[OverAndBack]

Like I said, usually. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. There are people who "get it" right away, and I'm sure we've all worked with guys with more longevity who either (a) don't get it or ( b ) had it and lost it a while back.

The guy who's done it for 35 years isn't necessarily better than the guy who's done it for 3. I'm talking general.

And I realize some here are Supermen who got it from day one and are married to Morgan Fairchild (who they've seen naked) and can divide by zero and who scare Chuck Norris - I don't know about those guys, but I know that my first year, my head was on a swivel and I just tried to survive it.

If you can pop out of a classroom or a clinic or a series of them ready to do varsity games, God love ya. If you can do playoff games by your third year, terrific. We need more quality officials in all sports at all levels.

I just don't think that's the norm, and I don't believe I ever will.

When I first got into this, I was at a clinic and someone asked the clinician in our group (a very, very good official who I respect and who was one of the guys whose counsel I always sought - JRut, you know the guy, is in FVFO) how long it took him before he felt he had a good handle on the rules and he said it was his fourth year.

Now, y'all don't know this guy, but let me tell you - it didn't take him four years because he's dumb or because he didn't work at it. He's very good at this and very dedicated to constantly learning and improving. But it struck me at the time that this wasn't an overnight process, and I still believe it.