A lil change of pace

I know that this deviates from the intended essence of this blog, but it’s something that I believe all of us has or will experience sooner or later.

In the infamous words of Whodini:

Friends …How many of us have them?
Friends…Ones we can depend on
Friends…How many of us have them?
Friends…Before we go any further, let’s be Friends

Friends is a word we use every day
Most the time we use it in the wrong way
Now you can look the word up, again and again
But the dictionary doesn’t know the meaning of friends

And if you ask me, you know, I couldn’t be much help
Because A friend is somebody you judge for yourself
Some are ok, and they treat you real cool
But some mistake kindness for bein a fool

When does a friend transition from being a friend to something other than?

I spoke with a friend recently and they informed me that the person that they referred to as a Really, really good friend isn’t speaking to them anymore, responding to invites, etc.  These friends go way back, 20+ years, so what causes a friend to all of a sudden disappear?  Yes there are some obvious things…LOL, but in this instance it seems that LIFE just happened to get in the way at certain times.  Extremely ill family member, and some other serious “family” matters to tend too. 

I guess with friends like these, you don’t need enemies!

Back pack required...

There are those days when you spend all day at work (your regular, or as some call it your REAL job) carrying someone, or a few people (aka…doing “their” job for the most part).  You then reach your assigned game destination and low and behold, you find out that you may very well be doing the same thing throughout the entire game(s).  A good friend once said to me at a game site, “Can I offer you a backpack bro, because you’re going to need it to carry your partner all night”

I can either:

 a). let the day’s frustration affect my demeanor and game.

 b). simply just go about my business professionally and do my thing (then maybe stop by the cigar lounge and have a cigar and adult beverage afterwards) J

c). just let it all go and move on!

Wish me luck...

If someone does not know all of the rules to a game, should that person still be responsible for administering the rules?

 Yes, there are those rules that have a gray area and are subject to interpretation, or that we don’t recall at that particular instant, but any good official should continuously brush up on the existing rules, learn and commit to memory any new rules & changes, and use the required meetings to learn as much as possible.

 Most meetings that I’ve attended turn out to be nothing more than a social ( “what up so & so”) gathering.  It’s usually those same few that do all of the talking and NON-listening that are the ones on the court NOT knowing all of the rules, showing up late, etc…. Just sayin!

Taking a peek at some of my upcoming game contracts, I notice that my next game is with one of these guys, and he pretty much makes me shutter as an official (maybe he will be there on time, maybe he won’t. Maybe he’ll have his full uniform, maybe he won’t.  Maybe he’ll actually hustle and cross half court, or maybe it’ll just be par for the course...LOL)

 Should I start mentally preparing already, or should I hope the weather intervenes and they postpone the game??  Wish me luck!

Following the Rules...Pt. 1

Over the weekend while doing a CYO game, I unfortunately had to issue a technical foul to a team.  Seems one of their players, who admittedly wasn’t very good and never really scores, throws up a 3 point shot and it goes in.  The entire bench runs onto the floor giving him high 5’s, etc, and then he commences to go up into the stands to high 5 someone in the stands ALL with the clock running. 

I blow my whistle and issue the technical, and his coach is asking me why??  I give him the rules infractions which warranted the “T”, then explain to him that he has to remain seated, etc. 

Me:  Coach, by rule you must remain seated at all times, unless there’s a time out or injury on the floor, yada yada yada
Coach:  Not in CYO I don’t
Me: In any organized basketball you have too
Coach:  I don’t believe that, I’m going to look that up
Me: Coach, I keep my rule book with me, you’re welcome to look through it if you’d like?

He searches through the CYO rules and can’t seem to find his validation, so I give him my rules book and I point out the Technical fouls section.  That was the end of that conversation ironicallyJ.

Some random lady in the stands says to me "Merry Christmas ref, it's CYO for God's sake".  I turn to her and say "Happy Holiday's to you too mame, and I'm pretty sure that God would want me to follow the RULES as they are written."

Gotta love it!!!

Holiday spirit??

Last night's game was one where it seemed like it maybe too good to be true.  We started on time, the game was flowing and seemless, both coaching staffs were highly complimental during the entire game, and the game only lasted 1 hr and 5 minutes (for a varsity game that's pretty quick).

The home team's JV coach (who I've done a number of his games, and I seem to be one of his fav's) is having a humorous conversation with me during the game.  As I am the center official, right in front of their bench, the dialog goes like this:
Coach:  Mark, you good?
Me: I'm good coach thanks for asking
Coach: Man, your sweating out there
Me: Just working hard for you coach as usual
Coach: (laughs)..I know man, but your partners aren't sweating it looks like
Me: Coach they have hair to catch their sweat
Coach: Bahahahahahahah!!  you're crazy dude, but I guess you have a point there!
Coach: You're pretty good at talking with your whistle still in your mouth
Me: Keeps me from saying what I'd really like to say sometimes
Coach: Bahahahahahah Yeah, prob to me huh?
Me: Gotta go coach........(and run back down court)

I wish every game was as seemless.

Just don't get it...

Driving on my way to my assigned games I stop at a gas station/mini mart “outside” of the Toledo area to purchase something to drink during my drive (and maybe in need of some caffeine also..lol).  For those of you that know me, I am not a White vs. Black type of person, but I am aware of the prejudices that still exist.

 Case and point…I wait in line to purchase my Diet Dew and watch the cashier hand each customer their change back into their hands (Yes I am the only person of color in the store)….when I pay, she places my change on the counter??

 For those of you that know me, I usually say something in instances like this, but I simply gathered my change. I then decided to purchase one of the “impulse items” that they stack near the register (gum).  She tells me the price and I lay my $$ down near the end of the counter (so that she’d have to reach out to get it) and smile, say Thank You and proceed on about my business out the door!  Probably not the right thing to do, but certainly didn’t ruin my mood!!...LOL

Bang Bang

Given the recent tragedies involving guns, should players or coaches be permitted to yell out “bang bang” when someone is attempting a shot?

Professionalism, and at the least tactfulness, would dictate that any player or coach would be sensitive to the current pains of a nation as a whole and refrain.  I may have been wrong for doing so, but over the weekend I pulled a coach aside and asked him to ask his players to be sensitive and to refrain from yelling this out.  After hearing my rational, he agreed to do so.

Take it seriously

 

Contrary to popular belief, just because you played the game, even at a high level, does not automatically make you a good official.

 Becoming a good official takes a lot of time and learning, and those that try to fake their way into having others believe that they are really good officials without putting in the time and learning, are usually exposed in the most negative of ways…by your peers!

 I’ve heard officials say that they will refuse to work with certain officials, and deep down I simply cannot blame them on some of those choices.  My officiating class instructor told me that it would probably take me about 40 games to really feel comfortable in what I was doing out of the court consistently…and he was absolutely right!

Unassuming Game Management

 

Most, and in my opinion, all officials should choose to be unassuming while on the court.  The fans come to see the players play, and the officials control the game through fair and impartial game management. I know of a few officials (who shall remain nameless in this forum…lol) who obviously think that they are “the show”.  Demonstrative calls, unnecessary hijinks, wanting to tell their partners what to call, how to call and when to call it…you know the type I’m referring too.

How do you handle? 

Hilarious moment

Last night the two opposing coaches are arguing back and forth from their respective coaching boxes and I walk up and ask, “did I miss something here?” and they both yell “YEAH” simultaneously, and I can do nothing but laugh…LOL!  It’s the 3^rd quarter and the visiting team is up by a LOT and still pressing, and the home coach took offense to it obviously.

 Maybe pass the ball to the MIDDLE of the court instead of trying to DRIBBLE through the press??...lol   I’m not coach, but I’m just sayin!! J

Technical fouls – When is enough, enough?

Every basketball official has been there, if not, you will be I guarantee it; a coach is steadily riding you for whatever reason(s).  Most good officials will pull the coach aside and let him/her know in some many words that “enough is enough”.

Example:
If a team is getting hammered(for the lack of a better word), and you call a foul on one of their players; the player takes the ball and walks away from you and sets it on the floor and walks away.  You ask the player to go and retrieve the ball and give it to you…he does so, walks up to about 10 feet from you and cocks his arm back and throws it at you..HARD….what do you do?   YEP, banged him with a Tech! 

Coach wants to dispute, whine, whatever about the call.  He threatens to file a report with the state and send the tape also (please keep in mind that this is a JV game, and his team is losing by upwards of 20 at home).  He instructs his team to set the ball on the floor for the remainder of the game.  I subsequently advise him not to do so, or the visiting team will be having free throw practice in essence, because EACH occurrence will warrant a Technical for DELAY of game sir J.  Nuff said!!

Share a technical foul story?

Physical Conditioning

If and official can’t get up and down the court, should he/she be officiating? 

 I ask, of course, because there are individuals who do not/cannot run up and down the court.  Whether it be from physical ailments (bad knees, etc.), too much around the mid-section, or just plain old fashioned laziness, being in position to make the best calls possible just doesn’t happen.  Are you compromising the integrity of the game? Are you compromising the profession?

I’m almost certain that most of us have worked with someone that qualifies, and I’m pretty certain that your thought processes didn’t stray too far from the points listed above.

Thoughts??

Giving back....paying it Forward

Giving back……Paying it forward….

 Officiating lower level basketball, such as CYO & YMCA, is it really worth the time?  I know some will automatically say it’s definitely not worth the money that is paid at this level without even thinking about their responses. Does the fact that you have the opportunity (and ability) to give back to the community, and pay it forward for the next generations of licensed officials, not to mention the benefits to the kids, offset this?

 CYO/YMCA is a great training ground for newer officials, giving them a chance to work in game environments, without the pressures of the large crowds, screaming out of control coaches, etc.  YES, some games do involve some of this still, but you know what I’m sayin…lol.  Remember,  these games are played BY and FOR the kids…..See you Sunday!