I have seen it all. (kind of long)

[JRutledge]

Boy, did I have a dousy on Tuesday. This game had it all.

I think I have never had a game that had so many things happen in one night.

The game did not start until that had the longest pregame ceremony in the history of IHSA history. At least that is what the scorekeeper said. The home school had a tribute to firefighters and police. This ceremony probably lasted 25 minutes long after the clock had run down as normal. The school choir had renditions of "God Bless America" and the National Anthem. Actually, this was well done. Then they had some kids say the "Pledge of Allegiance." The point is, even after September 11th, I was not present during anything like this ceremony before any football game that I did. It was rather long, but touching.

Then right after the ceremony, the scorekeeper informs me (I was the R) that the visiting score book had two flaws. The scorekeeper recognized that a starters number was wrong and another number was inaccurate. So instead starting the festive evening with a jump ball, we start with a T. HERE WE GO!!!

The game was very physical on both ends. We probably had 15 CLEAN blocks in the first half alone. Both teams just swatting each others shots time and time again. One kid had to have about 6 by himself (visiting team). He made 3 alone to stop layups from turnovers by own team. So good and spectacular that the entire crowd had to ooh and awe on every one of those blocks.

We did call many fouls throught the game. I hardly called a thing. It was a 3 man game so I did not have to do a thing for the first several minutes. It seemed like that was the way it was going to be all night. Boy, I speak too soon. Well I did call a few fouls, but it seemed like all of them were against the visiting team. This game was a none conference game, and the visiting team was much closer to me than the school this game was held at. Not that makes a difference, but I found it ironic.

Having said that everything that seemed to go wrong started to. I called a shooting foul on #40 of the visiting team. I guess they made the substitution of #40 so fast that the visiting bench thought he was not on the floor. The coaches made such a stink about it, I had to ask the bench if he was in the game. The table understood the player that I called a foul on and never said a thing to me. It was the visiting coaches that thought we was not in the game. As a matter of fact, the visiting book told the coach that he was not in the book. She is the same person that could not get her own team right in their book and messed up what the official scorekeeper copied. So you can see my amusement here.

Well the halftime was rather long and they had another ceremony that extended the break.

When the 2nd half began things really started to heat up. The visiting team had been losing for the entire game up until that point. I really am not sure how big the lead the home team had, but it was over 12 as far as I can remember. The game was just getting sloppy and more sloppy as we blew our whistles for everything. We called travels, fouls, out of bounds plays. Not the kind of out of bounds plays, but the kind that would be hard to see unless you were standing right there. The second half seemed like it took forever, especially the 4th Quarter. And then things seemed to fall apart. I called my first T on a head coach that I have called in probably 4 years. And my first in a boy's varsity game in my career that I can remember. I called an offensive foul on one of the visiting team players that pushed off, and completely knocked down the defender as the pass was coming into the post. As I go to report the foul, the coach kicks the bench in disgust of my call. I without hesitation T him up.

Oh wait, it gets worse.

One of the captains on the visiting #12 tried to complain to me (I do not know why me, I did not call half the stuff in the game to begin with) about almost every call. Everytime his teammate got called for a foul he would ask a question. If we called a travel on his team, he would have a question. He just would not shut up. He was not overly dissrespectful at all. It was just getting tired having him complain about everything to some extent. Number #12 happen to be the point guard of the team, and happen to be defending the other point guard and made slight contact as the dribbler drives to the basket. Well #12 decides to flop like no bodies business and yell out like he got shoot from the Book Depository. Well of course (I am the T in this play) I call nothing and let the play continue. I think we came up and down the floor a couple of times and then #12 comes up to me and asks me about his "charge" he wanted me to call. I told him flat out as we were shooting the FTs (I was T at this time), "you flopped, I should have called a block on you if anything, and stop coming to me every single time something does not go your way, this is not the NBA." That was the last of his complaining for the rest of the night.

It gets better.

Then after we call ANOTHER off-ball screening foul (I think we called most of our fouls on screens) on the visiting team, we start to go down the other end and one of the visiting players heaves the ball across the court all the way to the other end. The throw was so high that it cleared the court landed off the stands on the other side of the court, where we were going to shoot the FTs. My back was to kid and all I saw was the ball go flying waaaayy over my head. My partner who did not call the foul and was going to be the Lead in this situation, immediately gives a T to this kid. The kid was trying to act like why, but it was clear that the visiting team coach was losing control of his kids. He had been ranting and raving all night and it was starting to spill onto the floor.

IT GETS EVEN BETTER.

Well the foul that we called was the 9th foul before the kid lost it with the pass into the stands. The home coach starts complaining that "we should be shooting 2 shots instead of a 1 and 1." Well frankly, at that time I was kind of explaining to the table why this was not an ejection for head coach. We had called 3 Ts on the visiting team and he was asking why he would not be gone. I really was not paying total attention (my fault) and really did not see what the result of the first shot was. Then when we were going to shoot the T, and the home coach starts making a big deal of "why we are not shooting 2?" Well of course we were not going to shoot two because we were shooting a T that resulted in the 10 team foul. So as I am explaining this to the home coach, the little pips squeak of a coach on the visiting side starts complaining too. "Now you need to explain to me what you said to him (wah wah wah wah wah wah)" So I go over to him and explain the same thing. Since he was being a big baby I did my best to keep my cool, not that I was mad but it was funny. The night just was getting worse. I guess I had a little smirk on my face and because of that the visiting team coach says to me, "you really think this if funny, coming over hear with that smirk on your face, this really must be funny to you?" It was but that was not the point. So I walk slowly toward him and he sits down on the bench. I tell him, "stand up and talk to me so you can hear what HE was complaining about." I then say, "what he was complaining about really did not concern you. He wanted to shoot 2 shots on the first foul and we could not do that because the bonus is not in affect on a T." Then he says to me about the kid that threw the ball into the stand, "he did not at all have any malintent in that throw." I then told him, "that really does not matter a bit, he needs to control his emotions (like I was trying to do by not laughing my head off) and you need to control that. You are responsible for their behavior."

NO, NO IT GETS BETTER.

Well after all that we had no further extracurricular the rest of the game. BTW, all this happen in the 4th quarter. I thought it would never end. Well after my little statement to the visiting coach his team got on fire. They were down by about 10 points and they shut up and finally played the friggin game. They go on a run and finally take the lead. They started hitting 3s that did not seem to shoot all game or at least make. I called a foul on the home team, which I did not seem to call on them all night, and handcheck that obviously pushed back one of the visiting team players on the dribble. The visiting crowd cheers sarcastically because it was probably the first foul I called against the home team in the second half. I had called several violations, but not a foul that I can remember until that one. They were down by one on the foul and shoot one and one. The kid makes both and takes the first lead of the game that I can think of. We are at just under 3:00 at this time and the game goes into this back and forth war that looked like a blowout.

Well without going into great detail, the visiting team makes a great steal and gets fouled as the player makes a break that I called. The visiting team was up by one at that point. The kid makes the first one and misses the second one (the same kid that made all the great blocks in the first half). We were under a minute at this point and it seemed like no one wanted the game. Both teams made several silly turnovers. The game got around 15 seconds, and the visiting team made several silly plays that could have sealed the game. But instead of us just coasting into an easy result, NOT THIS GAME IT WOULD NOT. There was on play that #12 just kicked the ball into the stands on his own. The another play, #12 got a loose ball and was almost pushed out of bounds, but he fell out of bounds before any contact put him there. Guess what, they were both my call. So things were not looking good on my end if you were a visiting team coach or fan. Then the home team got an opportunity down by 2 to make a shot to decide the game. It was my call AGAIN and the home team had a clean look at a 3. Well it missed and boy was I relieved. It would have counted if it went in.

This was my last game of the year. I was never so happy to have a game end in my life. The rollercoaster of a game was almost unbearable, but fun at the same time.

Wow, what a season. I guess these type of game builds character.

Peace

[devdog69]

Excellent post, JRut. Very interesting reading, just like your game, however, I wondered if I would ever get to the end

[tharbert]

Sounded like a good nail biter. I wonder what your blood pressure was right after the game. Bet it was up there!

I have felt like I was calling a lop sided game but always resist the urge to try to even things up knowing that has worse consequenses. I like the fact that you didn't change your game based based on the foul count.

And you were right, it was long

[bigwhistle]

Originally posted by JRutledge
Then right after the ceremony, the scorekeeper informs me (I was the R) that the visiting score book had two flaws. The scorekeeper recognized that a starters number was wrong and another number was inaccurate. So instead starting the festive evening with a jump ball, we start with a T. HERE WE GO!!!
....the visiting book told the coach that he was not in the book. She is the same person that could not get her own team right in their book and messed up what the official scorekeeper copied

Just curious Rut. Do you as the R take the book to the head coach of each team to get them to check it for correctness before the game starts? If not, this may help prevent this kind of start. I have quit trusting team managers and scorekeepers for this very reason. By allowing the head coach, or someone he/she designates, to check the book one last time, I have pretty much eliminated this problem, and any T that does have to be administered for this now lies directly on the head coach's lack of ability to know who is on his/her team.

Rut, if you get a playoff game, please send the original draft to Reader's Digest, so that we will only get the short version.

[Mark Padgett]

And you're the guy who complains about girls games

[CanadaRef]

Sounds like an interesting game to say the least. At times, we DO get in situations where it seems we are calling everything against one team, or passing on calls that would put that same team on the line. As long as we can "beat the tape", then we can still sleep at night! However, its a good idea, from a game management point of view, to communicate your concern to your partners. Then, in a situation where there is a double whistle for example, the crew would know that you would be stepping up and taking the foul to the table.

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett
And you're the guy who complains about girls games

I actually had fun that night. Big crowd, loud gym everyone into the game. The things that happen were not a drudgery, it was just funny. At least the complaining was somewhat reasonable. In girls games, the complaining is hardly reasonable, and the coaches worry more about us and not what their players do. At least in this game (there was much more I could have told you) the coaches listen and moved on when the opportunity was given. Girls coaches (in my experience) or more worried about us. That is why girls games for me are not fun.

Basically it seems to me that girls coaches and fans want the same rules as International Hockey has as it relates to gender in the Olympics, no checking in Women's games.

Peace

[JRutledge]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by bigwhistle

Just curious Rut. Do you as the R take the book to the head coach of each team to get them to check it for correctness before the game starts? If not, this may help prevent this kind of start. I have quit trusting team managers and scorekeepers for this very reason. By allowing the head coach, or someone he/she designates, to check the book one last time, I have pretty much eliminated this problem, and any T that does have to be administered for this now lies directly on the head coach's lack of ability to know who is on his/her team.

Rut, if you get a playoff game, please send the original draft to Reader's Digest, so that we will only get the short version.

I do not do that in varsity games. Usually all I care about is the information at the table. I of course check it, but if we were to have a simple mistake in copying the material, I would not give a T just because of that. But most of the time the coaches are all over the place and not always right next to the court so I do not confer with them. If they do not have people that are competent in my opinion to get the book right or make sure the information is correct, then they deserve a T.

About the playoffs, I will not and did not get one. I was not of the ranking that would almost guarantee that (Certified Ranking). I am only the second level, Recognized and at that level it would be very difficult (especially with the IHSA's new system) to get a Regional (playoffs). I will be going for promotion next year, it might happen next year.

Peace

[Bart Tyson]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by JRutledge



I of course check it, but if we were to have a simple mistake in copying the material, I would not give a T just because of that.

If they do not have people that are competent in my opinion to get the book right or make sure the information is correct, then they deserve a T.

Do these two quotes cancel each other out? Any change in the book will get a T from me, if the rules call for it. This is one area I don't have a grey area. The only exception is the 10 min. mark. Many times the table personnel are not on time.

[JRutledge]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bart Tyson

Originally posted by JRutledge



I of course check it, but if we were to have a simple mistake in copying the material, I would not give a T just because of that.

If they do not have people that are competent in my opinion to get the book right or make sure the information is correct, then they deserve a T.

Do these two quotes cancel each other out? Any change in the book will get a T from me, if the rules call for it. This is one area I don't have a grey area. The only exception is the 10 min. mark. Many times the table personnel are not on time.

The T was not given because someone did not copy the right information, the information was wrong that was given. I do not care if the information is written in the book before 10, the information needs to be summitted. That is the only requirement by the rules.

I went to the table at 12:30 and everything was given. And the information was in the book before the 10 minute mark. Easy as pie to give a T here. The mistake was discovered when the introductions were made. And one of the players was not the correct number and another mistake was made with a name. The visiting book was to blame or the coach depending on who put the information in the book. And the visiting scorekeeper admitted to the mistake and we moved on.

Peace

[co2ice]

Hey Rut? Is Readers Digest going to come out with a condensed version any time soon??

[JRutledge]

Originally posted by co2ice
Hey Rut? Is Readers Digest going to come out with a condensed version any time soon??

I am broke right now, it would be nice.

But at least I got $60 for that one game.

Peace

[bluezebra]

"One of the captains on the visiting #12 tried to complain to me (I do not know why me, I did not call half the stuff in the game to begin with) about almost every call. Everytime his teammate got called for a foul he would ask a question. If we called a travel on his team, he would have a question. He just would not shut up."

"Captain, I'll run a rules clinic for you later, but right now we're playing a game. By the way, my fee for private instructions is $100."

Bob