[Goose]

Getting back to the subject matter...this situation makes me want to puke!

I fear these state associations are turning too PC over the years. When I first started long ago, I was told to stay away from one, the table, and two, the coaches. The less interaction the better and I personally still feel this way.

Over the years, it has gone from stay away from the coaches, to wishing the coaches good luck, to now asking the coaches if he has his players equipped properly and if he is teaching them good sportsmanship. Geez, what will be next? "Are your players all wearing jocks?" How about, "Will your players practice good hygine and shower after the game?"

I recently moved to another state and was frankly a little shocked at these coaches "meetings" the first few times I worked. I thought the referee was brown-nosing the coaches becasue I never did, and never will ask him if he is teaching his kids good sportsmanship. Personally, I don't care if my association wants it or not, it is none of my business how he wants to coach his team. If it comes down to me "having" to do it, that might be the straw that breaks the camels back. Besides, what is he supposed to say? Of course he will say "yes" to all the above. Then what when a player is wearing an illegal knee brace or an earring? His fault or mine?

Personally, I like it the old way. I don't feel comfortable even shaking hands with the person who in about 5 minutes will be questioning my ancestry, not to mention my sight, judgement, etc. It is pure B.S.

I give it the same status as the line after every game, "Nice game ref!" This being after I have T'd him, he has told me all kinds of nice stories about my wife and kids, questioned my eyesight, my ability, my looks. Oh, and his team won by 30 but the fouls were overly in the other teams favor. Did I have a relative player for them? Oh, by the way, "nice game, anyway."

I'm all for good sportsmanship and will address it to the captains of each team and what I deem as unsportsmanlike behavior before the game.

But the coach? Next years question will be (while having the coach place his left hand on the good book and raising his right hand):

"Coach, do you solemly swear that you will honor the coaches box, the entire game?"


goose