Take a Dive!!

[rainmaker]

Took my first dive tonight. I'm new lead barrelling down the floor with my head turned back, sort of. A player is just behind me looking back over her shoulder for the outlet pass. She is faster than me -- need I say more? After I slid a little, I rolled and ended up face down on the endline ( at least in the right direction). The incredible part is that I got up and scooted over and called the foul on the shot. I have no clue how I pulled that off!! I wasn't hurt at all, and finished the game with no problem.

Anyone have a more interesting "dive" story to tell?

[mick]

Originally posted by rainmaker

Anyone have a more interesting "dive" story to tell?

I was working a Jr.High game from Trail, well on the side line, when the direction was reversed and passed directly over my head. As I half-turned and accelerated to follow the ball, I saw one of those little kids standing behind me.
Had I not rotated my 190# in a tight 180 twist, I would've crushed that kid and remained standing. But, instead I was sitting on the floor and sliding backwards for about 10 feet.
The laughing and applauding fans must not have realized what a hero I was.
mick

[dblref]

Had a "dive" similar to what Mick posted. Doing a Saturday boys rec game and was transitioning to lead after a steal. I turned and headed up court looking back over my shoulder when I saw a player out of the corner of my eye. I tried to side-step him and lost my balance and went down. It was a tile floor (Catholic school gym) and I put my hand down so I would not hit my head and broke my wrist. The dumb thing is I did not know it was actually broken -- it hurt, but not too bad. This occurred in the 2 of 3 games. As the games progressed it began to hurt more when I would do a 10 secound count and foul reporting (I am right handed. I drove to the hospital after the last game (5-speed so shifting was fun) and they x-rayed it and put a temporary cast on until I went to the ortho guy on Monday and he put a pin in it and put on a regular cast. I acutually only missed 2 weeks of officiating -- learned to do things with my left hand.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by rainmaker
? After I slid a little, I rolled and ended up face down on the endline ( at least in the right direction).

When you got up, did you make the "safe" sign? That always gets a laugh from the crowd.

And for dblref: do you have insurance coverage that helps when you miss assignments due to a ref-related injury? If not, call NASO.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett

When you got up, did you make the "safe" sign? That always gets a laugh from the crowd.

ALWAYS isn't a word I want to apply to this situation...

[BktBallRef]

Last season, I had a friend working a regional semifinal playoff game. He's slowed down a step or two, but still has great judgment and can easily handle an irrate coach. Moving from trail to lead, a player collided with him. The player ended up going over his teams' bench and my buddy ended up on the scorer's table. Not a pretty site.

If that wasn't bad enough, this happened the next week. The same guy is working the 4-A Boys State Championship game, the highest classification that we have in NC. The point guard kicks the ball out to his teammate on a fast break. Again, my buddy is going from trail to lead, and the player runs in behind him. My buddy ducks but the pass hits him dead in the forehead!

It wasn't too funny when it happened but we had a pretty good laugh about it after the game. I told him that the whole point in ducking is so the ball won't hit you.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
I told him that the whole point in ducking is so the ball won't hit you.

And just think, some politically correct morons want to eliminate dodge ball from elementary school PE classes! How are we going to teach our young to duck?

[dblref]

My association has insurance on us but I was only scheduled to do 4 games during the 2 week period, so I did not worry about the insurance. My regular health insurance covered everything except the $10.00 co-pay.

[mrsbballref]

I was working the last minute of
a varsity boys game one night. I
was at lead and out of the corner
of my eye I noticed a little boy
about 5 or 6 on the corner of
the endline sort of playing and running
around. His family was leaving and
he was just wasting time there goofing
off. It crossed my mind to say something
and have him move back from the court,
but there was less than a minute left
and I didn't think it was necessary.
About the time I thought that, I
felt something strike me
in the area behind your knees. The little
boy had buckled my knees out from under
me, now I'm falling and trying to avoid
splattering him on the floor because he
is still sort of caught up in my legs.
It seemed like I fell for a whole minute. When I
finally got up, the whole gym applauded
and my partners were laughing so hard
we barely finished the game.

At least I can say that the first and only
time I wiped out wasn't my fault or is it
for not making him move???

Originally posted by rainmaker


Anyone have a more interesting "dive" story to tell?

I was the lead,and went to get a better look at a player driving the lane, he made one of those Iverson moves, sweeping across the lane. Well, I got to close to the lane and he landed right on my chest. We both went down in a heep. He got up first and extended his hand to help me up, when he tried to get away I pulled him back anad gave him the PC foul signal. He laughed so hard he couldn't get back to the play.

[JAdams]

A few years back, I was working a JV boys game with a partner that I had worked several games with before. He became lead after a turnover and tried to backpeddle down the court rather than run forward with his head turned over his shoulder. He caught my eye as he lost his balance (arms flailing over his head), fell on his butt and slid right into the front row of the student section. They went wild as he picked himself up, and they were on his case the rest of the game. Perhaps the worst thing for him was that his girlfriend was there and saw the whole thing. If he weren't my partner, I would have died laughing along with all the kids.

[Brian Watson]

I had told a coach who kept creeping onto the floor numerous times to get where she was supposed to be. I really had no problem with her, she was not riding us, but I did not want to barrel her over on a break.

That exact thing happened later on in the game. I picked myself up, helped her up, then wacked her.


I think she learned her lesson because I had her later in the year and I don't remember her coming withing 3 inches of the sideline.

[Richard Ogg]

Originally posted by Brian Watson
... I picked myself up, helped her up, then wacked her.

Was the T necessary? I figure its purpose is to improve a situation, or keep a bad situation from getting worse. Seems like if you already plastered her she would have learned.

I was doing a youth game a few years ago, went from Trail to Lead and flying down the floor, when the (new) defense stole the ball back. When I tried to stop I rolled my ankle and followed with a backwards somersault. I got up carefully and hobbled thereafter as the ankle swelled. It was a small crowd of people who knew me well, so there was a lot more concern than laughter.

[Brian Watson]

I warned her 2 or 3 times and my partner warned her 2 or 3 times to get off the floor.

My primary objective, IMO, is to ensure the safety of the players first. I lump myself and coaches in that category. What if I blew a knee or knocked her cold because she was there and I didn't see her? If I run outside the lines then I need to watch where I am going, but if I am in the lines and I see 10 players, there should be no one in my line. Not to memton that I missed the call on the break because I was sprawled by the bench.

Granted, I did this few years ago and I might think better of it now, but the fact remains, we gave her ample notice to stay off the floor and not interfere with the game.

[Danvrapp]

Originally posted by Richard Ogg

Was the T necessary?

You know, I've warned coaches before for the exact same thing. Coaches love to run 3-5 feet out on the floor after a missed layup and ream their kids, so I've warned numerous coaches that "Hey, I don't care that you jump on the floor real quick, as long as you get back just as quick and I don't hit you. If I run into you, I'll be outta position, and besides that, you shouldn't be on the floor any way. Just be careful that myself or my partner isn't near by and we hit you, else we may have no choice but to ring you up." Coaches usually listen to this and haven't gotten upset at me once when I said it. Food for thought....