Our own worst enemies.....

[Multiple Sports]

Wanted to see what basketball officiating was like in our
" new normal", so I worked an AAU event this weekend in Lancaster Pa. I knew the event was going to be bad with respect to quality of ball, coaches behavior and all those things that makes "AAU" despicable. Mind you I don't mind doing Hoop Group or EYBL games but I saw something today that you may think is funny but I thought was somewhat embarrassing and only hurts the reputation of the majority of us who try to do this the right way.

After the day ended about eight of us all walked out after getting paid. I didn't know any of them but as soon as we got outside, two guys inmediately stopped in the handicap lot to get in their car. A few fans( parents ) made comments about all of us and I kept walking. The comments were uncalled for but for referees parking in a handicap lot just doesn't seem appropriate on our end.

Maybe I'm getting old and grumpy but I think we can do better.

[BillyMac]

Reminds me of the time when a fan asked if my seeing eye dog was lonely sitting in my car in the parking lot.

[BillyMac]

Connecticut: A person who parks illegally in a handicapped space faces a fine of $150 for a first violation and $250 for second and subsequent violations. A motor vehicle illegally parked in a handicapped space for the third or subsequent time may be towed and impounded until any fines are paid.

[ilyazhito]

What's the point of the OP's post? Were two of the officials legally disabled, or did the organizers have the officials park in handicapped spaces as an insult?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by ilyazhito

What's the point of the OP's post?

Point?

I seems that if one is physically able to officiate basketball games, one is probably not disabled enough to legally need a handicapped parking space and would both be taking a parking space away from one who really needed it, and is also probably breaking the law.

Of course, I'm sure that there may be plausible exceptions.

With arthritis and bone spurs in my right ankle, and a torn meniscus in my right knee, often (on a bad day) walking with a noticeable and painful limp, I'm pretty sure that I could get a handicapped parking permit if I really wanted one (which I don't at this point), even though I'm still officiating middle school games (for which I wear an ankle brace and a knee brace).

[SNIPERBBB]

You can get a placard for about anything if you have the right doctors. I've seen people with lifted trucks get handicap tags.

[Raymond]

I would say they probably have legitimate handicap parking permits, but the optics are definitely awful if you use those spots b/c you need to be closer to the entrance, then you go inside and run up-and-down the court.

I have a 40% VA disability rating and folks are always telling me I need to apply to get a higher rating. I tell them I don't need it, plus as a basketball official who enjoys the physicality of the job, I just wouldn't feel right. A vast majority of my disability rating is for a heart condition I didn't even know I had until the VA notified me about a year after I retired.

At 40%, I lose that portion of my military pension that I instead receive as a tax-free disability payment. If I jumped up to 50%, I would receive my entire military pension plus a separate tax-free VA disability payment, so we are not talking about a small amount of money.

[thumpferee]

I have RA and qualify for a placard but never applied. Only time I wish I had is trying to find a parking spot @ Walmart.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

I will not go into detail (there are a two esteemed members of the Forum that do know the details) but I have had a handicapped parking placard since November 2016. I have never used it for any basketball game that I officiated or any baseball or softball game that I have umpired. I have used it when I have been Mark, Jr.'s chauffeur and valet for his basketball, baseball, and softball games.

MTD, Sr.

[LRZ]

My wife was chronically ill for many years, but until she needed 24/7 oxygen, it was not readily apparent that she was handicapped. People can be quick to judge.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I will not go into detail (there are a two esteemed members of the Forum that do know the details) but I have had a handicapped parking placard since November 2016.

It's not a secret, all the coaches and fans in Ohio know Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s handicap.

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

It's not a secret, all the coaches and fans in Ohio know Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.'s handicap.

Actually, I used to play to a -4 handicap.

MTD, Sr.