Ben Roethlisberger at Sister's B-ball Game

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by JCrow
Here's my All-Time Celebrity Kid Nightmare Team:

Barbara Barr - 4th Grade - Guard - daughter of Tom Arnold and Rosanne. Subject to fits of screaming and cursing when calls don't go her way. A little slow getting back on "D"- tough on loose balls and Team Mates.

Donny Duke - 6th Grade - Center - son of KKK Leader David Duke. Totally off the wall. Refuses to wear anything but white uniform. Usually fails to score as minority guards on Team seldom look for him inside.

Linda Linbaugh - 9th Grade - Forward - daughter of Rush Linbaugh and Ann Clouter. Wise%$& loudmouth. Very conservative shot selection. Always goes Right.

Geraldine Rivera - 11th Grade - Center - daughter of Geraldo Rivera and Martha Stewart. Hyperactive kid must be center of attention. Takes ball from guards and goes coast to coast way too often. Strengths - Always has shirt tucked in.

Leon Cruise - 12th Grade - Point Guard - secret son of Tom Cruise and Joan Crawford. Whacky little point gaurd with a big MEAN STREAK. Hangs uniform on wood coat hanger after each practice. Trys to flop all the time but can't act worth a lick.

Great job, JCrow! Since my last high school game was last night, I needed a good laugh this morning. Thanks!

[TriggerMN]

A couple of years ago former Steeler Rod Woodson was a coach for his daughter's AAU national team that competed here. I reffed in/saw four of his team's games. Woodson was T'd up 4 times. He was a complete jacka$$ the entire tournament and in our game it took everything I could muster not to ask him if he'd seen Barry Sanders and/or his knee ligament lately.

[SeanFitzRef]

I've had the opportunity to ref both of Jordan's sons in AAU competition, and Tomegun is right on in his assessment. Jordan is always a class act when he is in the gym.

My favorite celebrity fan of all time was Bernie Mack. Three years ago, doing an 8th grade girls game. Small gym, and all of a sudden there is a big commotion near the door as the teams are warming up. In strolls a group of about 12 people and right in the middle is Bernie Mack. His niece was playing for one of the teams. She couldn't play all that well, and he had a lot of fun with the game and the crowd. relatively cool dude in this setting. Offered to pay for a coupla calls, though.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by tomegun
Isn't it funny how those athletes relatives are always "really good."

Last April I went home (Las Vegas) and reffed an Easter tournament. A certain traveling team from a Chicago suburb played and one of the players father used to be a pretty good basketball player. They did it up: Jordan game into the gym through the back and his son came in after his teammates (there always seemed to be a guy near him (bodygaurd)). I think it could be pretty intimidating to be wearing a Jordan sweatsuit, coaching Jordan's son and then have Jordan in the stands behind you. He (Jordan) didn't say a word or cheer at all. I wasn't really excited about it. On the other hand, it that would have been Magic I would have been like a school girl at a Michael Jackson concert.
I also reffed Jordan's older son at the Nike tournament. IMO, his younger son has more size and is more of a basketball player. His oldest son is cat-quick, smaller and is a reluctant shooter. It also could have been the fact that he was on the same team as Tywon Lawson that week.

Funny you should talk about Jordan's son. I will have a game with Jordan's oldest son a week from Friday in the United Center of all places. Last year Jordan's son hit the game winning shot in the United Center and the local media ate that up. We will see what will happen this year.

Peace

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by JRutledge
I will have a game with Jordan's oldest son a week from Friday in the United Center of all places.

Have you had a chance to work in the United Center before? I would assume it will be a good time. I had a similar experience a few years back when a couple of local high school teams played at Market Square Arena in Indy. I remember walking into the arena for the first time and feeling exactly like the kids in "Hoosiers" when they walked into the state final arena. However, once the game started, it was surprising (to me, at least) how much I wasn't aware of the surroundings and how the game itself seemed the same as if we were back in their home gym. (Well, until one of the timeouts when I looked up and saw how far up those cheap seats were...)

So, enjoy the experience if you haven't done it before.

[Texas Aggie]

Linda Linbaugh - 9th Grade - Forward - daughter of Rush Linbaugh and Ann Clouter.

Just FYI, it's LiMbaugh and COULter.

[JCrow]

Ann Coulter......Grrrrrrrrrrr......I just wish I could understand what she's takin' about......

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally posted by JCrow
Ann Coulter......Grrrrrrrrrrr......I just wish I could understand what she's takin' about......

I just wish she KNEW what she was talking about.

MTD, Sr.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by M&M Guy


Have you had a chance to work in the United Center before? I would assume it will be a good time. I had a similar experience a few years back when a couple of local high school teams played at Market Square Arena in Indy. I remember walking into the arena for the first time and feeling exactly like the kids in "Hoosiers" when they walked into the state final arena. However, once the game started, it was surprising (to me, at least) how much I wasn't aware of the surroundings and how the game itself seemed the same as if we were back in their home gym. (Well, until one of the timeouts when I looked up and saw how far up those cheap seats were...)

So, enjoy the experience if you haven't done it before.

I do not anticipate the "awwwwh" factor to be that great. I have been in the United Center several times over the years that I think lessen the "shock" because I have physically been in the United Center so many times. Now when the ball is thrown up I might feel like I am going to pass out.

I will definitely tell you about it afterwards and tell you how many stitches I have after I hit the floor.

Peace

[mplagrow]

Originally posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

I just wish she KNEW what she was talking about.

MTD, Sr.

If you ask me, she gives conservatism a bad name. We're not ALL as uptight and malicious as she is!

[basketballen]

Here's my list of the famous and not so famous....

OJ Mayo in last summer's AAU regional championship
and he wasn't the best player on the court. Afterword I thought I'd just ref'd the best High School age team in the country...wrong...They got beat in the national championship by a team from out west.

Rick Patino's younget son in a 6th grade csaa semi-final. Patino showed up about halfway through the 1st period with an entourage of peeps. He "sort of" watched the game, neer as I coud tell, while he held court in the corner of the gym; until the end. I think he was paying attention when the game went down to a break away by the opponent in the last seconds that needed my whistle to call a foul as time expired. No time...nobody on the lane and the opposing kid sank both to win the game. Never a peep from Patino or his entourage. Funny thing...I'm convinced that Patino's kid really would have rather of been home playing video games.

Bobby Patrino's kids twice. His son in a great game vs a rival catholic school in Freedom Hall last season. His boy is a fierce competitor and probably a better quarterback than a point guard. Then we had his 7th grade daughter in a AAU summer game that was rough. It was a skilled game but aggressive. Patrino howled like a monkey and even confronted me in the snack bar area as I got a sip of H2O.
He suckered me with a smile as he approached to tell me that it was his kid getting hammered out there. I said "it's going both ways coach, what do you want from me?" I lost what little respect I had for him. I have to admit he didn't make a peep during the second half.

Michael Jordan's son showed up for his team's summer game with body guards. I was working a game on a floor in one of the corners of the facility. Everyone stopped to watch. It was wierd. But then again...the kid's dad is world famous and worth 100million+. If it was me I'd have hired guards for my kid too.

Chris Collingsworth's son in an AAU pool play game. Not a problem from the dad but I had to hold myself back from asking for an autograph. I'm a big fan.

Billy Bob Dufus's boy in a VB game. If you were to belive Billy Bob...I cost his boy a full ride to Kentucky. But they don't need him, Kentucky just beat Gorgia and are now back on the national championship lock.

sheesh

[mplagrow]

Wouldn't a big fan know it's CRIS, not CHRIS, and COLLINSWORTH, not COLLINGSWORTH? OK, I'll get the corncob out of my butt now.

[dave30]

Sometimes athletes coach their little kid's team and for the most part they are also very respectful. Mark Aquirre, Eugene Lockhart come to mind. Former Cowboy Tony Hill was a bit of a pain though so they aren't all perfect!

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by basketballen
Billy Bob Dufus's boy in a VB game.

Billy Bob Dufus? Seriously. Billy Bob Dufus? Is this a Jeff Foxworthy joke?

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by ChuckElias
Is this a Jeff Foxworthy joke?

If you've ever done your laundry and found a whistle in the washing machine, you might be a referee.

If you send you wife off the bed because she's wearing the wrong color nightgown, you might be a referee.

If there's a rulebook in your bathroom, you might be a referee.

(Sorry Mr. Foxworthy.)