injured official
 

I was working a two-man game the other day and with about four minutes to go in the final quarter, my partner ruptured his Achillies Tendon.

We got him settled with the trainer and I told the coaches that I would finish out the game by myself. I told them that I would stay table-side and go from foul line to foul line and do the best I could. They understood 100% and I didn't have any problems finishing out the game. It was a 20-point game, which made it easier.

The question I have is this ... if this was a close game would I have still had to do the same thing? Quite often in our league, the JV officials stick around for the varsity game (our assignor asks them to do that so they can learn as much as they can) Obviously if nobody else was around, I would have had to do it all alone. With the JV guys still haning around, would it have been alright to bring one of them in to help out?

Just wondering what you guys would have done or if this has happened to anyone out there. Hope your seasons are going well.

You'll also be happy to know that I took my partner to the hospital after the game and he's recovering well after his surgery. Done for the season, though.

If your question is between going solo or sdding a JV ref sitting in the stands ....thats very easy.

First one dressed gets in the game.

Coaches can elect to suspend the game and complete it at a later date if they want, you can finish it alone, or you can get one of the other officials in the stands to get dressed and get on the floor. I like option three the best, but you have to do what you have to do when presented with odd circumstances.

I have called 2 Varsity Boys games solo in my career, 1-2 Varsity Girls, 10-20 Sub-varsity Boys, 20+ sub-varsity girls, and too many JH Boys and Girls games to count anymore. Don't like to do, don't like being in the middle of it, but you do the best you can and continue to work hard and try to get good position and angles. Sounds like you did just fine, and I am glad you partner is resting well. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

OH, and I will add, that when I do call by myself, my tolerance level for coaches and players goes to ZERO (They coach or the play . . . PERIOD.), and I always tell the kids, PLAY until you hear a whistle. If there is no whistle, play continues.

Thanks for the info, guys. This game was a no brainer since there were only a few minutes to go and it wasn't close. If it were close, it would have been a totally different story. Going solo isn't fun, but I agree ... there's zero tolerance for any BS when there's only one set of eyes.

Perhaps the moral of the story is that we should try and convince this league to go to three-man crews ... pretty much the only one in the area that still goes two-man.

Many times the JV guys are just as good as the varsity guys !

A couple years ago, I and my partner showed up to work a game. Problem as that there were 2 games....and no other officials. So, we both worked solo. About 1/2 way through my 4th quarter, he finished his and joined me. I wish I had just finished by myself. He didn't necessarily do a bad job, it was just completely inconsistent with what I had been calling for the first 3.5 quarters. If it is that late in a game, I'm more inclined to finish alone that pick up a new partner unless I've worked several games with the partner and know how he's going to call the game.

I blew my knee out tonight in the middle of the second quarter in a varsity boys game featuring #1 and #2 in the conference. I couldn't go -- first time that's happened in basketball in 20 years. Shallow baseline, tried to stop quick, shoe slid, knee stayed in place :eek: -- at least I kept my feet.

There were 4 minutes left in the second quarter. It became halftime (and it lasted about 20 minutes) and they called in a replacement that did a good job considering he came in cold. I watched from the end of the visitors' bench (a bleacher) with my leg propped up.

Afterwards, I spent a while in the emergency room and am on some nice narcotics now. I figure I'll be basketball free for at least 2 weeks unless something's really damaged and I don't know it yet.

Aw geeze, Rich.

Let's hope that it's a very slight twist and you're back in there real soon.

You'd go crazy if you couldn't do a game for while- any sport. I know you. You're an officiating junkie, just like a lot of other officials.

Get well quickly.

Good luck with that

Something to look forward to!
http://forum.officiating.com/showthread.php?t=27395

Stan, how's your new knee holding up? Any pain, soreness, etc.? Any problems at all?

Inquiring minds who are probably gonna do what you did wanna know!

1year and 7 days and the knee feels great. I'm extremly glad I had it replaced. No pain, burning or numbness. However, I am conscious of the fact that is artificial so I'm not going full blast, maybe 3/4 blast. I've only done a few 3 man games and the knee worked fine. I feel and look good (OK it's my story) but the days of being at my best, able to run with 'em all are over. Don't get me wrong, the family went skiing at Keystone over Christmas and I did just fine. Remember, no jumps or bumps. If you would ever see me jump off of something now it is probably on fire. I'm afraid that the thoughts of a varsity schedule are now behind me. I'd have the surgery again, not disappointed at all. No Pain.

Sounds great to me, Stan. Thanks.

You may just have talked me into it. Btw, before I changed my mind last summer, they were gonna do both knees at the same time and under a local. That was at my request, not theirs. Some doctors don't believe in a 2 fer1, but the guy I talked to said he's done it before with good results. Supposedly he's one of the best around too.

Is this true? Or is it solely the referee's decison?

Hope it's not too serious, Rich. Good luck.

Good luck with it Rich.