[JRutledge]

Sometimes you have little no choice. I have a story to tell that illustrates this fact.

I had a "travel" game about 2 years ago of a big shoe company tournament.

I was in a convention center that had probably a little over 60 courts on the same floor and building. So it was impossible to hear clearly these portable scoreboards that are often used in these situations. Whistles and noise everywhere.

Well, I was on a court in a 2 person game where I was the lead and opposite table. There were seconds in the game and in front of me was a putback of a rebound, then shot to win the game. The putback went in the basket and my partner who was right next to the table ruled the shot good. I thought nothing of it but as I was walking off the court, I had a bunch of players and coaches directly in my face. Now I did not make the ruling at all, but I had to get these people out of my face. So I asked my partner, "What did you rule?" He said, "I counted the basket." I said "OK, game over and proceeded to walk off the court but was followed by a coach or two and a parent who was a blonde haired woman who told me aggressively, "You have to change this call!" I said basically that she needed to get out of my face and walked away. As I walked away, she grabbed my arm rather aggressively. I did not know at the time who grabbed my arm, but I turned around and this woman was there holding my arm. I aggressively pulled my arm away and I immediately said to this woman in the most profane way, "You need to get out of my.........face and don't you ever put your........hands on me in life!!!" She immediately backed off but continued to try to make me change a call that I did not make in the first place. She was still in my space, I had no idea what was going to happen or who was a threat. Then the team director or head guy of the team came to me also trying to get me to change the call and told me how much money he spent. I had to basically get loud and even aggressive to get these people out of my space. It ended up working where they were a little bit on their heals. I am not an opposing figure physically, but I am about 6 feet tall and was taller than a couple of the people that were around me. I used that to my advantage as well as my tone which caused a scene on purpose.

The assignor of this tournament is a good friend of mine and a college and state final official. He came to me later to ask me about what happened as there were witnesses and the team complained to the tournament people and he came to address the situation. Well the woman admitted to grabbing me and he basically dismissed her immediately and told them in so many words they do not have a right to behave that way, but I am convinced if I just "walked away" when there was really nowhere to go, the incident would have gotten worse IMO. I would not have worked this tournament without the person that I know assigning the games. And I have done it since that runs at the same time in July.

I do not buy this, "We have to be nice at all times" BS. I think we have to read the sitaution and act accordingly. Because if things like this happened during a real game, we have not only appropriate remedies there are procedures to avoid such things all together. In summer games we might not even have a locker room or a safe place to go. And the participants also know they can do things and they will play or participate in the later games. We are not in the most authoritative position.

Peace