Last week I had the opportunity to work with a official who has made a name for his self as being very difficult to work with.For example(gets into verbal confrontations with fans,coaches,table staff etc.)After the game a observer said to me that it looked like I was upset with my partner and that I should have kept my composure and not let coaches,observers,etc.see this.I agree, Now my question is How do you work with a partner who is very difficult.

This may sound clique but you can learn something
every game. Even this guy is the example of what not
to do learn from it. You may also want to concentrate
on something you need to work on to keep you in the game
and not concetrating on what hes doing so badly. Keep
hustling and stay sharp and dont stop having fun!

define "difficult to work with"
 

I didn't read anything in your post about this partner not hustling, being out of position, calling out of his area, not knowing the rules, etc. To me - it's things like this that make a partner difficult to work with.

If he just likes to get in conversations with fans, players and the table crew, I ignore it. In fact, sometimes it's good because it "takes the pressure off" you.

Just accept that this guy (I assume it's a guy) has a chip on his shoulder and is a control freak who can't take even a little criticism. Concentrate on your mechanics and use him as a bad example from which to learn.

Mark
 

I was thinking the same exact thing. Love, what did this official do to make things difficult? Was the confrontations all, or was it the way he called the game too? And if he got into verbal confrontations, how did it affect you directly?

Reply
 

Thank you fellow officials for the feedback, now as far as my partner. He didn't hustle(He mentioned to me before the game that he had just finished doing six games)Yes he was also out of position on numerous occaisions.And how it affected me was there was little eye contact!

[Edited by Love2ref4Ever on Apr 26th, 2001 at 07:03 AM]

love2: We've got the same problem with a ref in our association, he is constantly late for games, and I mean 2 or 3 minutes after the tip has already gone up, he is constantly out of position and tries to "ham-it-up" for the crowd, if he gets a "possitive" response just once he is set for the game and I feel detracts from the game. I personally have made the decision I will never work with this official again and have been surprised to find out that many others have told our arbiter to not team them with him any more. As for what to do in that circumstance, continue to stay in position and call the game the way you see it. Make the best of a bad situation and then move on. Its frustrating, I know, but learn and grow from the experience.

Without knowing what your problem was, my rule is always bust your arse and you will have nothing to worry about.

To the fans and some coaches he will make you look bad.

But to the knowledgable people, they will see you didn't lose your concentration and that your focus was the game. This will go a long way, and you would be surprised how people will react to you.

I had a game like this earlier in the year, the guy wouldn't blow (barely, loud gym who knows) his whistle, never bird dogged (that is still req. here), reported his fouls through the players from where ever he was on the floor, and generally left everyone in the gym confused on many calls. We had correctable errors, mystery PC calls, and a whole host of other things that should never happen.

I was pissed, but I kept my game face on and trudged through, and people noticied I was carring him.

Honestly, I can trace the problem to one point, he was R his pre-game sucked and he was uninterested.

I got him the next week and I led the pregame, set the expectations, and covered all of his issues during the pregame. It went much smoother. And the coaches and AD (we had the one team both games)mentioned to me the difference and my professionalism.

Like they say "You never know who is watching".

Thanks Co2Ice,
Like yourself alot of officials have made the decision not to work with this official.Unfortunatley here in NYC the recreation leagues don't always have that information available(who you will be working with)at the time you are given the game.To be honest, I am looking foward to working with this official again so that I may have the opportunity to practice patience,tolerance,and professionalism during the next game.The sad part to this is this official's conduct has been reconized by the powers that be, and how he has been rewarded is with more games.

Another reason......
 

to stop doing these leagues all together. But that is another argument and discussion.

Have a great off season.

Reply
 

JRutledge,
Here in New York City there is no such thing as a off season,the game of basketball is played 2407!(24 hours a day and 7 days a week)the only off season you get is the one you take!

This iis not always the case. I had a game (boys V) this year with a partner who found it necessary to carry on conversations with fans, coaches, etc. Everything he did made my life much more difficult for the entire time that we were on the floor. He would tell the coaches things about what and how we were calling the game that were directly opposite of what we had pre-gamed (I was the R). After the game (home team lost on a shot at the buzzer), we would not have gotten off the court if it were not for the game security. His actions directly affected what happened to me. I hustled, worked hard, etc. and I still paid the price for his actions.


I believe that this is true. I had a refereeing friend in the gym that same night. He watched the game and knew what was going on. Also, the home AD (a very good guy that night) recognized what an A-hole my partner was and even called the UHSAA to report what he had done that night. This guy had a history of problems and his career as an official in this state is now over.

Reply
 

Kelly Kinghorn,
My situation was very similiar to yours and I identify with the discomfort of being in that situation.The thing I am taking into consideration very seriously is here in New York City(Harlem,Bronx,Brooklyn,Queens,and Staten Island)the summer leagues are right around the corner, and as a official you have to be careful about which summer leagues you work(due to the fact that security is usally a joke)and if you have never heard about how tuff the crowds are here in NYC in the summertime,you better ask somebody!! it also seems like I better take into consideration who my partners are before taking any asignments

Re: offseason.
 

Do not misunderstand, I am only saying "offseason" because the games do not actually count. This is the time of the year to get better and go camping. This is not the time of year where losing is going to mean a seeding in a regional. I live in Illinois, home of "THE ORIGINAL MARCH MADNESS." They were using that term long before you heard it at the college and other levels. Believe me, the games do not stop. But at least here, I do cut back greatly and only do games that are going to get me seen or are apart of a camp that I am attending. Other than that, I am not doing any basketball at all. I have no tolerance for leagues where the kids are not there to get experience and go against other varsity competition. And I have a hard time doing leagues that are not affliated with the schools or kids that are going to play for a school. So rec. leagues are usually out of the question for me.

Have a good summer then. :)

Re: Re: offseason.
 

If you think these games don't count then you should make
your way east & work a few.

Quote:

Have a good summer then. :)

You too!

Come East Young Man!
 

JRutledge,
The game of basketball is a universal sport,though the rewards may vary.Here in Harlem(for example)there is one league called The Entertainers League,This paticular league features Playground legends,and NBA players.Some NBA players fly in just to play one game.Here you may see a official get run out of the park!(it has happened) Although they have police presence,and security.Rumor has it that thousands of dollars are bet on some of these games.This tournament is played in the world famous Holcombe Rucker Park.This tournament was also featured in a made for TV documentary titled "On Hollowed Ground" And this is just one tournament that I am mentioning. Take it from me,You bet not let no one here hear you say(as a official)that these games don't count.Or you may be down for the count!

Re: Come East Young Man!
 

You assume that the "Rucker" is the best in the country. Maybe a tournament that has pros and amatures is a very good tournament, I will give you that. But unfortunately, I have no desire to do a men's league. I have seen many things on the "Rucker" Tournament and other NY playground stuff and I am sure it is great. But personally, I do not want to do something that is designed as a "playground" competition, where the main prize is bragging rights of the playground. I live in Chicago where any pro-am leagues are used for competition and evaluations of players. At least there when I call "palming" or "travelling" I am not going to have to avoid the fruits and veggies coming flying out of the stands. Personally I cannot see the benefit in doing tournaments like the "Rucker" unless you want to make money. But here, that kind of tournament is does nothing for your career as it relates to furthering your career in College or High School basketball. All it could be is fun and a money maker. Not enough for me to desire to do, sorry. ;)

Peace

Re: Come East Young Man!
 

Luv2,
I think I mentioned to you that I saw that. (<i>"Hallowed" wasn't it?</i>)
Yeah! That's <u>BIG TIME</u> ball!
mick

Re: Re: Come East Young Man!
 

Yes it is bigtime ball to a point, but how does it help you as an official in Chicago. Here, the only type of game like that or tournament that will help you, is if it has HS or college players and teams. I am personally going to do an AAU tournament this weekend, but as an official, it will doing nothing for may career. All it will do is give me a chance to do a basketball game in the middle of April. Officiating bascially pure play ground heroes and a couple of pros mixed in, does not cut it here. You might as well gather some players and put on a striped shirts and put a whistle in your mouth and call it a game. Because around here, no one would care or pay attention. And the assignors and coaches would not even be present.

Me too, Rut.
 

Rut,
I am not interested either. I don't think I'd be good enough, ...or safe enough.
But Luv2's point was that many summer games actually do count.
They may not count to Officials who are trying to further their careers, all the time, but they do count to the "Loudies": fans, bettors, players and coaches.
And they may count BIG.
mick

The last thing I am trying to do is compare leagues in each state. I have you know that if you get the opportunity to work this league(Entertainers League)it is some of the best work you might get here in NYC.I also understand the point you guys are making.I personally am looking foward to getting some work in this league this summer.By no means do I totally rely on just summer leagues. I will be attending four camps this summer,And remember the original question was about difficult partners.Maybe if you grew up in Harlem and watched some of the legends that came through here as a kid like myself you probably would understand that the Rucker Park is Hallowed Ground!and working there is like making it to the big leagues.Only because as a official not to many officials get called to work this league,and when you get the chance you will probably be excited.

Point taken.
 

I am not trying to belittle the "Rucker." I am sure that it is fun and not being from there myself, I really do not know what the advantages or disadvantages of that tournament is to officials. But I am from a very vibrant basketball state. Basketball is life in Illinois. The other sports are just around to pass the time. And in the Chicago area, basketball is a year round game. HS kids play in there regular season, then go to AAU or travelling teams. Then the schools enter their players in summer leagues, where in some cases the coaches now can be involved in actually coaching them. Maybe there is not one tournament like the "Rucker" that has the combination of the pros and the non-pros, but the HS kids play every single chance they get. And we also do have some Pro-Am leagues, but those are for the benefit of NBA scouts and NBA teams picking up talent and evaluating talent. Even the AAU tournaments and the travelling tournaments, these are recruiting evaluations time for many college D1 coaches. It is not terribly unusual to see D1 coaches or scouts at these tournaments. So instead of our ball being for the fans necessarily, it really is for the evaluation of talent and getting kids experience for the big time players that they will see during the season and in college.

Reply
 

Again, AAU programs are also here in NYC,and there are just farm systems here for some of the D1 colleges. And let's get off this,We all should consider our cities the greatest in the world.The point of the matter is let's take advantage of the opportunity, that although we are miles apart we are drawn together by one common bond.As i like to say "LOVE2REF" and I am grateful for the feedback that I receive in this forum. You guys have open my eyes wide through the feedback that you have sent in this post.Especially about working certain leagues,I have allways been cautious about certain summer leagues.Now I will be taken into consideration Partners and leagues.

Love and Respect

Reply Part 2
 

This was never a discussion of who's state is better or who's city is better for me. I was just talking about how leagues help and do not help. I have always been an opponent of refs doing rec. leagues, if you goal is to become a better official. If you have read me over the years, that has always been a point I have made. I just find no personal interest in doing "men's leagues" at all. I think personally they are basically a waste of time and whether I am talking about the Chicago area or the Quad Cities or Peoria and Springfield, I still would not do those leagues. And if I do a summer league, if the schools are not involved and the actual players that will be on the teams next year are not present, I will pass. Even some AAU is for the birds. Even though you might have actuall HS players on these teams, you do not have the direction or the responsibility that the schools exhibit. At least if the players mess up or act out, they are not only representing themselves, they are representing their schools and their teammates. To me that is a higher calling.

Just an opinion.