What's My Why: Official Dino Paganelli
August 5, 2026
Dino Paganelli, Wyoming
Michigan has produced several notable Super Bowl officials, including brothers Dino, Carl and Perry Paganelli from Wyoming Rogers High School. Remarkably, at least one Paganelli has officiated in eight of the 60 Super Bowls.
Dino has been part of three Super Bowls – XLVII, LV, and LVII – and previously was an MHSAA-registered football official from 1986-87 through 2003-04. He also officiated basketball during 14 of those 17 school years.
I think back to my positive experiences in football from high school, college and pros, and some of my fondest memories were working Friday night football.
It fostered that sense of giving back to the community, interaction with coaches and players, and – most importantly – my fellow crew mates.
Officiating has been a big part of our family, although it doesn’t define us, but it is a major beacon or guidance in regards to how we not only conduct ourselves professionally but also as officials. Those are lessons that were valuable, learned through the Michigan High School Athletic Association.
“What’s My Why” is a weekly feature telling the stories of MHSAA-registered officials in their own words. If you’re an MHSAA official and would like to share your reason why, please submit a 15 to 45-second video, taken horizontally, to director of officials Sam Davis at [email protected].
What's My Why
Aug. 3: Stacy Smith, Caledonia - Watch
July 22: Jason Nickleby, Lake Elmo, Minn. - Watch
July 15: Sam Davis, Lansing - Watch
July 9: Candace Cox, Quincy - Watch
July 1: Robert Williams, Redford - Watch
June 24: Will Godfrey, Jackson - Watch
June 19: Jarrett Skorup, Midland - Watch
June 12: Brady Driver, Sturgis - Watch
June 8: Cindy Tyzo, West Bloomfield - Watch
June 3: Jeff Spedoske, DeWitt - Watch
June 1: Mike Carrier, Commerce Township - Watch
May 27: Stan Wright, Warren - Watch
May 26: Murray Rose, Zeeland - Watch
May 22: Mike VanLaan, Alto - Watch
May 18: Clint Abbott, Newaygo - Watch
Official Treatment
March 7, 2014
A book I quoted in this space three times last November – How: Why HOW We Do Anything Means Everything by Dov Seidman – has me thinking about sports officiating.
One premise of the book is that the Internet era has made the world so transparent and connected that there is no such thing anymore as “private” behavior or a “minor” mistake. Everything can become a public matter – instantly. Anything can become a major problem – overnight. Worldwide.
So, when our local real estate agent, who officiates junior varsity basketball, misses a call that an invested spectator captures with his or her smart phone camera, and sends to his or her relatives and a local media outlet that night, there is no limit to where that video could appear by the next morning.
And while major college and professional officials may now receive four-figure fees to work under those conditions, officials at the junior high/middle school and high school levels – sometimes working for little more than gas money - wonder if it’s worth the hassle.
There are many obstacles to recruiting and retaining officials for school sports, including poor business practices by assigners and bad sportsmanship by coaches and spectators; but a significant factor not to be overlooked is the adverse potential of immediate worldwide criticism for a call that had to be made in the blink of an eye.
The human factor of sports is now subject to inhuman expectations. In an enterprise that strives for fairness, it appears that it’s the official who is being treated least fairly.