[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Here in my little corner of Connecticut, there are good officials that wear unbelted, pleated, pants, Smitty lanyards, with Fox 40 whistles, and shiny shoes, and there are bad officials that wear unbelted, pleated, pants, Smitty lanyards, with Fox 40 whistles, and shiny shoes, in addition to good officials that wear belted, flat, pants, noose lanyards, with Fox 40 whistles, and flat black shoes, and bad officials that wear belted, flat, pants, noose lanyards, with Fox 40 whistles, and flat black shoes.

I do not think anyone has ever told us in my state that you should have a pealess whistle. That is just something does not need to be said as people do not go buy their stuff and the Sports Authority or Dick's Sports to get their uniform. Maybe Honigs, Gerry Davis Sports or others have those whistles, but that is about the first thing we tell officials and if they do not figure it out after their first game they will be told so in a camp or by a partner. There is after all peer pressure to many things we are discussing and people will "make fun of you" if you do not in the funniest of ways. In other words no association would allow their officials to go out there looking like they are clueless.

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Bottom line, I'm just sick and tired of a few Forum members, based on their own local customs, equating black belts with inferior officiating. I observed some of my local colleagues work state championship final games this weekend, with belted pants, that would probably officiate circles, with their hands tied behind their backs, around a few Forum members, including me.

Of course, we mostly work two person games here in the Land That Time Forgot, but we no longer wear Byron collars.

Well maybe that says more about the overall respect that your state has in the world of basketball. Also working the State Finals (in any state) has little to do with who is the best of the best based on what I have read or witnessed personally in my state. At the HS level, there are all kinds of non-ability factors that will go into any assignments. If they only picked the best all the time then some officials would never get there at all.

But if someone was wearing a Byron collar, then I guess that would be OK with you as well?

And the fact that you guys still only work 2 man says a lot as well.

Peace