Comments to the crowd

[ca_rumperee]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Last week. Boys varsity game. Fourth period. Time out. I'm standing with the ball, on the sideline, opposite the table. Fan, in first row, right behind me, politely asks "Isn't #20 carrying the ball"? I answer, just as politely, "I'll keep my eye on him".

Didn't call a carry on #20, but I got a nice wave from the fan as I left the gym at the end of the game. Of course his team won.

I rarely do this, but the key is the polite tone, and the proximity of the fan.

I had all sorts of sniping from the stands, from grandma sounding voices, "how much is that other team paying you??", etc.

I never respond to stuff like that. Game goes OT (actually it went 2 ots) and at some point a dad-looking guy asks me what the rule on time outs is in overtime. I tell him. Right now I respond to all legitimate questions (had, "why do they keep track of team fouls on the scoreboard?" over the weekend) with a legitimate answer.