I want to hear a little advice from everyone on this. I have had a certain VG team 3 times in one month!! First time was a holiday tournament that I didn't even know they were playing in (if they would have won in the opening round, I'd had been off the hook); second time (a road game for this team) was a game scheduled a year in advance; third game (a home game for this team) was one I took so that I had enough VG games to qualify for the girls' state tournament in Indiana.

By the time the third game came around, the head coach of this team felt as though he was my "buddy". He talked to me several times during the game...many times being very subtle to try to influence the way I was calling the game. I talked to him when I thought it was necessary. I also gave him the universal hand when I had heard enough.

To make the long story short, things got very ugly. I ended up T'ing the coach, the home team lost, and many in the crowd were saying, "Isn't that the same ref we have had once or twice already this year. The same guy who reffed other games we lost?"

If this wasn't bad enough, after my partner & I had left the floor AND after the ugliest game I have been involved with all year ended, the JVG coach who had been sitting at the end of the bench started inciting the crowd by talking aloud about how badly the refs just screwed them. My partner & I had to wait for the gym to clear out AND we were ushered out the "back door" for our safety by the AD.

BTW the AD thought we called a decent game and said his girls' program is pathetic! WHEW! That helped a little.

Now, here's the question. In the future, should I say "NO" to games that involve a team more than once or twice even if it costs me a chance to qualify and officiate a state tournament game? Here in Indiana, you must qualify by officiating 10 girls' games if you want to officiate in a girls' state tournament and 10 boys' games if you want to officiate in a boys' state tournament game. What do you say?

Unbelievably, I still have 2 JV boys' game there this year!!

I try my best not to concern myself with which teams I'm assigned to officiate. Our association has an assignor that schedules all of our games. I've had the same Varsity Girls team four times this year. They are one of the top teams in the city. When I go there I try to stay as "even keel" as possible. Of course they remember me, that's human nature. My role is to stay professional and, along with my partner, give then the best game we can.

As far as the comments that were made to you and your pard, forget about it. If the same team with the same coaches and fans would have won those games, you guys would have been praised. Simply work a good game for them and don't be concerned with everything else. The coach who thought you were his "buddy" got a wake-up call.:) In the future, I'm sure he will be more careful.

I don't concern myself with it. It's bound to happen. In 1998-99 I had one team five times, last year I had one team four times, and this year I've had one team three times. In fact, our crew had a holiday toruney semifinal game involving two teams on Firday night. The next Friday night we had the same two teams for a conference game. BTW, the two teams split the games.

Do your best, stay professional, and ignore anything that isn't necessary for the game.

bsktbalref has said it all!!1

Dittos to the above postings
 

As long as you are consistent and maintain a professional demeanor, no one can legitimately challenge your integrity. As you know, they will anyway... it is sad when it happens.

Just ask any fan (and some "coaches"):
"Zebras make great scapegoats!"