Today we had our local rec league kick-off jamboree. Because of the Oregon-Oregon State football game, we were pretty short of officials and I was assigned a 6 hour shift of 7th and 8th grade boys games. Each game is 25 minute running clock and they start each half hour so I knew I would have no breaks. I barely had time to gulp some water between games. Oh yeah, there were no timeouts in the games, either.

Before I went to the gym, I weighed myself, just because I was curious how much weight I would lose doing this. When I came home this evening, I found I had lost 9 pounds.

I then ate two chicken rice bowls.

BTW - during one of the games, A1 jumped into a bunch of players while shooting to try and draw the foul. No whistle, and as he was picking himself off the floor, he started whining about the no-call. B1 looked at him and called him a baby. Ordinarily, I might consider a T for taunting, but I thought A1 really was acting like a baby and deserved the comment so I let it go.

I also had a coach start the game pacing the sideline, yelling instructions to his team. We do not recognize a coaching box and all coaches must remain seated. This is clearly stated in the league rules that are given to all coaches. I told him he couldn't be up to coach and that he would have to sit down. He said, "You're kidding!" I just stared at him and said, "Coach, I never kid." He replied, "No, I guess you don't." He sat down the rest of the game.

Weigh yourself on Sunday morning. Then you'll know how many pounds you really lost.

And you still have legs under you?

Wish I'd thought to weigh.... I did 4 games back-to-back today by myself. Games were 5th, 7th, 6th, and 8th grade boys. 5th & 6th play 7-minute quarters; 7th & 8th play 8-minute quarters. Fortunately the gym is the short version, but still a lot of running. And breaks? When the game ends they put 5 minutes on the clock and start it, even before the last team gets to the bench. Half time is also 5 minutes. I ran from 9:00 to 2:15. The rest of the day was not so productive. (Nothing exciting in the games -- just the normal stuff but good support from players, coaches, and fans. Maybe I'll do this again sometime!)

Mark, Wow...what a day! Hope you will enjoy a day of rest on Sunday. I just wanted to report that I survived my first HS Varsity game today. It was a tournament game. Still only two-person mechanics. It was a very close game at the end. (With 1 minute left; losing team was only down by 1 point). With 18 seconds left, I called an intentional (girl grabbed anothers' shirt from behind). I made a couple of mistakes, and did some other things well. I just wanted to report this to you as I thought is was excellent advice to "take a stand with myself" and know that in order to be successful, I must face challenges. Thank-you.

I too immediately left the varsity game to do two more lower level games (7th and 6th). The 6th grade game ended up being the most difficult to officiate out of all three!!!
I was working with a brand new official (her first time out). Wow, my third year and they already have me training a new person. She did well. I gave her a couple things to work on and encouraged her to continue working hard. While watching her I realized how far I have come in a short amount of time. (And still have MUCH work ahead of me).

Cheers!
Becky

Mark,12 consecutive games in 6 hours and you lost 9 pounds?If that had of been me,they would have lost a whole official.The only way that I would eaten chicken rice would have been intravenously.Sure gotta hand it to you for dedication!Btw,OUvsOSU was a helluva game.

It was really a good game. I taped it and watched it last night when I got home. I've lived in Oregon for 30 years but did not go to college here, so I am one of the few guys in my state who likes both teams. Most of my friends won't even talk to each other the few weeks before the game if they went to one of the schools and the other guy went to the other one. This is not a friendly rivalry.

BTW - it's now Sunday morning and my legs feel kinda semi-OK. But I can't rest, because I have two 8th grade boys games (8 minute quarters) in about an hour.

No rest for the wicked.

[Edited by Mark Padgett on Dec 2nd, 2001 at 12:36 PM]

Don't anybody make the mistake of feeling sorry for Mark. Turns out, he didn't have to do two 8th grade boys games because his son called and asked to trade. Mark and I worked two sixth grade boys games together, and we did just fine.

BECKY -- GREAT POST!!! I'm now officially changing my motto from, "When I grow up I want to be like Lea" (a very good ref here in Portland) to "Lord, let me be like doghead!!"

Congrats Becky
 

We knew you could do it!

Keep the positive attitude and let us know how it is going.

I'm confused. I thought that this would be a post about a Spam diet. Only eating Spam could get me to lose any amount of weight needed. ;)

I would only consider the new turkey Spam, because I don't eat the piggie. In fact, one of my mantras is, "Lips that touch swine shall never touch mine."

BTW - I spoke with my son later that day and he told me what happened in his first game. Two minutes in, there were 3 fouls on A and 1 on B. He calls another foul on B and the B coach yells, "Call it both ways"!!! The guy and his assistant wouldn't let up. Josh and his partner both warned each of them separately, but the hits just kept on coming. Finally, Josh T's the asst. The head coach goes nuts and Josh T's him, too. Then the asst. rushes him and gets in his face. Bang number two. Then, before they can tell the head he is gone due to a total of 3 direct and indirect, the head starts swearing at both officials. Bang number two redux, just for fun (although I'm not sure this was legal, but maybe it was because he had not yet been notified he was gone). Fortunately, there was another assistant on the bench who was relatively well behaved and he took over the team.

Team A shot 8 free throws, made 6 and won by about 15. The two ejected coaches complained to the tournament administrator who told them he saw the whole thing and that they need to learn to "shut up."

Also BTW - Coach A told Josh at halftime that about twenty seconds before the first T, he had mentioned to his assistant that he doubted that head Coach B would last until the half. He was right.

Man - I wish I hadn't switched games. I would have loved to have dealt with those guys.

[Edited by Mark Padgett on Dec 3rd, 2001 at 12:28 PM]

Yea, but doesn't it feel good to see that little acorn land right there so close to the tree!?!?!