[OverAndBack]

Had a game tonight get out of hand, freshman A game, second game of a doubleheader on a cold night, last game of the season for both teams.

Home team was on us (I was on their sideline) from the get-go. Wanted me to call a clip all the way on the other side of the field (of course it was "right in front of me," like anything 53 yards away is), wanted this, wanted that, wanted a late hit on a shove on the sideline that didn't even send the runner to the ground, wanted a face guarding call on a pass downfield on the opposite side, yadda yadda yadda.

Anyway, they were losing 35-0 in the fourth, they finally score and a kid on their team drops an f-bomb in the direction of an opponent. By that point, with only a few minutes left in the game, I was going to pretend I didn't hear it just for the good of the order and to get us out of there, but the WH heard it and flagged it, which, of course, incensed the home sideline even more.

First play after the kickoff goes to the other side, and two kids completely behind the play and out of range of everything get to wrasslin' and take each other down, I go over to break it up and one kid grabs the other's facemask. The WH's flag comes in before I can get mine out, but the assistant coach on my side cops an attitude (don't know why, we got the flag).

Now, I'm trying to get better at sideline decorum, so I don't bark at the guy, but I just look at him, and that sets him off: "I haven't given you any crap all night, why are you staring me down?"

So shortly thereafter, visiting team gets a first down on a run on 4th and 1 and the play's over and all of a sudden I hear a fracas and two kids are into it. I didn't see it start, just the fight as they're already into it. I'm trying to make sure people don't come in off the bench on my side to make it worse (and, this being the first fight I've had in three years, I forget to beanbag the spot, which I should have). We end up throwing the instigator out (home team player) and the other kid from the other team (I shudder to think of what might have happened if it hadn't been even).

The last 3 minutes plus just would not end, despite the fact the winning team did nothing but run up the middle. We got the hell out of there.

Anyway, it's odd that some teams that know they're not as good as the team they're playing will be calm enough on the sidelines when they're getting pounded, and others seem to find us an easy target. You just never know what you're going to get. I've even had some teams that were winning big who just wouldn't let stuff go.

I honestly don't think we had that bad a game, certainly no worse than any other 42-8 game you've ever seen, and there were only three of us (two wings and a referee) so what are you going to do?

Couple of lessons learned, though - the kid who instigated the fight was ticked off a few minutes prior on a touchdown play that just broke the plane, and the WH had to talk to him. In retrospect, we probably should have told the coach that for the good of the order, maybe #48 should sit out a series to cool out.

And I learned to remember to beanbag the spot before you go in to break up a fight.