Player Equipment

[Freddy]

No plumber's stories here from me.
Wasn't a Baby Ruth

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

No plumber's stories here from me.

I Handled - - It

By Freddy Krieger

Sometimes, as an athletic official, you just have to “put up with it.” But what is the “it”?

“Be prepared to put up with the worst and be happy when you get the best,” a wise veteran once taught me. I’ve prepared for it all, but I never thought I would have to put up with this!

At a characteristically uneventful boys’ high school freshman basketball contest, I was very happy that one member of our three-man crew was my boys’ assigner. It provided an opportunity for me to officiate and do a good job for the guy who rates me and schedules me according to my abilities and judgment. To handle a pressure situation tactfully and professionally would be bonus points for me, I figured.

All was going well deep into the second quarter. Then … “it” occurred.

As the trail official following the play from backcourt to frontcourt, I eyed a foreign object at midcourt, near the jump circle. It looked like something that could cause injury if stepped on by a player coming back up the court. With no significant play about to develop, I whistled play to stop, called for an officials’ timeout and approached the object.

Was it half a Baby Ruth candy bar? A partially gummed three-link large Tootsie Roll?

My plan was to pick it up and head toward the scorers’ table, while scanning the bleachers for any group of fans giving away their guilt as the ones who tossed it.

Favoring expediency over analysis, I tenderly grasped the unidentified encumbrance with my left hand, suspecting nothing more than a gooky hand full of chocolate as an outcome. After all, as a plumbing contractor specializing in drain cleaning and sewer repairs, I surely handle more disgusting stuff than that on a daily basis.

I distinctly remember saying to the table official, “I’m not gonna ask what this is, but can you throw it away for me?” I dropped it into his open hand, turned around and prepared to signal for play to resume at point of interruption.

Then, just as I was about to wipe the spittle from the piece of candy on my black pants, for no memorable reason at all, the impulse to take a whiff of my hand struck me. And I did.

I think you know where I’m going. It was softer than a Baby Ruth should be and not as hard a Tootsie Roll. Sure enough, it was neither.

Promptly, yet calmly, I called the other two officials to center court. “I think I better go wash my hands,” I remarked, partly seeking the permission of my referee. It took only the briefest of explanations before the crew chief, my assigner, responded, “You’d better!”

A quick trip to the dressing room and then I was back on the court. The game finished without a problem and no one in the stands had a clue what had just transpired.

It turns out the whole thing was caught on tape, both the incident and the offender. In fact, according to an athletic director friend from a neighboring county, it happened again in a different gym a week later. That time he handled “it.”

The mystery now solved, a letter is being crafted by one athletic director to the other that there’s a problem with one particular player. Apparently an effort is under way to take care of “it.”

The best analysis of the situation came from someone who said, “I know you have to put up with a lot of $#*& sometimes. Good thing we had a plumber on the court!”

Looking back, it seems I handled “it” OK. As an official, I guess it’s just another one of those things I have to put up with.

I hope my assigner was impressed!

Freddy Krieger is a basketball official from Baroda, Mich. This article originally appeared in the 7/08 issue of Referee.

[zm1283]

1. I would NEVER pick something like that up off the floor. A coach or game management can come clean it up.

2. I have heard similar stories from fellow officials over the years. I have no idea how something like this happens, but this is not the first case I've heard.

[Freddy]

I didn't post that.
Now, back to the OP.
Same school, same floor, same end of the court two weeks later. Partner in a two-person GJV game picks up from the free throw line what I, not exactly versed in these kinds of things, thought looked like a small white folded dinner napkin. It wasn't. Carries it all the way over to the scorer's table before it hits him what he's holding. All the giggling girls on both benches kinda was a clue.
This one not on video.
That was back in '08. Nothing similar happened there since.

[Amesman]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

At a characteristically uneventful boys’ high school freshman basketball contest, I was very happy that one member of our three-man crew was my boys’ assigner.

Freddy Krieger is a basketball official from Baroda, Mich. This article originally appeared in the 7/08 issue of Referee.

Michigan uses three-whistle crews for freshman games?

[Welpe]

"Hey coach, somebody needs to get this cleaned up."

Like a custodian or trainer with gloves. Floor probably needs to be disinfected also.

I'm not normally a "not in my job description" type of guy but this is definitely a "Not my job" scenario.

The worst I've had was doing a football game when the snapper puked on the ball while the QB was calling his signals. We didn't handle the ball then either.

[zm1283]

The funniest "bodily function during a sporting event" story I have witnessed was when my wife was a cheerleading coach. We were at a large arena at a public university for their yearly state competition 4-5 years ago. A girl from another school had a projectile vomiting episode right in the middle of a cheer routine. Not only was she a trooper and did not stop, the other girls either didn't notice or didn't care and kept running/tumbling right through the mess as the routine finished. When they finished there was considerable time spent cleaning it up as it happened on one of those foam cheer/gymnastics mats and not a hard surface where it would simply wipe up.

[OKREF]

This actually happened to me a few years back.

JH girls game. Long rebound off a missed shot. Two girls,(one from each team) jump up to grab the ball. Both miss the ball and fall down. Ball picked up and we go the other way. On the way back I notice something on the floor, It's solid red and looks like it has a tail extending out. I go over to kick it off the floor and at the last second realize it is a bloody tampon. I hit my whistle and my partner comes over and bends down to pick it up. I holler no just as he is about to grab it. The AD comes out with a broom and dustpan. He is a former coach and tells me in 35 years has never seen anything like this. My question is how did it come out, and what was the girl wearing underneath her shorts that allowed it to come out. Mind you this was 7-9 grade girls.

[jTheUmp]

Originally Posted by OKREF

My question is how did it come out, and what was the girl wearing underneath her shorts that allowed it to come out. Mind you this was 7-9 grade girls.

Before you ask the question, you must first ask yourself if you really want to know the answer. In this case, I choose to remain sheltered in my ignorance.

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by OKREF

My question is how did it come out, and what was the girl wearing underneath her shorts that allowed it to come out. Mind you this was 7-9 grade girls.

Some things are better left unknown...

[Freddy]

Originally Posted by Amesman

Michigan uses three-whistle crews for freshman games?

Was a time when F/JV DH's were three-person. Axed by superintendents without the input of trainers and assigners. Was a great platform for learning for those new to three-person. Doesn't always do justice to the game when the first real game in which an official does three-person is during his first varsity game. (Of course that's what camps and scrimmages are for, but still...) Hoping to get back to that sometime soon.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Doesn't always do justice to the game when the first real game in which an official does three-person is during his first varsity game.

I've got my first three person game in over ten years coming up next week. In thirty-five years, this will only be my second three person game. One clinic. No scrimmages. This has the potential to be a disaster. I'll give you guys a report next week.

[TimTaylor]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

I've got my first three person game in over ten years coming up next week. In thirty-five years, this will only be my second three person game. One clinic. No scrimmages. This has the potential to be a disaster. I'll give you guys a report next week.

Good luck!

I worked my 6th 3-person game tonight and it actually went pretty well - a couple minor glitches, but nothing earth shattering.