Who's the most famous player you've ever officiated?

Jurassic Referee was unable to post a reply, so he asked me to copy and paste for him.

I did Mike Bibby's (Sacramento Kings) games when he was in 8th grade.
I did Richard Jefferson's (New Jersey Nets) HS games.

I'll give a boy and a girl.

Chris Duhon in high school in Louisiana (I never ran so hard in my life as I did in that game). Michelle Marciniak in high school in Allentown, PA.

--Rich

Here's a rare photo of JR in action!

http://www.arizona.edu/funstuff/ecar...basketball.jpg

Jerry Stackhouse, UNC, now playing for the Washington Wizards.

Chris Wilcox, Univ. of Maryland on their 2002 National Championship team, now playing for the Clippers

Shavlik Randolph, Duke University. Tremedous HS player but hasn't found his niche at Duke.

Shea Ralph, UConn, Final Four MVP, USA Today Girls High School POY.

Quite a few guys and gals who are still playing D1.

Woman--Katie Geralds...now attending Purdue
Man--Sean May...now attending North Carolina (Mike Davis should be shot!!) & Rik Smits...ex-Indiana Pacer

[Edited by Indy_Ref on Mar 19th, 2004 at 10:15 AM]

Joe Forte and Keith Bogans(DeMatha), Michael Sweetney (Oxon Hill), David Padgett (Reno)

I've officiated virtually every Stoudamire except Damon. Also - Maurice Lucas' sons, Maurice Jr. and David. David is now all Pac 10 at Oregon State.

I've worked rec games coached by former NBA players including Kevin Kunnert and Kenny Carr. Also former Olympian Katy Steding.

Here's a cute story. When Rick Adelman was coaching the Trailblazers, his son David played in our local rec league. Rick came to watch that grade's tryouts. I told him that all these kids were his worst nightmare. He asked me what I meant. I said he was looking at 100 unrestricted free agents. He got this pale look on his face and said, "That's the scariest thing I've heard all day".

I've reffed one of Kenny Carr's sons, a Dunleavy (I think the second one), and Thalo Green once.

I'll probably have more interesting answers to these questions in a few years, since the kids that are just coming up to varsity now were in 7th and 8th grade when I was just starting out.

And I've reffed WITH Jesse Liebman, who I wouldn't be surprised to see in the NBA in a few years. He's got the drive, the talent and the thick skin to make it as a pro, but he's only 16. We'll see what ends up happening in the long run.

Eric Leckner, former NBA player with Utah among others...in a rec league tournament...He is 6-11 +/- and I won't even guess his weight...but I can tell you he makes you change where you stand at lead....His team played some zone and when he was in the middle, he kind of blocked most of what you want to look at unless you went way outside LOL...

Those are some great players.
 

But I have a question.

I have officiated some very talented high school players. No famous ones but nonetheless, very good. My question is this. Has an opposing coach ever told any of you that you are not calling fouls on him/her cause he/she is good? The coach was furious when he said this to me. I was shocked (and caught off guard) when he asked. I could have administered a T there but the game was close and his girls had played so hard. Instead of a T, I asked him if he was questioning my integrity to which his reply was "ahh, ah, umm, ah."

I have had this happen a 2 other times and I believe that I officiate the good ones the same as the bad ones. A foul is a foul is a foul is a foul or violation for that matter.

If you have, how did you handle the situation and if you haven't how would you? It appears to me that maybe the coach is frustrated at his team and searching for a defense, namely my partners and our whistles.

I have refed quite a former NBA plaers kids. Fred Brown Jr. (Down Town Freddy Brown's son); Slick Watts son; Jack Sikma's Som and daughter, Nate McMillan's son. to name a few off the top of my head. I is funny to see an ex NBA players kid play ball. You would expect him to be the best on the floor but he is normally just another kid. Also, I have had nothing but great experience when the NBA players have been coaches. They all have been very polite and curteous (sp?)

Nice picture of JR in action. I thought the suspenders were supposed to be black.

Steve Nash. Excellent speaker. Has a true and genuine love for the game and deserves everything he's worked for and will work for.

True story: I'm reffin the All Canada Camp, a showcase for the best high school talent in the Great White North.

Lunch break one day and a pick-up game broke out. Nash was there as the camp's guest speaker and he was playing in the pick-up game. A small guard (left-handed) from BC (British Columbia), had the ball and was isolated with Nash playing D, left hand side of the hoop. Kid does a dipsy-doo/twist/cross-over/something-else-thatI-can't-do and schools Steve Nash, takes it to the hole and lays it in. Of course, Steve didn't give up and tried to get back to block the shot, to no avail. Nice play by the kid (17 yrs old). 3-4 plays later, same thing, he's iso with Nash. Kid does another move and gets by Nash. Now, granted Nash is a better player than he was 4-5 years ago, but he didn't even try to get back that time: he just walked away clapping, knowing he was beat again. Very classy move. I know it totally made the kids weekend becuase I embarrased him at breakfast the next morning, "Hey, you're the kid that schooled Steve Nash..." he buddies break out laughing and pointing and whatever else those actions are called that kids did then-a-days, and try to chest bump him, then I continue, "... twice." The kid got his kudos again. Everyone was wondering what was going one.

Also reffed Bill Lambier's (sp?) daughter a few times. They'd come up from Michigan to attend some Ontario tournaments. That guy is tall!

I've coached against teams with quite a few D1 players. The only current players are Ashli Schwab (Penn State), Katie Hayek (Miami) and Becky Hower (Rider). But I've outcoached Kelly Mazzante about 37 times in our games working individual camps at Penn State! Although she has made me look like I'm standing in concrete in our lunchtime and late-night games between the Lady Lions and the other coaches. :)


[Edited by A Pennsylvania Coach on Mar 17th, 2004 at 10:48 AM]

How about we name the most famous player we have ever met.
I met Julius Erving on my honeymoon in Maui in 1986.
He was staying in the room next to us. He was my boyhood idol, and I was standing outside my room by the railing, waiting for my wife to come out. He opened the door next to ours and walked out. I almost fainted. We ended up having a nice conversation, and ran into each other a couple of more times during the week.

When Bird coached the Pacers we went to watch a few summer league games. My older son, who was around 10-11 at the time, waited by the locker room door for Bird to come out so he could get his autograph. I waited in the stands. He stood, waiting for a few minutes, while I watched from a distance. Finally, he gave up. Not only did he miss getting Bird's autograph, he also missed out on Moses Malone's, who was standing next to my son the whole time.

Juulie - I agree with you about Jesse. Gee - I wonder who got him into officiating and initially trained him? Hmmmmm?

BTW - Jesse will be working with me on a political campaign this fall. He will be in charge of student volunteers in a state representative race in our district. This kid is incredibly sharp and is a much better ref than his dad. ;)

When Kareem Abdul-Jabbar coached in Phoenix a few years back, I had his team in a local tourney. Shook his hand and his fingertips almost touched my elbow! :)

nice butt.

Here's a rare photo of JR in action!

http://www.arizona.edu/funstuff/ecar...basketball.jpg

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nice butt.

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Keith Bogans when he was in the 8th grade. He told me he was going to DeMatha the next year.

Grant Hill (South Lakes HS)

Bill Cowher's (Steelers) daughter in AAU last year. Btw, he told me I missed an OOB on the opponents. I never address parents, but I had to tell him the rules are different in basketball. He laughed about it and said, Touche!

Now he is a little more famous after tonight's upset of Mich. St.
 

I officiated Todd Okeson when he was a Sr. in high school out here in Western Kansas. He went to Weskan High School. A little school with approximately 35-45 students enrolled K-12.

Re: Now he is a little more famous after tonight's upset of Mich. St.
 

FHSUref,
I like him! Looks like he carrys just enough attitude to earn the respect of his peers. Good leader.
mick
<s>Go Spartans!</s> Go Tigers!

Re: Re: Now he is a little more famous after tonight's upset of Mich. St.
 

He was an enjoy to officiate. Very polite, handing you the ball, addressing you with respect. He comes from a fairly athletic family. His father was an all american in the early 60's here (FHSU). His sister played some ball at Missouri before her shoulder gave out on her and he has a younger brother at Dodge City Community College right now that is very athletic. I would like to see Todd go far in the tourney. Maybe get a little recognition for NW Kansas beside the great Jackie Stiles!

OKESON
 

Ahh, so now you believe that Todd Okeson is legitamately a "famous player!"

GO WOLFPACK!

Chris Webber, Shane Battier when in high school at Detroit Country Day. Jason Richardson, Anthony Roberson (Florida).
Charles Rogers (MSU, Detroit Lions).
Bill Laimbeer (my favorite Piston Bad Boy), Dan Majerle (Phoenix & Miami) at benefit softball tournament.

You are a BAAAD Girl!