$15 lighter

[Raymond]

I decided to re-join the playing circuit last week to help my squadron in the play-offs of the Old-man intramural league on base. Rest assured, if this had been me before my officiating days I would have picked up a 'T' somewhere along the line. I played in 4 games before we got knocked out the play-offs.

Everyone who worked my games were officials I have worked with (including one I do some YMCA games for and another who is a very good friend and mentor of mine).

My teammates, despite the full knowledge that I'm a ref, stilled managed to pick up 2 techs, including 1 in a game we were winning by 20. I tried my best to keep my teammates composed after controversial calls but some of them will never learn.

My mentor laughed at me the game he worked b/c he knows 5 years ago I probably would not have seen the end of that game. I'll just say his partner unecessarily expanded his coverage area from time-to-time but then froze up during game management situations. Oh well, that experience and the swollen, locked-up knee I suffered convinced me once-and-for-all that I'm now solely meant to be a referee and that my playing days are over for good.