Solo Officiating

[M&M Guy]

Nurse Ratchet...paging Nurse Ratchet.

Patient has escaped again.

(Damn you, JCrow - now that melody's gonna be in my head all day!)

[JAdams]

How ironic. I monitored this topic yesterday, and then experienced it in person last night. Sophomore boys game, and the home school had a makeup game (without scheduled referees) in an adjacent gym. The home site director came to my partner and me five minutes before tip of the sophomore game to ask us if we would be willing to split up and do each game solo. What could we say other than OK?

I got both coaches of my game together at that point, telling them that I was flying solo and that I wanted their (along with their kids') cooperation. Both agreed. Game was fine until the 4th quarter and the score was still close. And then the *****ing started from the home coach (kids were fine). Gave him the stop sign once with a verbal "I'm alone, and don't want to hear it." Stopped it for a minute, then he started again. In retrospect, I should have stuck him, but I didn't. Home team won by one, and the home coach took another verbal shot at me on the way to the locker room. Again, in retrospect, I should have stuck him right then and put the visitors on the line for two (which could have changed the final score).

Lessons learned: (1) don't take any (!) crap from a coach while flying solo, and (2) you can bet it will be a long time before I agree to go back to that high school.

Thanks for letting me vent, folks. Have a good season.