After 25 seasons (10 in Illinois and 15 in Oregon) I'm hanging up the whistle. I figure I worked at least 3500 games - probably closer to 4000. My top year I worked 379. Finished my last 3 rec games last night and I went out in a blaze of glory by running a coach. He had the audacity to continue to argue after the stop sign and the first T. Imagine that!

Anyway, I have been asked by a few of you to list my most memorable moments of those seasons. I don't know if mine are any more memorable than yours, but here they are:

1) officiating with my son - this is as good as it gets
2) watching kids in rec progress from 3rd grade to HS
3) helping to grow our rec league to almost 2000 kids
4) working tournaments including HS teams from Canada and Mexico
5) teasing volunteer scorekeepers
6) having the "Mr. T" award named after me by my association after winning it three years straight
7) working with Juulie ;)
8) training young kids to become officials
9) moving our rec league from being "in the red" to being "in the black" during my tenure as Board president
10) meeting all the other great refs over all those years

So now, I'm gonna just sit back and relax. I have two more Board meetings for our rec league and then it's retirement from that also (after 13 years).

I did tell Juulie, however, that I would be available to do evals at her camp this spring - as long as I don't have to put on the stripes.

I wish you all the best. Don't let the howler monkeys get you down.

A great career by a great man and referee.

I can only hope that my officiating will advance as far and last as long as Padgett's.

Congrats, enjoy retirement, and if you ever start experiencing withdrawal, just go visit the local zoo. :p

Congrats
 

Good luck with the retirement. I hope you enjoy whatever you have planned. Looks to me like you have earned it! There are quite a few officials around here (Kansas) that hung the stripes up this year. Sad to see them go but glad that they did so much for the youth out here.

FYI - There is a Ref from Grinnell, KS by the name of Sonny Weinhardt. Great guy. Anyway, next year will be his 51st of officiating for the KSHSAA. AMAZING! Anyone know of any other officials that have been in it that long? Heck, I have only done it 4 and feel like that is long enough!

Good job Mark.

I hope your retirement doesn't include retirement from this board. We can always use your perspective and humor.

Z

Thanks Padgett !
 

Mark,
You were the first member of this forum I dared e-mail.
I asked about the NFHS test because I had never heard of it before.
Your reply was kind, timely and welcome.

Just like the official that babied me through my very first game, you will remain special to me.

Thanks.

Be well.
mick

Re: Thanks Padgett !
 

AWWWW! Group hug!!

Opportunitiy denied
 

I am only disappointed that I never got to have a game reffed by the famous (and, among coaches, infamous ;) ) Mr. T! As a result, you never got a chance to run me. You ever come to the east coast Washington, think about doing a scrimmage or anything just so I can see you in action.

Seriously, Mark, it is great to have officials like you who care about the game. You are willing to hang in the rec leagues with all the coach love that brings. You make it a point to know the rules, as well as how to balance the rules with the level of play on the floor. You remeber that youth basketball is youth first, basketball second - doesn't mean that you ignore basketball, but it does allow a bit of creative thinking.

I have watched how you interact with Juulie and know that you are a mentor to those who are smart enough to ask for help from an experienced hand. I hung up my service stripes this year, but continue to work with those who I have mentored through the years in the Navy. I hope that you will do the same for the refs that continue to lace 'em up. And of course, you gotta keep posting on the board.

I was talking to my son last night (he used to ref) and he asked me how many technicals I've given over the years. I thought it was an interesting question, so I sat down and figured out how many calls of various types I have made in 25 years of officiating. I tried to use an average per game. I figured I gave out technicals at a rate of about one every three games (including second warnings for delay, etc). Here's what I came up with:

technicals / 1167
travel calls / 10,500
personal fouls / 35,000
number of kids told to remove jewelry / 1167

Also - I calculated that I let kids be illegally in the lane, before calling the violation, for a total of almost 17 hours.

Amazing, isn't it.

Oh yeah - I figure I ejected about 20 coaches, 50 players and countless spectators.

I was going to calculate how many times I actuall blew my whistle during games, but my calculator won't go that high.

Mark...

Impressive credentials. You've left your mark. Hopefully, you'll continue to leave it here as well.

So, when are you taking that job as regional interpreter for FIBA in France? :D

When pigs fly and Bobby Knight wins the NCAA sportsmanship award. And - how many times do I have to tell you guys - it's "FEEBLE"!

As I've stated before, I've signed a contract to officiate in the Women's World Mudwrestling Federation. They want me to help introduce their new "creamed corn division". The best part (other than they tape in Vegas) is that the officials get to wear black and white striped Speedos! :p

The best part (other than they tape in Vegas) is that the officials get to wear black and white striped Speedos!
[/B][/QUOTE]The vision of Mark in his black-and-white thong just flashed through my mind. Thankfully, I passed out at that point.

The vision of Mark in his black-and-white thong just flashed through my mind. Thankfully... [/B][/QUOTE]

...it was a very short trip.

...it was a very short trip.

[/B][/QUOTE]Careful. I know where you live! :eek:

But Mark, it will take two to three days to get the industrial sized cans!

Careful. I know where you live! :eek: [/B][/QUOTE]

That was you??!

Geeze...kinda sorry I called the cops on ya now...

http://www.jasonbaker.net/usa/nyc/BW-homeless.jpg

Oh my God...and now I have to go and try to eat lunch... thanks a lot JR!!!

Having worked with Mark a time or two, I must agree with rocky about the after--effects of this vision. I won't need a perm for a few weeks!

I was lucky. I passed out before I went blind.

...it was a very short trip.

[/B][/QUOTE]Careful. I know where you live! [/B][/QUOTE]

That was you??!

Geeze...kinda sorry I called the cops on ya now...

[/B][/QUOTE]
Actually, you're gonna get get a visit from a fellow (fellow?) official from NJ....
http://www.rfthomas.clara.net/bf_images/f352.jpg

If you think the Speedos are bad, wait 'til you see what we use for whistles!

I'll leave this up to your imagination.

BTW - Juulie - I read your letter in The Oregonian today. You mean you have other interests besides officiating?

Careful. I know where you live! [/B][/QUOTE]

That was you??!

Geeze...kinda sorry I called the cops on ya now...

[/B][/QUOTE]
Actually, you're gonna get get a visit from a fellow (fellow?) official from NJ....
http://www.rfthomas.clara.net/bf_images/f352.jpg [/B][/QUOTE]

LOL!

btw, I don't see any t*ts, maybe bad angle?

I was lucky. I passed out before I went blind. [/B][/QUOTE]

What, pray tell, were you doing, while thinking of Mark in Speedos, that might cause you to go blind? :eek:

BTW - when I showed my stats to my son, Josh, he was astonished that I threw out only about 20 coaches in 25 seasons. He said he threw out 20 in <i>one </i> season once.

He was serious.

What, pray tell, were you doing, while thinking of Mark in Speedos, that might cause you to go blind?

[/B][/QUOTE]Susie Sasquatch just got re-routed to your house, Barry. Be very, veeeeery careful when you open the door.

....and fishnets, I suppose....

I got a couple of emails about my son Josh's remark that he threw out 20 coaches in a season. If he said he did it, he did it. This would be a combination of regular HS and at least 3 rec leagues while working almost 300 games. It doesn't seem that far out of whack to me, especially since I was at a game two years earlier where he tossed both coaches and both assistants. For your dining and dancing pleasure, here's what happened:

Eighth grade boys rec. In the 3rd quarter, team A is up by over 30. When their lead got to 20, the mercy rule kicked in and they then could not guard in the backcourt. However, coach A had his team set up in a half-court trap and the lead just kept getting bigger. I was in the stands as the "on-site Board member". I know Josh mentioned to coach A that he might want to let up a little and let the other team have some fun. The response was something along the lines of "you ref - I'll coach".

Eventually, after another steal and layup, coach B made a remark to coach A. Coach A responded with a comment about team B being a bunch of losers, and if they couldn't "take it", they should just not show up.

Coach B and his assistant then stormed team A's bench and grabbed the two A coaches. Josh immediately stepped in between them while his partner grabbed coach B from behind and pulled him off. By this time, I was on the court. Josh told coach A he was ejected and that he (Josh) would recommend to the Board that he be banned for the season (he eventually was). He then told his assistant that he was also ejected for motioning at coach B to "come on over here". He told coach B and his assistant they were both ejected and he would recommend to the Board they be banned for the rest of the season and also for one more season (they were).

The four howler monkeys then left. I had another Board member follow them out into the parking lot, just in case.

Josh then addressed the crowd, told them that all the coaches were ejected and that if a parent from each team would come down and sit on their team's bench, they would finish the game - which is what happened. He also addressed all the players and told them that sometimes, adults act like children and that they just saw a good example of how not to act. He told them they could show everyone how mature they were by just playing the game. The players all shook hands and finished the game without team A pressing.

I thought Josh did pretty well, considering that he was only a HS junior at the time.

[Edited by Mark Padgett on Mar 25th, 2004 at 03:55 PM]

Mark,
That'll puff a Dad up a little. :)
mick

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Padgett I thought Josh did pretty well, considering that he was only a HS junior at the time.

Good lord, that's great game management - especially for a junior in high school! Nice parenting Mark.

Z

Thanks, but of course, his mom took all the credit.

Mark,

Congratulations on such a GREAT, and OUTSTANDING career in officiating. Even though, I have never had the opportunity to meet you face to face, I have always enjoyed reading your opinions, thoughts, perspectives, and comments about every end of the game of basketball.

You have a great and wise knowledge of the game of basketball. I wish nothing but the best with your retirement from officiating.

Again, CONGRATS!!!!!!!!! on a job very well and professionally done.

And if he ever gets a nationally televised game he'll say "hi mom!"

Guys - I can tell you the withdrawal is killing me. Watching the NCAA games just makes it worse.

Last night, I gave my wife a warning for delay of game.

Never mind the details.