Freshmen Game Follies ...

[BillyMac]

Second half. White player at the line for one free throw, with ball at his disposal. Blue head coach (young enough to have started shaving yesterday) requests a timeout. I, as trail, ignore. Another louder request follows. I ignore, but start worrying about a possible distraction, by either the coach yelling, or by me forced to yell, "No" (which I didn't do). I didn't want to sound my whistle to take the ball away for the shooter to explain to the coach. At the same time an ignorant White fan (not a big crowd) yells for a technical foul, (not sure for the illegal request, or for the distraction). Luckily, the kid buries the free throw.

Young grasshopper Blue head coach also wanted a foul on a defender's hand incidentally slapping his dribbler's hand while dribbling the basketball. Seemed dumbfounded when I explained to him the concept of incidental contact in such situations.

Good news. He was polite and well mannered throughout the game.

Veteran officials have often lamented that officials get older while the players stay the same age. Well add to that the officials get older while the coaches stay the same age (or get younger).