[Coltdoggs]

I just wanted to vent...I'm going to move past this but I just needed to blow off some steam about how I didn't handle something in the best manner yesterday.

My first game yesterday of a big MS/Open Team tourney I passed on a T that I probably should have given to a 7th grade coach and would have avoided this posting. I let the coaches chirping go longer than I probably should have without saying anything and then he just struck a nerve with something he said that I took personally and I'm sure was heard clear across the court.

I don't recall when but it started in the first half about me needing to "call it at both ends"...initially, I was like whatever, I'm calling the game pretty well, I
I felt the calls we (or I) was calling were good ones and he's upset his team is getting beat and not playing well.

I gave him some small talk back "I'll look for it....I'm watching coach" etc to let him know I was "on it" and difuse his complaints.....He made a few more remarks even after getting about 3-4 calls during the course of the first half that he was chirping about and it seemed each one became more inflamatory, if you will.

It seemed to me that he wasn't giving my partner any lip AT ALL...I felt like I was making all the calls at both ends and his comments were ENTIRELY directed at me!? During the second half when his team was whistled for a foul on the shooter (I was L)...as my partner and I went to switch and I'm going to report and move to T for the FTs the coach says " YEAH,....Get HIM down there...get somebody down there that can call the game!"

Here is where I went wrong.... I should have just whacked him right then.....I immediately went to him face to face and we had a conversation that I should not have even had. I got pretty pissy with him after he told me my partner told him that he (my partner) was having to make calls out of HIS area for ME!?

I raised my voice and let him know about his comments (wrong) to which he took exception to my demeanor and what I said and I instantly realized that I crossed the line with what/how I said it and I apologized to him....I then simply told him that I was not going to tolerate hearing anymore about my calls and asked him if he understood me....he said yes and that was that...

Now, in my next game I had a local MS whom I know coach and players (my rec league plays their games at this MS, so I see the coaches scouting the 6th graders and some of the kids have played in my rec league over the years and have now made the team) and an open team from West Chicago. Both coaches are really nice guys, the Illni team are really good and win by 12...the only comments I got during the game were question on shooting fouls (were the kids dropping their arms creating the contact....Yes coach)...Afterward the Illini coach stops me to shake my hand and said it was one of the best officiated games he's had and thankd me and my partner for our work.....

Some guys get it....