Can I kick it??

Can I kick it?......YES I  can, and most certainly did this weekend!

I don’t know what the deal was this weekend, but a few spectators & players were ceremoniously shown the exit/bench throughout the weekend.

Contrary to popular belief, just because “you paid your money” to get in, does Not entitle you to say what you want, yell at opposing KIDS on the floor,  or act as though you have no sense!

Player’s….never let it be verbalized that you think an official’s call was “weak”, because a Technical is a “strong” reminder that you are there to PLAY, and not to officiate!

 

Quick shout outs.....

To the guy from that school south of the Maumee river that yelled out, "Call it fair, freaking Homer calls".  It was such a pleasure to see the look on your face when you heard me tell the table that I lived in the SAME city as you did! Noticably silent from then on out...hmmmm (I don't really live there..but couldn't resist placing that thought in his head...lol)

To the guy that was marched out on Friday night that asked me "what, did somebody embarrass you or something?", by the redness of your face and whole head, YOU sir, were the only one that was embarrassed marching out of the gym!

Hoping this week brings less drama!

Atomic Dog..

During my games last night, between two relatively suburban schools, the music played during warm ups and half time was hilariously right on time for me.  Gap Band (Early in the morning) Roger & Zapp(more bounce to the ounce), and George Clinton ( Atomic Dog..the long version). 

It was so entertaining to see the young high school kids dancing to old school music, while some parents are in the stands bobbing their heads, tapping their feet, and if I’m not mistaken a few were signing along.

I consciously was trying to control my feet from tapping, and shoulders from bouncing, trying not to make it obvious that I was sooo enjoying the warm up’s for once…lol  As referee's know, the period between signing the books and meeting the coaches is usually about 6-7 minutes, and is sometimes the longest, boringest period of the evening...not last night!!

Public Enemy?

There are times when I feel like Public Enemy #1 (yeeeeah boyeeeeeee)…lol 

At times it seems as though some fans and coaches come into the gym with the notion to blame the official for any and everything.  Last night for instance, I’ve officiated both coaches several times in the past, so I guess that meant we were on a first name basis obviously.  I’ve never heard my name spoken/called as much, not even when I was in trouble as a youth…lol

It is MY opinion that some female coaches that are attractive will use that to “get a call or two”. Yep, I’ve seen it work on some men, so don’t act like I’m talking out the side of my neck here J.  Anyway, one of the assistants use to coach the  Jr. High team and would always give me a crap....foul this, foul that, you didn’t see this, you didn’t see that, etc.  I wouldn’t put her in the category of attractive in my opinion, but I guess last night she probably thought she was, and probably thought that it might work..  “C’mon Mark, you gotta give me a call sooner or later”....NOPE!

The other coach, I’ve done their summer leagues, scrimmages, as well as games, and he’s barking out my name also.  “C’mon Mark, you saw that”, “Mark, there was no contact on that either?”, you are getting the picture here I hope?  At half time I went into the official’s locker room and started asking Mark questions myself….LOL (joke).

The 2^nd half begins with an older couple sitting at the top of the bleachers saying “Mark, you ought to be ashamed of yourself”…ROFL.  I look up and ask “how do you know my name?”, the old guy smiles and says EVERYBODY knows who you are, they introduced you & both coaches have shouted your name for the whole first half! (Yep, I was the only person of color in the building also)

As the 2^nd half progresses, there are some kids sitting courtside and asking (semi yelling) “Mark” why that wasn’t a foul, or travel, or whatever.

After the game, the Athletic Director comes over and says “Great job Mark, sorry about all of the banter from our fans”.  My response was simply, Thank you, I appreciate hearing that. 

Men's League

I recently received a call inquiring if I would like to do some men’s league games.  For those of you that know me well,  I really don’t use foul language very often, but the first thing that came to mind was "BLEEP NO”!  Of course I didn’t spout that out, but I politely declined the offer and informed the person that my days of doing men’s league basketball were OVER!!

 I could probably go on for days and days with this topic, but I’ll limit it.

How is it that 30, 40, 50+ year old men can still BELIEVE that they are 17-20 again, when the body clearly shows and tells a much different story?  Has the talent that once may have resided inside been replaced with an overwhelmingly ignorant & vulgar vocabulary?  Has bitterness taken away the mindset & skills that once may have brought some of them cheers, scholarships, and even riches, or is it that thing called AGE?  

I've actually felt sorry for some of those guys that I officiated while doing men's league, hobbling up and down the court looking like they were running on hot rocks and broken glass (broken glass everywhere, people pissin on the stairs like they just don't care....lol  Sorry I digress) , and the smell of Icy Hot permeating so heavily that it makes your eyes water…from a DISTANCE!

FYI…..Age does NOT discriminate, accept it and move on J

Thoughts??

Wish List

Just a few things that official’s wish that they were permitted to say during the game.  I thought this might be a fun one today.

To Coaches:

-       Shut Up!!

-       You call that coaching?

-       Really coach? You called THAT play?

-       Coach, you going to play any defense on that guy/girl?

-       What if I complained about your bad play calls?

-       Learn the rules!

-       Ohhh you think THAT was a bad call??, just wait

-       I have an extra shirt & whistle, want to come out and help me out?

-       I guarantee that I’m better at what I’m doing, than you are at what you’re doing

To Fans:

-       Tell me what the rule says on that sir/mame

-       Sit down and Shut Up! (I may have actually said something of the sort once or twice..lol)

-       Stop living vicariously through your son/daughter

-       Get in shape and get your license and come out there and help

 

Please feel free to chime in on this one, I’m interested to hear others.
Even if your not an official, or even know the game well, everyone most likely has a few things they would  say..lol 

Aint got time for all that

Not sure what I was thinking back when I was scheduling games, but I wound up with five (5) games scheduled for Saturday. 7^th, 8^th, 9^th grade triple header at one of my favorite “rural” schools, and a freshmen/JV double header 2 hours later (with a 30 minute drive between the two).

I arrive to the sight 30 min’s prior to the 10am start (which incorporated an hour’s drive) and walk into the locker room and there are two officials dressed and ready to officiate.  The AD looks at me and asks “why are you here so early, you’re doing the freshmen game right?”.  My first thought was UGH..I could have slept some more…lol  I take out my phone and pull up the text message exchange between the two of us, and I show him where he clearly says “ YES, I need you to do the middle school games on 1/5/13 also”.  He looks at me and says, “I’ll pay you anyway, but can these guys work the game?”.   NO PROBLEM on my end.  So I do the freshmen game which is pretty eventless, but the gym smells like an old house with a bunch of male cats…if you know what I’m trying to say…LOL

I leave there and stop along the way to grab a bite to eat before proceeding to the next school.  I get there and do the two games…LOTS of running up and down, not sure either of them were interested in slowing it down..lol

Sunday at my CYO games, was a completely different story.   I issued 2 technical fouls, 1 intentional foul, had to have a “conversation” with THAT guy in the crowd who thinks it’s okay to yell at me AND players on the opposite team (after my conversation with him…. SILENCE), a quick, one sided rules interpretation meeting/explanation with a coach on just what Traveling really is,  and had to deal with a player on a losing team wanting to “wait for another player in the parking lot”…

 Okay..this is CYO, c’mon son, it AINT that serious!...lol  The parents of the player who the guy wanted to “wait for”,  ask if I could watch them walk their son to their car.   The kid was the smallest on the court, and they player that wanted to “wait in the parking lot” was huge.  So I’m standing at the door of the gym feeling like a Bouncer watching them get safely to their car and leave.

The Big dude proceeds to TRY to come back into the gym.  I stop the game and inform him that he is NO longer welcomed in the gym and to please leave the premises.  He asks me why he can’t come in, and I reply simply, “this is a No Bullying zone”..what I really wanted to say was “take your big sorry @$$ on and pick on someone your own size…OUTSIDE”… J.  He tells me that he locked his keys in his car and needed to wait for whoever… again you can wait OUTSIDE.  Then his coach wants to lobby on his behalf… Aint nobody got time for all that! J

The Whistle

The whistle can indicate an alert, attention please, to stop the clock, etc.  The whistle can also convey unspoken words/thoughts. J

My last game was a freshman girls game, and it was a very one sided affair to say the least.  So much so that my partner tells me that he blew a “phantom” whistle just to put the team on the foul line in hopes that they would actually score.  Not sure I agree with that or not, but I certainly wasn’t arguing the point that nightJ. 

The winning team is up 19-0 in the middle of the second quarter, and they are still pressing.  The other team is CLEARLY over matched, so I blow my whistle and call a foul on the defense (winning team).  The losing team inbounds the ball again and I blow my whistle again with another foul on the winning team.  The losing team inbounds again, winning team is still pressing and I call yet another foul on the defense (winning team).  The coach finally gets up off of the bench and tells her team, “ back it off and pick them up at half court” and gives me a look as if to say, “is that would you wanted?”  I give her a look back and a smile as if to say “Thanks coach”, all without a word said between the two of us…lol

The whistle can also be used to inform a coach/team that you might be a bit annoyed with them for deliberately not keeping the game moving. 

Case in point…during a timeout, the 1^st horn sound indicates that play is ready to begin in 10-15 seconds and to break the huddle/timeout and return to the floor.  The 2^nd horn indicates play should be ready to begin.  Teams should be on the floor and ready, and the official should be ready to put the ball in play. 

There are times when a coach tries to extend the timeout by keeping his/her team in the huddle after the 2^nd horn sounds.  After being ignored a few times, I simply stand directly behind and close to the huddle and BLAST my whistle (and yes I use a very loud whistle…lol).  I usually get a few gas face looks, but we have to Keep it movin!

 

Back to the grind

 It’s been 6 days since I’ve been on the court, and I’m ready to get back at it. The break was welcomed, and getting to spend evenings with my family playing UNO, Sorry, watching Kelsey play Angry Birds, etc., in lieu of driving on some snow covered country roads, or battling I-75 was enlightening in the sense that my girls are indeed partly a reflection of me (trash talking during games, is that me?? J).  I think I possibly could’ve received a few Technical’ s…LOL

I am also thankful to have my spin bike on the lower level of the house, so I could work out within the friendly confines of my home, and be ready when my first game of the New Year rolled around.  Nothing like old skool hip hop & House music while peddling a bike! J

Hopefully my fellow officials took advantage of a little down time also.

May 2013 be the best year ever for you!