More parental follies
 

Last night I went to watch the JV game before my Var game, to write an eval for one of the refs. I was sitting in the stands. A couple of people asked me if I was teaching the refs, I said no, our association was working on a new evaluation form, and I was just trying it out. After that, some parents came in and sat behind me. THey were the most foul-mouthed, arrogant, rude and obnoxious people I've ever had the misfortune to have to listen to. I probably should have moved, but it got to be sort of like watching a car wreck. I just couldn't tear myself away.

But the reason I posted this was to show how completely irrational they were. At one point, (second half, we're sitting near the V basket), V came down the floor on our side of the court. H player was close by and just before V turned to head for the basket, H reached out and either slapped the ball or the arm. The ball went straight ahead out of bounds. With the contact, V stumbled a little, but ref called oob and gave the ball back to V. Parents went crazy. "He threw it away! It's white ball and he gives it to blue. Doesn't he know the rules? This guy is a complete idiot! Wouldn't you think they'd find someone better for a JV game?" and so on and so on.

Less than a minute later, H player is rocketing down toward his basket, trips over his own feet, with no V player within 2 feet, ref calls oob to V. Parents go crazy again. "Why would he just throw it away? That's ridiculous! These guys are unbelievable." and so forth.

Blue will throw it away without help, but white never will. Yea, right.

Oh, and btw, blue (V) won by about 25 or more.

It's a different perspective to sit with the fans. Even those you might think understand the game still come up with comments that make you wonder what they are watching.

Some people (apparently MOST people) can't see beyond the bias for their team/child. The officials are awful as described by the losing fans, and bad as described by the winners. It is a rare situation when neither side has much to say. Then, of course, you get those nights when you get it from BOTH sides.

It's not just the rules issues either. "Call the reach" bellows out from one end, then the same person shouts "let 'em play" when they transition to defense.

It was true when Dr. Naismith was playing and it's true now. The only people in the gym who don't care who wins are the officials.

All we care about is that at the end of regulation time, one team has at least one point more than the other team. ;)

Did he tell you that himself?:D

haha you guys should come out to kansas and go watch my school's varsity game with me. I sit up there, in the middle of my hometown crowd, and as soon as somebody stands up and says somethin about the refs I turn around and say "shut up! rule XXX states that blah blah blah" and they get a little angry, but shut up and sit down nonetheless.. its hilarious:D

You know the old saying Juulie..."It's better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt". These folks obviously don't.....

Have fun at the meeting tonight...I'm sitting in a hotel room in Pocatello & will miss this one.....

I watched a varsity game from the stand for the first time since I was a local sports reporter in 1990. I was sick to my stomach. I left the gym with a feeling of utter disgust. The program has a nice little speech about sportsmanship in our conference, but apparently that was just lip service. Granted, it was a rivalry game, but still, you couldn't tell the adult jerks from the high school jerks. The whole crowd was juvenile and foul mouthed. I hope it isn't like that everywhere.:(

I'll miss it too. The Cleveland cafeteria isn't close enough to a bathroom, for me to take a chance. Hopefully, I'll feel better in time for my "big" game Friday at Estacada!

Have fun, Tim. If you get bored, order a sheep from room service.

Naw, got to go to Montaaaaaaana for that :D :D :D

My favorites:

The score's wrong...oddly this only comes from the team not credited the points.

The player makes a jab step or step through or anything that "looks funny" we will hear, "Travelling!"...oddly they are quiet when their player does the same thing.

Call it both ways...any situation, but especially when the fouls are even or when I just called a double foul...both were the case in a game last year, 6 to 6 and I had a double, dad yells call it both ways.

Had one tonight that wanted a traveling call, on more than one occasion, when a player shuffled his feet while dribbling the ball.

A vet official in my assn. told me earlier this season that he saw a rookie call THREE of those in one game. When told afterwards that you can't travel while dribbling the rookie insisted you can.

Ya gotta be careful talking to other people in the stands.;)

My son plays D3 ball. While at a game, sitting close to some very vocal parents, I made a comment to my wife about a call I thought should have been made because of a player being "displaced". The next thing I know, one of the more vocal fans is hollering about displacement. From that game on we sat in a different area. Sheesh.

It's like giving Barney Fife a bullet. There's a reason the Sherrif made him put it in his pocket.