[tmp44]

Hey all,

As some of you may know, I coordinate the basketball intramural officials at my university. As a quick background, 95% of the officials that work these games have never picked up a whistle before the season begins, and the players who play in the games know this.

Regardless of their inexperience, what happened tonight during a game is a problem that faces all of us...all too often. Tonight, at the conclusion of a first round playoff game, a member of the losing team (by 20), who had been given a technical in the first half, decided to start threatening one of the officials. As the official began to back away (the player, by the way, 6'4, the official, a freshman, 5'5), the player first chest bumped him, and then head butted the official.

Although a lot is still undetermined, I can tell you that the player has been suspended from all intramural sports for the remainder of his academic career, and charges are pending. Unfortunately, I was not at the gym when the incident happened, but arrived just a few minutes after. I will keep you all updated on what happens.