14U AAU game over the weekend, both teams pretty good, semi-decent coaching. Near the end of the game A1 has an endline throw-in under B's basket, B is pressing, I'm L. The play is a hail mary, A2 breaks downcourt & A1 heaves the ball as far & high as it will go...of course it goes clear over the heads of A2 and B1 who is in pursuit. I'm thinking "great, I ran all this way for nothing and now I gotta trot back to where I was" when the ball hits at about the FT line & bounces towards the basket. Now I'm thinking "geeze, that ball is going into the basket & I'm going to spend the next 10 minutes explaining to coach A why he doesn't get 2 points- maybe he'll even want 3 points! - and not only that he loses the ball and not only that his opponent gets the ball under their own basket." But the ball hits the backboard & bounces off missing the rim. By this time A2 & B1 (remember them?) have caught up with the play & they both take a running leap to grab the rebound...but of course the ball goes over their outstretched arms & starts bouncing back the other way as the 2 players both land about 5 feet OOB. And the rest of the players, who were all charging my way have to turn around & go the other way. Luckily A1 was not the first to touch it (that would have taken 20 minutes to explain!) but A did finally get the ball. And went on to win in OT.

And when did the clock start?

Oops, sorry. :D

Nothing to see here folks, just ignore him & he'll go away...

:)

LOL!!

You got a mean streak in ya. I like that in a person.:D

I try to learn from the masters...;)

No he won't! Hey Jim.

Oh.

Howzabout if we just ignore his @ss?

:D

I can't. He is my partner!!!!

Hey, have you been talking to my wife!? :D

I just enjoy listening to all these AAU stories, because it'll help get me ready for camp season. There's usually something silly that happens, or some stupid play, that I have to be ready for. And of course it happens in the 4th game of the day, when I've been lulled into a false sense of security, and I'm ready to go home.

So, it'll be hard to get rid of us Orange Krush supporters, right Ken?

That's right Jim! Go Illini!

I work girl's AAU ball about two weekends every month over in Indiana. Knock on wood, I have never had any of the games form hell except for a few coaches. After laying some smack down on them, they calm down. You just need to remind them that the game is for the players, not the coaches, parents or us fellow officials. If they do not get that, I toss 'em and find someone who can understand this concept.

Ken, we've had several of your AAU teams over here in St. Louis for the past couple of weekends. I remember the Indy Elite girls team and another girls team from Evansville. We had about 4-5 boys teams but I worked different games in the boys tourn so I don't remember which teams (from Ft Wayne, Indy and Evansville). That's one thing I like about AAU ball is getting to see different players and coaches. I do remember the Indy Elite teams parents were not the most knowledgable people I've been criticized by.