Two days ago, I got a call from Juulie asking me to fill in for her in two games later that evening. I had not worked any summer league games, mostly due to a back injury a few months ago. However, I felt pretty good and - since it was Juulie asking (I never refuse a request from an attractive woman, although the fact that the games were 10 minutes from my house and paid cash on the spot had something to do with it) - I said yes.

This was the final week of a girls summer league and the teams were pretty tired. My first game was freshman and the final score was 44-8. As is my style, I called a 3 second violation on the team with 8 with 20 seconds to go in the game. Even my partner laughed. Hey - it's just instinct. BTW - the team with 8 scored a basket in the 1st Q, the 2nd Q and the 3rd Q. In Q4, they had only two free throws. It was pathetic. My second game was JV and was much better. The home team won by four.

The assignor came at about halftime of the second game to pay us. He said he had just received a call and there were two makeup games scheduled for the next afternoon. He was going to work them and wanted to know if I was available. I said yes (even though he is not that attractive).

These two games were a JV and a V between two pretty well established girls programs. The first game was pretty uneventful, but two cool things happened in the second.

One of the teams was wearing uniforms with the word "DEFENSE" embroidered on the back of their shorts. I asked one of the girls if she wore those shorts when she went out on dates. She laughed and said she probably should have worn them one night last year when she literally had to "fight off" some guy. At a timeout, she told the other girls what I had asked. They all laughed and at least three of them told me they thought it was a good idea.

Near the end of the second game, my partner called an intentional foul. There was no dispute - a girl just pushed the dribbler in the back on a breakaway. However, the coach of team B argued about the throwin spot. He didn't want team A inbounding on the baseline (spot of foul). He claimed the inbound spot was at mid-court. I explained to him that was only for technicals. He said loudly to me - "No, you're wrong."

Blood in the water.

I said, "Coach, I have a rulebook in my bag. Let's look it up. If I'm wrong, I'll give you $10. If you're wrong, you will come out to mid-court, get down on your knees and beg forgiveness from me in front of everyone. What do you say?"

His reply - "Nevermind."

Damn, that would have been fun.

[Edited by mark padgett on Jun 30th, 2005 at 09:57 PM]

I remember once running a 5k where I told my buddy at the starting line, that my goal was not to let anyone who had something written on the back of their shorts beat me. I barely succeeded.

So just to throw in a little summer controversy. Why do they put that writting on back of their shorts? Is it because they know guys are looking there anyway, so they want to give us something to read?

Mark what city are you in your name sounds familiar.



[Edited by Love this Game on Jul 1st, 2005 at 12:38 AM]

You first, LTG!! What city are you in?

According to your profile, the "O" in your signature stands for Ohio. My "O" would be Oregon. As to city, Juulie will tell you I live only in my own mind.

OHSAA, hmm...

Mark Padgett... Mark T. DeNucci .... Mark Padgett .... Mark T. DeNucci....

No they don't sound that similar except for the first syllable.

You asked, so here you can read the history of the shorts.

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/04/15/Fl...for_shor.shtml

Gotta love the internet, it has everything. Can't wait until the day when I can search google for a soda flavor and they'll pour me a cup out of my computer. Oh, and why do all these odd-ball stories always come from Florida?

I must say, a pair claiming "Queen Mother" would be jolly well hillarious.

No rain not Mark DeNucci, his name sounded like someone I went so school with.

Thin et kudunt bee mee. Eye niver wint two skool.

I think that at my next camp, I'm gonna wear some black shorts with ZEBRA across my butt. . .

Gee - I couldn't fit a word that big on mine.

Wheee---eeewwwww!! That's a laugh!!.....

OK, so I realize this is all supposed to be in good fun and all...but what is there about your style that would make you call 3 seconds on a team down by 36 with 20 seconds left in the game?

Mark had the other team and was giving 34 points. It was too close for comfort.