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"Wha-happened!?!?!", I think to myself.
Naturally, like many associations we have a shortage of officials in both football and basketball in our area. So when a 4th year offical tells us he is not working this season because he took an asst coach position at our local HS. We were dissappointed to be losing a good official but then again we were happy and supportive of his new position and wished him the best. Overall he's a great guy.
Fast forward to last night. Local soph game and ex-official is on my wing.
4 man crew, 2nd quarter, A (home team) driving the ball at midfield up by a TD. 2/4 A1 passes over the middle, A2 is airborne, catches the ball facing the LOS and comes down on both feet. Swivels his head look to look upfield and has the ball secured with both arms into his chest. When he gets HAMMERED from his blindside. Loose ball, B recovers, 1st and 10 the other way. Ex-official goes bonkers and is yelling "How could you call that a catch!" the whole series he is grumbling.
4th Q, A again has the ball. Center has a habit of holding his non-snap hand above the ball in the NZ all game long. The other wingman makes the encroachment call because the centers hand penetrated the NZ on B's side. We walk it off and I explain to HC and ex-official what the call was. Now I get "Bob always wants to be part of the game. Gotta always be involved with everything, blah, blah blah, yada, yada, yada...."
During the course of the game when I saw something which didn't effect the game, RG rocking back a bit in his stance for example, I told the HC to mention it to the kid when he comes off the field. In my mind a soph game is still a learning experience for the "finer" points of the game. Preventive officiating, working with both A & B head coaches, etc.
Bottom line, I couldn't understand the change in our guy. In both FB abd BB this fellow was pretty much a follower of the rules but now that he's on the sideline he's kind of "forgot" some of it. On the other hand, the HC was about the nicest guy I've been around in a long while and appreciated the constructive help with is young new guys.
Anyone else ever experience someone walking to the dark side?
WM
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