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Man did I have a tough one last night
I finished my first HS season last week (about 30 games) without issuing a T. The very last game I should have had one but just wrongly let it slide. Oh well.
I'm doing an adult mens rec league to get more experience (and what experience I am getting). The second week my partner T's someone. The third week we have players square off to exchange phone numbers and partner and I T both. Order is restored and we play on like nice little boys.
Last night in our last of three games, about 2 minutes into it a player commits a foul on defense and I call it as Lead. His momentum carries him near me and he screams something or other in my face. "Well", I think "that was easy" and blow my whistle again and give a T sign. We all start walking toward the other end of the floor and he doesn't let it go, shouting about how stupid I am and how this must be the first game I've ever reffed. I thought "sorry buddy but you're gone" and blow my whistle again. The bad news is they only had five players.
Here's my mistake. After reporting I hung around the division line while the free throws were being shot instead of being the one to administer the free throws. Of course one of the players gives me an earful and although I have asked him to stop and I walked away he continued. When I T'd him after the first free throw I was becoming a very popular guy! If I had administered the FT's then I could have avoided that one.
The ejected player and a friend heckled me hard the next time down the court. I blew the whistle and asked the game manager to ask them to leave. They did, he did but he hung around outside the door to watch. I was a bit nervous.
Another player for their team showed up and they played with 5 and won by about 20. After the end of the game the second player I T'd came up and said "I hope you don't have any more Tuesday night assignments 'cause we don't want you doing any more of our games". I was too shocked to say anything but game management told him to stop being a jerk and go away. I appreciated game management.
My partner walked me to my car and I learned several valuable lessons.
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