Funny Pregame

[26 Year Gap]

One guy I know reminds players to keep their shirts tucked because they might end up on TV that night and they should look their best.

[Scooby]

If you want to be a comedian go to an open mike night, pre-game is not the place. Tell them what you have to, keep it short and get out of there. Most likely they won't remember what you said anyways.
If the only way you can get someone to listen to your jokes is in a captive audience then you need new jokes.

[Adam]

So you're going to tell people they can't use some basic jokes during pregame captain and coach meetings?

To each his (or her) own. I've made jokes a few times (used the hanging on the rim thing in a jv girls game) to good effect. I have a very short captains meeting, but sometimes will drop a joke in to keep it light.

Maybe you can tell me what's wrong with that?

Oh, and I'm confident enough in my sense of humor that I don't need a captive audience. Frankly, trying out new material on 14 year old girls isn't the easiest of tasks.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Scooby

If you want to be a comedian go to an open mike night, pre-game is not the place. Tell them what you have to, keep it short and get out of there. Most likely they won't remember what you said anyways.
If the only way you can get someone to listen to your jokes is in a captive audience then you need new jokes.

You are right. I should tell that 25 year official who is one of the most respected officials in the state by players, coaches and other officials to knock it off.

[eyezen]

I've let the players and coaches do the pregame before during the last week of the season. Seems to get them in a better mood when everyone is really tired mentally at that point.

[Scooby]

Who are you telling the jokes for? Them? They don't care. They would rather be warming up or talking to their teammates. Or do you beleive that a teenager would prefer to be listening to jokes from a 35-55 year old man/woman? And if you are not telling the jokes for the players, who are you telling them for?

[joseph2493]

Originally Posted by Scooby

Who are you telling the jokes for? Them? They don't care. They would rather be warming up or talking to their teammates. Or do you beleive that a teenager would prefer to be listening to jokes from a 35-55 year old man/woman? And if you are not telling the jokes for the players, who are you telling them for?

Sometimes my partner laughs too

[Scooby]

Originally Posted by joseph2493

Sometimes my partner laughs too

You can tell your jokes without the players present.

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by Scooby

Who are you telling the jokes for? Them? They don't care. They would rather be warming up or talking to their teammates. Or do you beleive that a teenager would prefer to be listening to jokes from a 35-55 year old man/woman? And if you are not telling the jokes for the players, who are you telling them for?

I'm just not sure there's a right answer here - and not sure it really matters. I can remember way back when to my playing days who some of my favorite officials were. At least one of them always had something funny to say during the pre-game and/or on the court. It was a way he humanized himself to players, and because of that he could always ask the players to take care of potential problems on the court before they got out of hand.

I've seen everything from an extremely relaxed and joking pre-game, to the 10 second run 'em in and out pre-game. Both work.

[Scooby]

Originally Posted by jdw3018

I'm just not sure there's a right answer here - and not sure it really matters. I can remember way back when to my playing days who some of my favorite officials were. At least one of them always had something funny to say during the pre-game and/or on the court. It was a way he humanized himself to players, and because of that he could always ask the players to take care of potential problems on the court before they got out of hand.

I've seen everything from an extremely relaxed and joking pre-game, to the 10 second run 'em in and out pre-game. Both work.

What a voice of reason?

[Chess Ref]

Originally Posted by Scooby

Who are you telling the jokes for? Them? They don't care. They would rather be warming up or talking to their teammates. Or do you beleive that a teenager would prefer to be listening to jokes from a 35-55 year old man/woman? And if you are not telling the jokes for the players, who are you telling them for?

It use to drive me up the wall when my partners would act like Bob Hope, Milton Berle wanna be's. All we needed was the drummer from the band to complete the really bad joke. Now I just sit back and watch the glazed eyes come over the players, the awkward silence, and my partner laughing at his own jokes.

Priceless

I would love to get it down to 10 seconds. But alas I seem to be stuck at around 20 seconds.

[bob jenkins]

You need to make it fit your personality and the personality of the game / teams / captains.

Being a comedian apparently works for some; having a 2x4 stuck up your *** also apparently works for some.