Foul fest saved by partner's zinger

[Mark Padgett]

Had one of my junkiest (a word I learned from my grandson, Tyler) games ever last night. 8th grade Elite (a term used around here for the highest competitive level of rec) game. Home team was in double bonus two minutes into the second quarter and again before the end of the third. Visitors were in double bonus in first and third quarters. Eight players fouled out. We weren't calling it any differently than usual, but the players must have just taken their "rough play" pills. No amount of admonition from us or the coaches made any difference. Oh yeah - visitors won by 18, mostly because they knew how to make their free throws.

The game would have been a total disaster except for a great comment by my partner. In the fourth quarter, A1 passed to A2. The ball deflected off A2's hand to the floor. He picked it up and after a moment or two, he started to dribble. Coach B (home coach) yells "DOUBLE DRIBBLE". The weird thing was, he kept saying (not yelling) it loudly every three or four seconds as play continued. As soon as there was a dead ball, my partner turned to him and said, "Coach, if you don't stop chanting 'double dribble', I'm going to start chanting 'technical foul'".

He got the message and we hardly heard a peep out of him the rest of the game.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Had one of my junkiest (a word I learned from my grandson, Tyler) games ever last night. 8th grade Elite (a term used around here for the highest competitive level of rec) game. Home team was in double bonus two minutes into the second quarter and again before the end of the third. Visitors were in double bonus in first and third quarters. Eight players fouled out. We weren't calling it any differently than usual, but the players must have just taken their "rough play" pills. No amount of admonition from us or the coaches made any difference. Oh yeah - visitors won by 18, mostly because they knew how to make their free throws.

The game would have been a total disaster except for a great comment by my partner. In the fourth quarter, A1 passed to A2. The ball deflected off A2's hand to the floor. He picked it up and after a moment or two, he started to dribble. Coach B (home coach) yells "DOUBLE DRIBBLE". The weird thing was, he kept saying (not yelling) it loudly every three or four seconds as play continued. As soon as there was a dead ball, my partner turned to him and said, "Coach, if you don't stop chanting 'double dribble', I'm going to start chanting 'technical foul'".

He got the message and we hardly heard a peep out of him the rest of the game.

You always get all the good jobs, Mark...

PS who was partner?

Double PS did you hear the media talking about ABC voters? I thought, oh, no, is ABC running? Then realized who they were referring to.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

PS who was partner?

Some guy from Hillsboro named Tom with whom I've never worked with previously. He did a good job. He's not in PBOA, so I'm sure you don't know him. The game was in Sherwood.

BTW - the damn thing was scheduled for 8:15 but started 30 minutes late because the game before it went into double OT (obviously, I wasn't working that one). Then, this disaster lasted 1:45. I didn't get out of the gym until 10:30. To you guys on the East coast, that means I was blowing my whistle at 1:30 am your time. Did it wake you up?

The upside was that we got paid in cash at the game so I stopped for a double cheeseburger on the way home. I saved a little for my dog. He then wagged his tail and licked my face. That made it all worthwhile.

[rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

The upside was that we got paid in cash at the game so I stopped for a double cheeseburger on the way home. I saved a little for my dog. He then wagged his tail and licked my face. That made it all worthwhile.

Simple pleasures for a very simple man. How nice for you...

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by rainmaker

Simple pleasures for a very simple man. How nice for you...

Yeah, just let me settle down with a cup of hot cocoa, a good book, a cozy fireplace and Teri Hatcher on my lap.

[Coltdoggs]

Mark...you seem to work a lot of the same level I do...the JRHS stuff and the rec programs...

I got one for you....last weekend before NYE there was a big tourney at the gym I ref at on weekends....Teams from all over central Indy and some from out state....Anyway...I worked 4 of the tourney games for the 7th and 8th grade teams...As I'm about to leave, one of my buddies asked me if I would work his 3 games cause he just got back from Minnesota on a 12 hour drive and was dog tired...and wanted to get home to sleep cause he had to work that Saturday night at his FT job....I agreed to help him out...

Well, these games were for the house league teams and I got stuck in the final game (#7 for me that day) doing 4th or 5th grade girls...I'm trying to forget it, really I am!

14 minute halves....First half the score was 7-4, we called like 16-17 fouls and one team kept a FC press on for just about the enitre half. We had...and I kid you not....whistled no less than 40 jump balls in the first half and we spen 11 of the 14 minutes at one end of the floor.

Second half was not much better and at one point I told my parter if this game went to OT I would personally kick his butt in the parking lot afterwards! THAT was my worst game in 7+ years of officiating...

Ok..I'm having flashbacks...ENOUGH...PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!

[texaspaul]

I love sarcasm, but I've found it's a great way to get scratched. One of the best Varsity 3 man guys I know, got scratched by a VB coach for smiling at him during a confrontation. You know, come to think of it, He's got really good teeth? Maybe it was a jealousy thing,...I don't know.

[Brad]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

"Coach, if you don't stop chanting 'double dribble', I'm going to start chanting 'technical foul'".

LMAO! Love this!!!

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

"Coach, if you don't stop chanting 'double dribble', I'm going to start chanting 'technical foul'".

Writing that down and filing it away to use as a later DTG.......

[Rich]

Originally Posted by texaspaul

I love sarcasm, but I've found it's a great way to get scratched. One of the best Varsity 3 man guys I know, got scratched by a VB coach for smiling at him during a confrontation. You know, come to think of it, He's got really good teeth? Maybe it was a jealousy thing,...I don't know.

After 20 years in this business, I've learned this the hard way: People that scratch me for whatever reason are actually doing me a big favor.

There's always been more games than officials and I've always have had more than enough work.

[gordon30307]

Visiting Coach 8th grade Jr. High begging for calls. My partner gives him a Tee. After the game I found out why. He said to my partner can't I get a call and he said sure and Teed him. Gotta love it. Oh by the way final score Home 54 visitors 6.