First T's this season

[Rufus]

I've definitely noticed a rising intolerance on the part of participants/coaches/fans but also had a great experience of two coaches maturing too. Both are 7th grade coaches, both were screamers at the beginning of the season (one followed my partner and I to the locker room after the game and yelled at us through the door – yes, we reported her to our association). I've done several of their early season games and had the "Coach, you're not going to yell at us but you can ask a question" speech with them both.

I was calling a couple of late-season games and both had markedly improved their demeanor and interaction with the officials. Not coincidently, their teams had also improved. I thought that was pretty neat and a bright spot in an otherwise darkening sky of late-season meanness.

[BillyMac]

From Junker: It seems to me that this time of year, every season, sportsmanship goes to crap for a week or so. The teams that are playing well are trying to win conference titles and such, the teams that are losing are tired of losing.

From jdw3018: You have conference races coming to a head, some teams that are out of the running for postseason, others that are on the edge, and the good teams looking to position themselves well. Add to that the little built up frustrations throughout the year with the increased pressure and you get much shorter fuses all around.

You're both absolutely on target. I' msure that we will be reminded of this at our monthly meeting this coming Sunday. Here in Connecticut, teams must win 40% of their games, usually eight wins, to make the state tournament . You can tell right away, from some coachs' bench decorum, which teams have six, or seven ,wins.

[Back In The Saddle]

This is the time of year when we really earn our money. And frankly, it's my favorite part of the season. The intensity goes up, there's a lot on the line, and everything matters more.

To my way of thinking, this is put up or shut up time. Nothing feels better than going out there, being on top of my game, leaving it all on the floor, and coming away knowing that I put up.

You couldn't pay me to miss this time of year!