[Mark Padgett]

I've gone years without getting a partner that really ticked me off, but it happened last night. It was the first time I ever worked with him and I hope it will be the last. Usually, I can get along with anyone, but not this guy. I have no idea how much experience he has, but I doubt it's much.

Three times he argued with me over rule interpretations. Once, I called a travel on a kid who grabbed the ball when he had one knee on the floor and then stood up. My partner blew his whistle right after I did and at first, I though it was just a double whistle. But he turned to the table and said, "My partner had an inadvertent whistle. There's no travel. It's still blue ball." I couldn't believe he or any other official would do something like that. Immediately I went over to him to ask what he was doing. He said for that to be a travel, the player had to have both knees on the ground before standing up, not just one. I told him that's not the rule and he could look it up at halftime. I then corrected the call with the table and both coaches. They both are familiar with me so there was no problem with them. He also didn't know the rule about not shooting FTs on team control fouls. I had to correct that twice even though he disagreed.

The third example just floored me. He called a violation on a free throw because one of the shooter's teammates was in the backcourt talking with the coach. He said they weren't allowed to do that. Once again, I told him he was wrong and corrected the call and counted the FT. He got very upset.

He never hustled the entire game and was frequently out of position, making lots of calls in my area despite the fact that I told him to knock it off.

I kind of got even with him though. This was his second game in a row and at the end of our game, he was soaked with sweat. I knew he had at least a 45 minute ride home (probably longer) and he knew I lived less than five minutes from the gym. As I was walking out the door I turned and said to him, "I don't want to make you feel bad, but I'll be home and already out of a nice hot shower before you even get to the freeway." The look on his face made it all worth it.