Huntington HS in trouble!

[Mountaineer]

Again, I haven't spoken with Mike (the official) but I tend to agree with the "flop" thinking too. One, the guy is in his late 20's and in fantastic shape. He played quarterback at Fairmont State College. My thinking is that it would take a helluva bump to knock him to the ground. The fact that he fell or flopped is not what's important - he was BUMPED by a player. I also agree that there was a problem with none of the other officials doing anything. Mayo certainly went after him and bumped him - something other than 2 games for the ejection is in order.

I'll probably be blasted for this statement - but I guess you can take the thug out of the hood but you can't take the hood out of the thug!

[Tim C]

OrangeUmp = PWL on the baseball boards.

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by Mountaineer

Again, I haven't spoken with Mike (the official) but I tend to agree with the "flop" thinking too. One, the guy is in his late 20's and in fantastic shape. He played quarterback at Fairmont State College. My thinking is that it would take a helluva bump to knock him to the ground. The fact that he fell or flopped is not what's important - he was BUMPED by a player. I also agree that there was a problem with none of the other officials doing anything. Mayo certainly went after him and bumped him - something other than 2 games for the ejection is in order.

I'll probably be blasted for this statement - but I guess you can the thug out of the hood but you can't take the hood out of the thug!

If you are going to say a comment - which is stupid in this case anyway - at least get it right. I hope you meant to put "take" after "can."

I know Mike and I have worked with him in the WVIAC and at the Nike camp (we were roommates). I just tried to call him and I imagine he is on the court right now. Maybe it was a little bit of a flop, maybe not. Whatever the case may be, the player made contact with him and that should be punished much more severely than two games. I also think his partners were probably less experienced than him and shook up under the bright lights.

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by tomegun

If you are going to say a comment - which is stupid in this case anyway - at least get it right. I hope you meant to put "take" after "can."

I know Mike and I have worked with him in the WVIAC and at the Nike camp (we were roommates). I just tried to call him and I imagine he is on the court right now. Maybe it was a little bit of a flop, maybe not. Whatever the case may be, the player made contact with him and that should be punished much more severely than two games. I also think his partners were probably less experienced than him and shook up under the bright lights.

Fixed it just for you! Yeah, he probably is on the court. Great official. Another friend called him tonight and his explaination of the "flop" was this - he saw something out of the corner of his eye and stepped back, which sort of put him off balance and then OJ hit him which knocked him down. I'll say this about him - I've never known him to embellish the truth at all - if he said it wasn't a flop - it wasn't a flop.

Actually Mike is a relatively young official - only about 5 years experience. He's just got "it". One of the other officials calls womens in the WVIAC and has done the state tournament and the other one has probably 15-20 years in HS. They shouldn't have been bothered.

I've talked to a lot of other officials today and some think OJ should be suspended for the remainder of the year. I've heard some that think he should press charges. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[tomegun]

Obviously, the other officials' experience didn't help them. They looked like they didn't know what to do.

[JRutledge]

Let me put it this way. I am a D1 umpire in baseball because I work D1 baseball games. I do not get enough D1 baseball games to warrant giving up my entire HS schedule. As of right now I am only working 1 D1 game or series as we speak. A lot of D1 officials only get one or two D1 games. It does not mean they do not have time to work any HS games or if they did they might not work that many games at all during the season.

Also I know many D1 officials in my area that still work HS games. There is even a person that worked the NCAA Tournament and still works the occasional HS game (sometimes lower level). I also worked a HS varsity game last year with an official who almost entirely works a D1 schedule and works games all the time all over the country.

So it is possible for someone to work D1 and a HS schedule at the same time.

Peace

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

I am a D1 umpire in baseball because I work D1 baseball games.

Completely off-topic, but let me say congratulations. I did not know this about you. Good luck in your upcoming season. Hope you get a good D1 schedule.

[IHSAref]

when is the game or has it already been played?

Thanks

IHSAref

[Mountaineer]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Obviously, the other officials' experience didn't help them. They looked like they didn't know what to do.

I'm not disagreeing with you. A buddy of mine said Mike isn't taking any calls right now - who can blame him. I heard the newspaper tried to get in touch with him today. I'm like - what the heck for? Do you think he's going to ruin his career by talking to you?

As far as the other officials - wow. I watched it several times tonight and a thought struck me (kinda bumped me really) - how come no one else got ejected for leaving the bench? I counted 7-9 green jerseys and several white ones - none of those were bench players? One official even went to the HHS bench, you would think to take numbers - but no one was removed other than OJ.

Last year there were some officials that mishandled a fight and were suspended from post-season. I wonder if the WVSSAC will have anything to say to those two about this one?

[GarthB]

The local paper's slant and some comments from "fans".

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/...701270355/1014

[Rich]

Originally Posted by GarthB

The local paper's slant and some comments from "fans".

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/...701270355/1014

My God, those people responding to the article are about as dumb as they come. Notice they're trolling for people to email so they can write a "reaction" story? I'm sure that will win the Pulitzer prize.

Mayo sounds like a thug who's used to getting away with almost everything he does, including "picking" his senior year high school and certainly getting just about everything he wants from here on out.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Whatever the case may be, the player made contact with him and that should be punished much more severely than two games.

That's the bottom line right there.

I doubt very much that it will happen though. I don't believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny either.