At what point do you acknowledge fans/parents?

[stripes]

No, I don't like treats, only threats!

[SeanFitzRef]

Working 3 whistle, 8th grade A level championship. Large crowd for the size of the gym, about 350 people, made for a good atmosphere. Allowed parents from both teams to stand along baseline wall (about 10' away from the court).

One 'parent' from the home team starts consistently screaming at my partners and me on every trip down to that end of the floor, becasue the home team was shooting at the far basket and every trip down the court we were missing something or had our 'heads up our @$$3$'. After the last comment, towards the end of the first quarter, I gave game management a heads up that the next comment of such ilk would require us to clear the baseline. Sure enough, next time down he gives my partner an earful as we are setting up to shoot free throws, so I walk over directly in front of the 'parent' and order the baseline cleared. Game management was very helpful, and told the 'parent' that was enough. The 'parent' turned bright red, then quietly watched the rest of the game from the corner.

Embarrasment tends to work very well in these situations, and it performed beautifully in this one.

[Mark Padgett]

SeanFitzRef, just curious as to what part of Chicago are you from? I grew up on the South Side - obviously a White Sox fan.

[rgncjn]

Last year I tossed a parent from a Wreck league game. You know the type, obnoxious, and unhappy that his son is not "getting the calls." As it turns out, his son and my sister are in the same grade (7th, this year). Actually, the two are very good friends.

I had the oppurtunity to have dinner with this fellow on Sunday. Not a dinner date, but more of a Sunday afternoon football party.

The first thing out of the guy's mouth when I walked in was, "Are you still mad at me?"

I replied with, "I was never mad at you. I was just tired of hearing your nonsense. I don't come to your work and pretend to be an expert at your vocation, so why did you try and do that with me?"

Stumped, this guy could not find anything to say back. Finally he conjured up, "I never thought about it that way. To be honest with you, ever since you threw me out of that game, I developed an entirely new respect for officials."

We'll see if he holds true to this statement. This year he is coaching a team in the league.

[archangel]

Last saturday, doing 2nd of 4 games of 5th grade boys school ball (1st game for teams), saw something I've never seen....
League rules are no pressing until 4th Qtr, or ahead by 10 pts,---- home team up 15+ in the 4th, visitors press and home team crowd complaining about that. Several transitions with home crowd yelling ea time. Finally at a timeout, game mngmt -sitting at the table, stands, walks to center court and loudly addresses all on that rule.....