Running for the door

[JAdams]

Several years ago I was officiating a JV boys game and my assigner (40+ years of experience) was observing. The game ended with a 20-point margin and I quickly walked off the floor toward the locker room. As I exited the floor itself I turned around to wait for my partner, who was nowhere to be found. Turns out that he chased down the game ball, went over to shake hands with the scorers, and took at least two minutes to get off the floor. I never did see him until the locker room.

Our assignor/observer was waiting for him in the locker room...pissed. When my partner finally appeared, the assigner gave him a thorough tongue-lashing... "If you're confident of the final score, get the h*** outta there when the horn goes off. One of these days you're gonna have some irate fan chasing your a** all over the court... and then what are you gonna do?" And so forth for a good two-three minutes.

I haven't seen this partner since, but I'll bet that he's now the first one in the locker room after his games.

(never ever forget 9/11/01)