What makes a great official?

[Tim Roden]

I say the one thing the grat officials have that most of us don't have is a sense of humor. They can laugh at themselves. They have a passion for the game that drives them to improve. They work well with people. They can make that rookie official feel like he belongs on the same court with them in one breath and calm down Bobby Knight with the next. The other thing is that they are ready for the worst thing in the world to happen at the least expected time. And they still have all the characteristics listed above.