Ref Threatens Other Ref

[Loudwhistle]

Awhile ago I had three 5th-6th allstar games on Saturday from about 9:00am to 4:00 pm. A senior reff did not make it in on the plane for the upcoming boys JV and Varsity games that were scheduled for that night, so I was called to officiate those two games as well. We worked a three man crew for both high school games. The youth and high school games were held in different gyms. The team benches and scorer's table are on the right side of the big gym as you enter and on the left side of the little gym. Let me say for the record I didn't plan on doing 5 games in one day, it just kind of happened. The JV game starts at 6:00, and things go fine until the last two minutes of the fourth quarter and I guess I'm starting to get a little spacey. I administer the ball for a free throw and since I'd been standing on the west side of the lane in the old gym during free throws, I did the same thing in the new gym which is totally wrong due to where the scorer's table is located (I stood on the same side as the center official and watched the centers' rebounders!) Well the game ends and nobody says anything until, we get just inside the official's room. My partner, (state tourament reff, 20+ years experience) says, "hey what was the deal with standing on the wrong side of the key during that last free throw?") I crack up, realizing I stood on the wrong side since the big gym is arranged opposite of the little gym and explain about the 3 previous youth games. He understands and laughs about it. Well we start the varsity game and I'm administering the ball for free throws and I stand on the wrong side AGAIN for the first free throw, partner slowly walks over and quietly whispers to me, "Ace, if I catch you on this side again, I'm going to kick your ***!" I haven't made that mistake since! Still laugh about it, nothing like the old school way of teaching!