Perhaps like some pastors in some church leagues? When I was in college, the most violent team in the intramural league was the professors from the -- get this -- Quaker seminary attached to the college. They finally were forced out of the league. One guy in particular, who was the Bible teacher, and one of the advisors for Conscientious Objectors, frequently fouled out in the first half. I didn't believe it back then, although I never watched him play. Now I'm quite sure it was true.

Yeah, I'm convinced it's much tougher on the family back home. I just worked my 10-12 hrs a day, called 2-3 games, drank my 3 beers, went to bed, and Groundhog Day'ed it 134 times :cool: I start terminal leave in May so I think my deployment days are over.

Yeah, it's weird how people in leadership roles can just come unhinged on the court/field. I'm very logical, laid-back, and in control--until I play sports, then I tend toward lunacy...I think averaged 5 (fouls, not points) in every basketball league I ever played in. Yet as an official I'm very un-emotional...it's one of the reasons I think that I'm a much better official than I ever was a player or coach...that and I'm a spaz :D

I'm very emotional in everyday life, and even more so as an official. I've also discovered a temper which I never knew I had. It's been very difficult as an old coot to learn to deal with all the unexpected lava and steam. I never played, and I'm still a spaz!

I think the fact that I played so many sports for so long with such (inexplicable?) emotional investment makes it easier for me to deal with goofy comments from coaches and benches...to me they're rarely a big deal and I just don't worry about them.

Oddly enough as a sports fan, I'm very detached...I've never understood wearing your favorite team's jersey or face painting or hysterics over whether your team wins or loses. Even when my daughters played HS ball, I was very detached in terms of being "fan"atical...I was much more interested in their team dynamics and how effectively they were coached. My ex-wife didn't appreciate my detachment (good times, good times :rolleyes:) but it never seemed to bother my kids.

I did my deployment at PSAB. We played our tournaments on an outdoor court with 1 ref (back in '98, way before I even thought about becoming an official) and 1 rim lower than the other.
Yeah, it's weird how people in leadership roles can just come unhinged on the court/field. I'm very logical, laid-back, and in control--until I play sports, then I tend toward lunacy...[/quote]

Sh!t, back in my last season of playing regularly before becoming an official I fouled out one game, then got T'd up by the ref (who was a regular for Saturday morning pick-up ball) who called every single foul against me , then I kicked a dent into the water fountain (which was witnessed by a CMSgt in Services). The ref was a younger dude (under 30) and I thought he didn't know what the f**k he was doing and I felt obligated to let him know. Well he and I became good friends after I started officiating, he PCS'd to the Midwest, and now he's on staff with the MVC and the Horizon (currently interrupted for overseas duty).

The dirtiest player I've played against around here is a former USAF officer who got out the service to pastor his own church. One of the nicest guys you'll ever meet in your life. But it's pure misery to play pick-up ball with him.

Ah, yes. The Fighting Quakers!!

It's pretty tough to AVERAGE five fouls when the MAXIMUM you can receive is five before being DQ'd in high school and college. :)

Of course, a lot of men's leagues allow 6. But still. . .

In my first year officiating, maybe the 10th game or so I ever called was a routine Air Force intramural game. The coach for one team, a major, was loud and obnoxious, but toward his own players so nothing to T or run him for. Mid-way 2nd half there was little kid playing with a toy car well off the court but the car got away from him and rolled onto the court. I saw it, blew my whistle to stop the play and looked over at the kid when I heard behind me a huge crash. Turns out the deranged coach grabbed the car and fired it into the stands. I was so stunned, as was everyone else in the gym, that I froze and didn't do anything...still far-and-away my single greatest regret as a sports official, though I chalk it up primarily to inexperience. In retrospect, I should have T'd, tossed him, and visited his commander first thing the next morning. I still get livid and embarrassed just thinking about it. :mad:

BTW, did you buy that water fountain? And there are a lot of good officials out there in the military...glad to hear your buddy is succeeding at a high level.

I didn't realized he had seen it until I went to his building for some Search & Recovery training a week later. He pulled me to the side and said something to the affect of "why did you kick my water fountain?" Luckily I didn't break it and the Chief was a former base team basketball coach who knew me from my playing days back in Germany, so he let me slide.