[mikesears]

Don't get me wrong. I love the game of basketball itself and I have always done my best to call the perfect game.

There are a number of reasons I am giving it up.

1. Family. The basketball season is long and I have three children (twins who are 3 1/2 and a daughter 21 months old) and I have another child on the way. I want to see them grow up and I want them to know who their daddy is.
My 20 month old is now saying "Bye-Bye Daddy" when she sees me packing the stripes. That just kills me and I certainly don't want to take my wife to the games!

2. Fan behavior. I used to be one of those fans who yelled and screamed about every call or no-call. I now know some of the fundamental rules that fans have no idea about. I don't enjoy the game of basketball enough to subject myself to abuse and ridicule for doing my best. I'd quit my day job if I was subjected to the same kind of intolerance and abuse I get from fans when I officiate. Some of you are better equipped to tune-out ignorant fans. I have a hard time doing this.

3. More coaches than not exhibit poor behavior. It seems to me that coaches should EXEMPLIFY good sportsmanship. In my opinion, more coaches are more worried about the final score than teaching and demonstrating sportsmanship. The lesson our kids are learning is that it is okay to pout and throw temper tantrums when things don't go your way. This is being taught to kids even at the Jr High age! There are ONLY a COUPLE of places that I truly enjoy working because coaches and AD's STRESS and FOLLOW THROUGH on the commitment to sportsmanship.

4. The time commitment. It takes a great deal of commitment and time to become a good official in any sport. I am currently working three sports (Basketball, Football, and Baseball). I'm going to focus my attention on becoming the best football official I can be.



Bottom line is that I am no longer looking forward to going to the basketball games as an official. I dread days when I am scheduled to officiate a basketball game no matter what level that is! If I ever feel this way about football, I'll give it up, too. But for now, I even enjoy those pee-wee games I work!

Good luck to everyone the rest of this season. I am honoring my remaining contracts but won't be renewing my basketball lisence.