A fun time for me tonight.

[blindzebra]

Men's league.

A player hip checks the cutter as the pass sails over his head. I call the foul and the player says, "That's bull s---," and gives me the finger.

Whistle, whack, flagrant T, goodbye.

In the next game a player is dribbling and tries a spin move, does a little chicken wing, causes contact with the defender and loses the ball. The defender grabs it and takes off for the basket. The dribbler runs him down jumps up and attempts to play the ball with his right hand, but grabs the guy around the neck with his left arm. When they land the defender now has both arms around the guys head and pushes him.

I got the intentional and I'm selling it. The guy and his team can't believe it. The guy is saying I got all ball, his teammates are not lying that bad, and are only saying that he played the ball.

I'm saying it was really close to a flagrant and he's lucky he's still in the game.

Last game a team has 9 players the other team has 5. The team with 9 are whinning all game. I whack a guy on the bench and after that the game settles down as the team with 9 takes a 10 point lead. The lead is 7 points with 4 minutes left when the big guy for the team with 5 fouls out.

5 on 4 with a 7 point lead and they blow it and we go OT. The team with 5 go 4 corners and then miss a shot. The other team goes down and hits a shot to go up 2 with 45 seconds left. Team 5 comes down gets fouled and misses both free throws, they foul on the rebound and we are shooting at the other end. As we are lining up a player says, "That foul call just took us out of the game."

I said, "You're down two with 35 seconds left, YOU NEED TO FOUL."

The guy hits both and the team with 4 end up winning by 4 points.

After the game the losers are saying loud enough for all to hear, how we cost them the game.

I normally just ignore the rec players after the game, but not after a night like this one, so I said, "Give me a freaking break, you played 5 on 4 for SEVEN minutes, YOU lost this game so quit whinning."

Go back to your business, rant over.

[Edited by blindzebra on Feb 24th, 2005 at 02:17 AM]

[Snake~eyes]

I liked the story, good read.

[ChrisSportsFan]

With those guys, you either have to appreciate the comedy factor (which sometimes is bountiful) or get out. I chose to get out.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by blindzebra
YOU lost this game so quit whinning."

I hope you said, "Whining" unless you were reffing barn ball.

[LepTalBldgs]

Since I'm new to reffing I decided that I needed the experience and so signed up to ref an adult male rec league near my house. The advantage is that the main gym is only 4 minutes from my house while the other gyms are 10-12 minutes away. The disadvantage is that its adult rec ball.

Some nights I have a quiet night; like last night where all three teams hardly said a word all night.

The week before in our second game the players were crying for a foul on the very first play. Not just one person, but several people from the team wanted my partner as Lead to call a foul and complained and didn't stop. This partner does state level tournaments every year and I don't think I've seen her whack anyone in my three years doing rec ball. She's very even tempered.

After telling them to be quiet a few times and the team not stopping she whacked 'em. We're 35 seconds into the game.

The player she T's proceeds to yell some vulgarity at her which gets him tossed. His teammates won't stop as we're lining up free throws. So I join in the festivities and get me one. So now we're shooting 6 and game admin is helping the DQ'd player find his way out of the gym.

Shooter makes 5 of 6, and the whining team loses by 2.

[ChrisSportsFan]

Duct Tape, if I ever work anymore of these games, I'm bringing me a brand new role of duct tape.

[Mark Padgett]

These are all good examples of why this type of league is called "jerkball" around here.

There used to be a really great adult league that played at a facility right across the street from the Jailblazers practice facility. It was a women's league and consisted of almost all former college players. A few had not played in college but had pretty good HS careers. They kept their minds (and mouths) on the game, really hustled and played a pretty good brand of ball. It was a pleasure to work those games.

Unfortunately, the facility went to all "membership" and the league is no more. It's a shame.

[blindzebra]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
These are all good examples of why this type of league is called "jerkball" around here.

There used to be a really great adult league that played at a facility right across the street from the Jailblazers practice facility. It was a women's league and consisted of almost all former college players. A few had not played in college but had pretty good HS careers. They kept their minds (and mouths) on the game, really hustled and played a pretty good brand of ball. It was a pleasure to work those games.

Unfortunately, the facility went to all "membership" and the league is no more. It's a shame.

That's been my experience too.

Overall the women's leagues are better. The level of play is usually more consistently good, and they spend more time playing and less time b-tching.

The really good men's leagues, the ones with former pro and D1 players, also are less trouble. They may stick a toe in the whining waters, but they quickly return to playing ball. They actually adjust to how the game is being called, imagine that.

[bradfordwilkins]

"After telling them to be quiet a few times and the team not stopping she whacked 'em. We're 35 seconds into the game."

Reminds me of a game I had... foul called, player starts moaning and groaning, yelling "Thats ridiculous" bla bla bla. I give him the stop sign and even call him out by number, Red 50 (or whatever it was), warning thats enough complaining. Right as I finish that sentance he let me know that he wouldn't have to complain if I knew how to ref. WHACK. This was the first play of the game. Geez.