Fellow officials,

I am a freelance writer and have started my own site of experiences from the world of basketball. I hope to share my stories with people so that we can all learn and benefit. Ultimately, I am hoping to create a collaboration of peoples stories to write a book. Currently I am writing for REFEREE magazine. I hope you enjoy the writings and I hope to get some feedback and stories of your own. Thanks for checking it out! The site is...
http://thewritingref.blogspot.com/

Have a safe and happy holiday!

David

Interesting website!

I'm confused. I don't mean to be negative, but the stories are obviously not "how-to's". Are they "true confessions"?

That's how I took it. Somewhat interesting nonetheless.

"....taking crap from a person who just barely got off the hook for raping a girl in Colorado?"

Careful, Mr. Smith, you're treading on dangerous ground with statements like that. You need to watch your wording if you're going to be widely published, or you may someday get a call from someone's lawyer. I have some experience in journalism, and have seen writers put through great annoyance and potential financial hardship because of stuff like that.

Having said all that, I enjoyed your anecdotes, you're quite the storyteller! :)

Canuck,

You're right, I am probably treading on "iffy" ground, but personally if I'm not saying something that a lot of people aren't already thinking then I will retract immediately. Notice how I haven't even talked about Indiana vs. Detroit? That one would really put me over the edge. These are stories, like I had mentioned before, in a column like form. Feel free to add any of your own, and this goes for anyone. Through this we can all learn and laugh!

David

[Edited by DTS on Dec 16th, 2004 at 01:43 PM]

DTS,

I'd be careful about making disparaging comments about partners. Soon, word will get out about your blog and some guys might take offense at comments made about them. I noticed you don't name names of your partners but I'm sure some of them will be able to put 2 and 2 together and figure out you're talking about them.

I think it's great you have decided to put your thoughts on "paper". I find journaling to be a great tool for younger officials (and even the wiley old vets) and would hope that you can look back at your previous entries and find at least one thing you'd like to focus on for future games.

Whistleone,

You should see my stories before I edit them! Whew! But I agree, I don't name names nor places and I try to keep things fairly vague. Honestly, the partners that I have brought up really do need work. I am not trying to be an arse about it all, I'm just trying to be as truthful as possible and if people take offense, so be it. I can't always hold my punches when it comes to people who need to hear the truth and are constantly being told the opposite. You know how it goes, people say one thing to your face and another behind your back. I guess it's a trait that I don't possess, I really dislike gossip. Things that I have said on the site have already been expressed directly to the people themselves. I am a very direct person, most people appreciate that sort of candidness, they say they find it refreshing. But then again, who knows what they say behind my back. Really though, who cares?

I think that there are many things I have learned from the column, and everyday on the court. My goals this year are better communication, with players, coaches and partners. Concentration, keeping focus no matter what the situation. And lastly, enthusiasm, no matter the level of game I want to be able to do my best and walk off the court having given my all. I love what I do, just like the rest of you. We don't do this for the money, nor the recognition. Next year I'm going to 3-man camp for small college. I have my career laid out on paper and yearly goals. Making the right connections, networking with higher level officials, talking as much as possible with senior officials at all levels. I've got a passion about this, and I aim to go somewhere with it. I just want everyone's input, from all walks of life! The more people talk and share, the more we all learn, that's why I joined this forum and hope that people can enjoy reading my stories and write some of their own because we shouldn't be afraid to share our experiences that make us all individuals. Alright already, I'll shut up now.

You've got <b>TWO</b> years experience as an official. Two freaking years! You don't know the truth. You don't have enough knowledge to be publically crapping on your partners. The truth is that you've got one helluva lot to learn. And you'll learn a helluva lot more listening than talking.

I don't hold my punches either. That's the truth, as I see it. If you wanna take offense to that, well, as you said, so be it!

Jurassic,

Thanks for the input, I don't take offense to anything. Truth again, interviewing officials from your age bracket, they all say the same thing, "Be seen and not heard." It's a generation gap thing, and I do listen. I've taken your comments to heart, rest assured, so thank you sir. Share a story or two from your infinite experiences so that I may learn from my lack thereof.

David, OK, I'll share something with you from my infinite experience. It sureashell <b>ain't</b> a generation gap thing. It's the way it is! If you take a "know-it-all" attitude into your games, your meetings, your writing, your website, etc., then you will quickly get a "know-it-all" reputation. And that type of reputation can be career suicide if it's taken up by the people responsible for your future advancement- your evaluators, assignors, people who run the camps that you go to and also recommend officials to college assignors, etc. And the partner(s) that you're dumping on in your web site may be your assignor's brother-in-law too. You can't be sure that they're not saying the exact same things about you that you're saying about them either, can you? Chill. Ask questions. Filter out what you think can help you, and dump the rest. But spend 90% of your time listening and 10% of your time talking. And when you're talking, don't waste time blowing your own horn. I hate to have to be the one to tell you, but nobody cares whether you contribute to Referee Mag or how great an official you are. You will be judged <b>on</b> the floor by how well you do your job. You will be judged <b>here</b> strictly by your contributions, and not by your resume or your experience. My "infinite experience" doesn't get me a pass here either, and that's the way it should be.

Off the soapbox. Good luck with your career. Always keep reaching!

I must say that I am confused by what you are writing. You say in the first paragraph that

"I do my very best to keep a good name for the profession of officiating." Yet you openly admitt that you get angry on the floor and make sarcasitic comments to fans -

“Really,” I turned to the crowd and pinpointed the old man heckling me. “Don’t you have something original to say? I’d think at your age that you’d have been able to think of something that no ref has ever heard, but here you are and I am left with the same old clichés.”

You also admitt that in front of 3 people (1 being a coach) you call a parent an isulting name -

“What a *****.”

I honestly don't see these examples as things that -keep the good name of the profession of officiating. I think it is good that you are on time and respect that appearance is important. But it is clear to me that you still have along way to go before you understand what PROFESSIONALISM is about. Keep working hard on the areas you are doing well but work harder on the areas you need to improve, ie - not talking with fans. Not calling people names in front of parents/fans/COACHES. Not isulting and putting down your partners in public.

There is a time and place to deal with partners who fustrate us. That is in post games, in private and or with our assigners. You should always talk to your partners first before talking about them with others.

Just my thoughts.

Thanks guys, keep 'em coming. You know, it could just be me but I think you guys are great. There is a reason why you've been officiating so long, and it's a good one. You know how to argue, in fact it seems that we sometimes excell at it. Professionalism will come with time and learning and I love the comments so far. But I am really interested in stories! Is there not one of you out there that has a good story? I find that hard to believe. I guess I'm the only one official who has emotions, has personality...but really I refuse to believe that. Please, take a moment and think of a doozy story of a game you've had in the past. I interviewed an NBA ref once who told me he got beer dumped on him by a fan, and the next time he was in town they became good friends and have kept in touch ever since. That's the kind of stuff I want, I'm tired of reading and writing my own stuff...come on and give it try won't ya?!

Stories??? You want stories???!!!

OK...here ya go....

One night after camp Chuck & I stopped by TGIF for a light dinner & drinks.

Of course, *I* had a coupla beers.

Chuck had a diet coke. :rolleyes:

Coupla things, David:

1) I haven't been arguing. I've been giving you my opinion. Use my advice that I gave you in the one response. If you think there's something there that's useful, fine. If not, dump it. Your choice.
2) I really don't think that I want to tell any stories that may find their way onto your web site , or maybe into one of <b>your</b> stories. That's just me. Others will feel different.