Wreck Disaster

[grunewar]

Ya ever have one of those games where you arrive at the gym early, observe the two teams practicing, and know the best part of the game has already occurred?

Happened to me today. B11/12. Coach approaches me and says they’re only going to have six players today…..and it’s not the RIGHT six, if you know what I mean? Their best two players would not be there. I reffed this team last week and they lost 52-9 WITH their best two players present…….ARGH!

Game starts and the visitors are quickly up at the end of the first quarter 26-2. And now, the visiting coach brings his big boy off the bench as he didn’t even start…..56-8 at half. I thought they’d hit 100. Nope. Final score was 92-26. Unreal!

My partner and I did everything we could to focus, communicate, work on our mechanics, positioning, etc. It was just one of those games…..

Worst blow-out I've called. Others?

[Adam]

Had a varsity girls game that way this morning. 18-1 after the first quarter, and it never got better from there. Followed that up with a high-flying boys game that was a lot of fun to work.

[just another ref]

Last year had a game between two small schools in the same small town. It would be a great rivalry if Team B, the visitors on this night, had even a remote chance of being a factor in the game. When I arrived, I asked the home coach how he felt about a running clock. He smiled and said, "Noooo, they gonna take that a**-whuppin' tonight. Team A is a running, pressing, team by nature. They played their normal game for the first quarter, which I believe ended with a score of 26-4. After that the coach called off the press and used everyone that he had, but the deluge continued. The game probably had at least a dozen dunks and from an entertainment standpoint, was probably among the best that I have ever called. As the game wound down, the only question was that of breaking 100 or not, and the defense kept extending farther and farther, despite the coach saying to back up. Final score: 100-31

[rainmaker]

When my daughter was in 8th grade, she was on a very, very good travel team. They played one game that was 65-10 at the half. It was mostly a scrimmage to keep the girls active until the AAU state tournament which was the next weekend. The coach didn't want them to get lazy or goofy in the 2nd half ( 13 year old girls, remember!) so she asked the opposing coach (our coach's personal friend) if they could switch scores, and see if we could dig our selves out. It was actually surprisingly enjoyable for the opponents since they played a lot better in the second half (interesting, eh?) . Kept the game interesting for my daughter's team, who didn't end up "winning" btw. Coach knew then that she needed to work on conditioning that week. A disaster into a good thing. Nice!

[rgncjn]

First game of the season - Girls Varsity. After the first quarter, the visitors lead 39-1. The events of this game neither improved, nor worsened. I do not remember the final score; my best guess is the score was 95-15.

The losing team is notorious for having the worst team in the surrounding area. This should give you an extra perspective - the head coach wears sweat pants and a t-shirt to coach. That is highly unprofessional.

[Stat-Man]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Ya ever have one of those games where you arrive at the gym early, observe the two teams practicing, and know the best part of the game has already occurred?

Our CYO Varsity (Grades 7&8) Girls is in this boat. The good players that led to two winning seasons the previous years are in high school now, and we are down to 8 shorter, inexperienced girls for this year. I don't think we've played a game with all 8 girls yet. Yesterday, we had just five players in uniform in a 32 point loss. Our average score in 5 losses to date has been 36-7.

What gets me, though, is how the opposing coaches have every excuse in the book ready when I remind them that league rules require them to put 2 or 3 subs in with a 20 point lead and that emptying the bench is required with a 30 point lead.

[BillyMac]

Back when I was coaching a public middle school team, we had the local Catholic school middle school on our schedule. Their coach was one of the best that I ever coached against. In the years that we played them, we only won a few games.

In one game, her team went ahead by double digits early in the game, thanks to her great press, and our poor press break. Her team was up by at least 25 at the half. Knowing that she would take off the press in the second half, I approached her at halftime, and asked if she could continue to press in the third period, so that we could work on our press break. She reluctently agreed, so I went over to inform our fans, mostly parents, that it was I who had requested that she continue to press, so that they wouldn't think she was showing bad sportmanship.

Several years later, the reverse happened, but with another school. Way behind at the half, this coach asked me at halftime if I would press in the third period, with my second string players, so that they could work on their press break. I agreed, as long as he told his fans.

Even when you are definitely going to lose a game, that situation can be used as a learning tool.