I think people need to understand that this is first and foremost just a hobby. I consider it a job on many levels, because of the time and energy that I have to put into officiating on and off the court or field. But at the end of the day it is just a hobby that I can make some money doing. When it stops becoming something I do not enjoy, it is time to quit. There is no obligation to do any level and do it the way that everyone feels you should. I would never expect an official that is mostly doing a D1 schedule, to not talk about it or to all of a sudden stop doing mechanics that reflect that. It is a very hard adjustment to keep going back and forth with your mechanics. The rules are different, the philosophies are different and the simple expectations are different. I think we need to keep some things in perspective here. When I get my schedule, I give my open or closed dates to the people I want to give it to. And just like many others, I do not except games of levels I have no desire to do, until most if not all my schedule is in from the people that I have the most interest in doing their conferences.
It is human nature that when you started somewhere, to not really get excited about doing things that you had to do to move up. It does not mean you will never want to go back from time to time, but you do not want to make it a habit.
I do not know about you, but if I was doing D1 games. Considering that I probably would make anywhere from $500-$1500 for one game, probably have security and a decent locker room to shower and get plenty to drink, there might be thousands in attendence at the game. If I do enough of those games in a week, I have enough money to put my kids through school for the year or pay for my house. And if I am getting off of work to do a D1 game, I might be able to make as much money as I do at my regular job (if I need one). You have coaches at the D1 that are not yelling "moving screen" every two trips down the floor. You can bearly hear any specific fans and their comments. Then to be used to that, then officiate for hundereds of percent lower in pay. You might be lucky if you have a locker room, probably an office to get dressed in, where the female trainer is in and out of the office to get supplies, and then you will have a coach that is complaining all game, you have not called a single "reach" all night. Maybe it is me, but I know where I would rather be.
Peace