mancuso/to-me-the-olympic-spirit-embodies-the-magic-of-competition-hard-work/)

[Julia Mancuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-mancuso/)

> [Just being with some of the best athletes in the world is a marvelous experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/just-being-with-some-of-the-best-athletes-in-the-world-is-a-marvelous/)

[Albert II, Prince of Monaco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-ii-prince-of-monaco/)

> [International Amateur Atheletic Federation had selected me in 1985 and 1986 as one of the best eight athletes in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-t-usha/international-amateur-atheletic-federation-had-selected-me-in-1985/)

[P. T. Usha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-t-usha/)

> ['Suena' is what the essence of the Olympics are about. There are the best athletes in the world up on one stage. The love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jencarlos-canela/suena-is-what-the-essence-of-the-olympics-are-about-there-are-the/)

[Jencarlos Canela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jencarlos-canela/)

> [The WNBA is constantly called the best league in the world, yet we don't get treated like the best athletes in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-cambage/the-wnba-is-constantly-called-the-best-league-in-the-world-yet-we-don/)

[Liz Cambage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-cambage/)

> [The NFL is the best athletes in the world with the best work ethic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-nassib/the-nfl-is-the-best-athletes-in-the-world-with-the-best-work-ethic/)

[Carl Nassib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-nassib/)

> [I feel like MMA athletes are the best athletes in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-adesanya/i-feel-like-mma-athletes-are-the-best-athletes-in-the-world/)

[Israel Adesanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-adesanya/)

> [I have to improve everything to play with the best athletes in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/domantas-sabonis/i-have-to-improve-everything-to-play-with-the-best-athletes-in-the/)

[Domantas Sabonis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/domantas-sabonis/)

> [All you've ever seen in the UFC was the greatest athletes in the world. Never, ever did we do a freakshow and we won't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-white/all-you-ve-ever-seen-in-the-ufc-was-the-greatest-athletes-in-the/)

[Dana White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-white/)

> [I mean, the greatest athletes in the world are African-American.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-bird/i-mean-the-greatest-athletes-in-the-world-are-african-american/)

[Larry Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-bird/)

> [We are going to help the young talented athletes become world champions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caster-semenya/we-are-going-to-help-the-young-talented-athletes-become-world/)

[Caster Semenya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caster-semenya/)

> [The Olympic Games is holy. Athletes from around the world, including myself, of course, dream to participate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yao-ming/the-olympic-games-is-holy-athletes-from-around-the-world-including/)

[Yao Ming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yao-ming/)

> [The greatest athletes in the world play in the NHL there is no question about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-bowen/the-greatest-athletes-in-the-world-play-in-the-nhl-there-is-no/)

[Joe Bowen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-bowen/)

> [Competing at the Olympics is the pinnacle of your career. Everything is amplified, and you feel so proud to represent your country. You're there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allyson-felix/competing-at-the-olympics-is-the-pinnacle-of-your-career-everything/)

[Allyson Felix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allyson-felix/)

## More by Matt Barnes

> [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [I realize that I'm one of those guys that if I'm not with you, you hate me. But when I'm with you, you understand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-realize-that-i-m-one-of-those-guys-that-if-i-m-not-with-you-you/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [I'm a role player, a journeyman. I know who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-m-a-role-player-a-journeyman-i-know-who-i-am/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [In the NBA you better come to play every night, where in the NBDL the talent level just isn't there and maybe you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/in-the-nba-you-better-come-to-play-every-night-where-in-the-nbdl-the/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [Ever since I lost my mom, I'm really just trying to give back. At first, we were doing screenings and paying for surgeries, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/ever-since-i-lost-my-mom-i-m-really-just-trying-to-give-back-at-first/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [Even though the city of Memphis and this organization has welcomed me with open arms, I play every game like it's my last. Play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/even-though-the-city-of-memphis-and-this-organization-has-welcomed-me/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [I'm an aggressive player. I always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-m-an-aggressive-player-i-always-have-been/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [I've had to fight every year. That's kept me hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-ve-had-to-fight-every-year-that-s-kept-me-hungry/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [I like being the hated one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-like-being-the-hated-one/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [The league feels like it's their job to protect the referees more than the players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/the-league-feels-like-it-s-their-job-to-protect-the-referees-more/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [We can't beat any team by ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/we-can-t-beat-any-team-by-ourselves/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [Until you get that championship, nobody's good enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/until-you-get-that-championship-nobody-s-good-enough/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [I respect all my opponents, but I fear no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-respect-all-my-opponents-but-i-fear-no-one/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [Some guys have one good year and fade away. I've worked too hard to get here and it's took me too long to just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/some-guys-have-one-good-year-and-fade-away-i-ve-worked-too-hard-to/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

> [Fatherhood is the best thing that ever happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/fatherhood-is-the-best-thing-that-ever-happened-to-me/)

[Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

[Explore all 98 Matt Barnes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/)

## More Best quotes

> [Failures happen. You can't cry over them. You just take it in your stride because you know that you have done your best... Sometimes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divya-dutta/failures-happen-you-can-t-cry-over-them-you-just-take-it-in-your/)

[Divya Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divya-dutta/)

> [Scepticism and cynicism about politics is so great that one of the best counters to it is what you can do at a local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-miliband/scepticism-and-cynicism-about-politics-is-so-great-that-one-of-the/)

[Ed Miliband](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-miliband/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [It's no wonder Pep is one of the best coaches in the world. When I knew I could work with him I was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ederson/it-s-no-wonder-pep-is-one-of-the-best-coaches-in-the-world-when-i/)

[Ederson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ederson/)

> [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/)

[Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [I want to be perceived as a guy who played his best in all facets, not just scoring. A guy who loved challenges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jordan/i-want-to-be-perceived-as-a-guy-who-played-his-best-in-all-facets-not/)

[Michael Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jordan/)

> [I feel like I'm the best, but you're not going to get me to say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-rice/i-feel-like-i-m-the-best-but-you-re-not-going-to-get-me-to-say-that/)

[Jerry Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-rice/)

> [Life is where you love people and use things not use people and love things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/life-is-where-you-love-people-and-use-things-not-use-people-and-love/)

[Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/)

> [With every product, the delta between the brand and the reality determines its power over the minds of consumers, and with Trump, that delta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-wilson/with-every-product-the-delta-between-the-brand-and-the-reality/)

[Rick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-wilson/)

> [The human element should be the two players on the court, not the officials. The best officials are the ones you never notice. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-scott/the-human-element-should-be-the-two-players-on-the-court-not-the/)

[Gene Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-scott/)

> [I'm looking to fight the best guys in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yair-rodriguez/i-m-looking-to-fight-the-best-guys-in-the-world/)

[Yair Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yair-rodriguez/)

> [Batley and Spen has a high proportion of people working in manufacturing, and we can boast the full range of industries, including high-skilled, precision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-cox/batley-and-spen-has-a-high-proportion-of-people-working-in/)

[Jo Cox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-cox/)

> [It is no secret that I have read 'The Da Vinci Code' several times. I genuinely believe that 'The Da Vinci Code' and 'Angels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashwin-sanghi/it-is-no-secret-that-i-have-read-the-da-vinci-code-several-times-i/)

[Ashwin Sanghi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashwin-sanghi/)

> [Any position I was going to be in, I was going to make the best of it. I always do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bledsoe/any-position-i-was-going-to-be-in-i-was-going-to-make-the-best-of-it/)

[Eric Bledsoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bledsoe/)

[Browse all 21,674 Best quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world. At the same time, I think there is way too much ego from their standpoint.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Matt Barnes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a-very-tough-job-managing-10/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Best"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a-very-tough-job-managing-10/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c72/matt-barnes-6673_best_i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a_163457.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I mean, don't get me wrong, being ref is a very tough job - managing 10 of the best athletes in the world…” — Matt Barnes",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Matt Barnes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I mean, don't get me wrong,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a-very-tough-job-managing-10/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-mean-don-t-get-me-wrong-being-ref-is-a-very-tough-job-managing-10/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
