Worst thing you ever saw happen in a game?

[Mark Padgett]

With the season winding down, we have fewer "rules posts" so I thought I'd start this thread. At our season ending pizza party last week, one of the guys asked some of us what was the worst thing we ever saw happen at a game. I told him that about 10 years ago at an 8th grade boys rec game, a coach slapped a player right across the face as the player came to his bench!

Apparently, the player was the coach's son and the coach was upset that the kid wasn't listening to his instructions out on the court. Obviously, I tossed the guy immediately. He protested, saying it was his son (as if that made it OK). I told him I didn't care if it was his great-grandfather, any physical violence against any player would not be tolerated regardless of the situation. I reported it to our Board and they kicked him out for the season (3 more games). Since this was his youngest kid, he wasn't going to coach anymore so we didn't have to deal with upcoming years (I'm sure we would have suspended him permanently).

When this happened, there was about two minutes to go in the game and the kid sat on the bench for that time. When the game was over, I made sure another parent on that team took him out with the promise that if the dad wasn't outside, they would take him home. I don't know what happened after that. I do know his mom wasn't at the game.

Anybody have anything like this happen at one of your games?

[Mark Padgett]

Actually, the worst thing that ever happened to me in regards to a game was when I was leaving the gym and walking down the front door steps of the school. I was talking with my partner and somehow missed a step. I came down kind of twisted and dislocated my kneecap. My left leg was in a cast up to almost my hip for six weeks. This was about 15 years ago. I still make sure I always hold the handrail going down steps, even in front of my house.

Got good meds for it, though.

[oc]

HS Girl while getting ready to take a free-throw has a grand mal seizure. Ambulance had to take her to the hospital.

[Stat-Man]

Here are my two worst moments from games I've been at. both came at what as then an annul pro-am basketball tournament, but different years.

(1) A guy went up for a dunk and his timing was off. He ended up falling to the floor and breaking ribs. Game was suspended until he was carried away on a stretcher.

(2) In a game involving my college and a team made of local pros, one of the guys from my alma mater's team took a hard elbow to the face and was bleeding profusely. The sight of that much blood almost made me pass out at the scorers table, but somehow I kept enough consciousness not to miss any action.

[eyezen]

My worst was just this year in my last college game of my season.

Player misses a driving layup, teammate goes to follow and comes up short because the aforementioned player was still in the way and got his hand caught in the net and his momentum swung him completely feet above head and he landed squarely on his shoulder, back and head.

In a short while he started having seizures, the training staff did an excellent job of keeping him calm, holding his head steady and putting pressure on his chest, I assume to help regulate his breathing. The ambulance crew came and carted him off.

[a4caster]

Mine was similar to eyezen. The FIRST BV game I ever did. Home team was up by quite a few in the 4th, then the opponents came back and made a game out of it. I'm T with about 2:20 left, V grabs a steal, going coast to coast. H player comes to defend, the ball handler makes a quick stop, the defender leaps into the air, BH ducks to avoid the brunt. H player goes over the top, falls on his head, shoulder, neck, back quad point, and starts seizing. All this while I'm +/- 5 feet away. Needless to say, teammates are freaking out seeing their teammate in such a situation. At the time, all I could think to do is "push" the players back away from the downed player. Thanks to a freak snowstorm, ambulance takes 30 minutes to arrive. V team gives up and declared forfeit.
Ever since that game, I have always wanted to be prepared for just a freaky incident, regardless whereever I might be. So, that following spring, I got certified in First Responder, which is the basics; Airway, Breathing, Circulation. In the case described, at least I would have had the forethought to toss a towel or a jacket underneath the kid's head. But if it is life/death (and I know this will tick some of you off) the stripes come off, and I help the kid. Not for a twisted ankle, not for a bloody nose, but something that requires paramedics, AED's, CPR, etc.

[Texas Aggie]

I've been fortunate in hoops. I think the worst I've had was my first year -- frosh (or JV) kid comes down with a rebound and blows out his knee. He was in some serious pain.

In football, we had a compound leg fracture this year in a JH game. Poor kid. I think he was in shock as much as everyone else who saw it (a coach fainted) and the ambulance idiot says, "oh my God!" when he comes up on him (as if that helped the situation). I'll always think of him as one tough kid.

I was playing flag football in college when something bizarre and dangerous, but a little funny happened. I was lined out wide on defense against this receiver. They were close to scoring but I don't think the team realized where they were (lighting wasn't the best). About 10 or so yards beyond the end line (no goalposts) there's this soccer goal moved back. So this dude takes off on a post route and I'm thinking he's running a decoy. Nope, he was expecting the pass and was looking back all the way thinking he had beaten me. I turn around and see him get all of a post on that soccer goal, so I'm on him. He's out cold. Someone runs for help and pretty soon, he comes to. By then, everyone else is standing around. I said, "hey man, are you OK?" He says, "yeah, I'm OK but where's my guitar?"

I said "stay there and don't move!"

[truerookie]

[quote=Mark Padgett]I came down kind of twisted and dislocated my kneecap.

So Mark, why weren't you on CNN; MSNBC; HEADLINE NEWS like Fidel Castro.

[Mark Padgett]

[QUOTE=truerookie]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

I came down kind of twisted and dislocated my kneecap.

So Mark, why weren't you on CNN; MSNBC; HEADLINE NEWS like Fidel Castro.

Good question. However, in 1968, I was on the CBS Evening News with Walter Cronkite. It had nothing to do with sports - it was political.

[Loudwhistle]

GV game, last minute ticking down and the visitors down by 6 are trying to foul to stop the clock, B1 takes a massive swing at A1 who has the ball held over her head but B1 misses the ball and player. B1 then proceeds to jog across the court crying out loudly (I'm thinking she's mad that I didn't call a foul on her since she was trying to stop the clock) Just as she's about to step out of bounds in front of her bench, my partner blows his whistle and runs across to the girls coach who then informs him that she just dislocated her shoulder! I look over at B1 and sure enough you can see her one shoulder sagging compared to the other one, she's crying and looks to be in a lot of pain. Home wins. I get home about 30 minutes later and my wife jumps on me as soon as I walk through the door, "Nice of you to go see how that injured girl was doing after the game!" I told her reffs don't do that, we leave as a group and stay out of sight until the crowd clears!

[grunewar]

Last year at this time. Father-son B13 All Star Game practice. Last practice before the big game. Old men out there showing their boys they still got game.....

Dad goes baseline and jumps into lane to use backboard for easy two. Rather large young lad who is overzealous and tries to block every shot, comes down the lane and hammers him from the back. WHAM! Takes him out completely.

Dad goes down in a heap. Tries to walk it off. NO GO - torn ACL, damaged meniscus and cartilage.

PS - Ok, I'll admit, I never really saw the kid coming and it hurt like hell!! But, I recovered fine after surgery and only missed the summer circuit!!

PSS - I participated in the All Star game practice again this yr....Same kid was on the floor again. But, I didn't go down the lane at all!

[SmokeEater]

Since we are dicussing this I thought I would add. I have to say the worst thing I could imagine happening is the death of someone on the floor I was working, playing or watching. I have seen broken arms, ankles, tooo many sprains and dislocations to count but the most drastic injury I was ever witness to was as follows.

BV game, intense play down low for most of the game. The posts were evenly mached and going back and forth at each other with neither one gaining any advantage. Nothing illegal was happening just good post play and good footwork. Well its 3rd period and Visitor post goes for a shot down under the basket. Home forward comes across the key to help and jumps up getting his hand caught up in the net. I don't know what or how but he got his fingers tangled and when he came down his middle fingers skin was peeled from the hand to the first knuckle almost to the bone. This was by far one of the most sever avulsions I have seen.

Game was postponed and continued a few days later.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

With the season winding down, we have fewer "rules posts" so I thought I'd start this thread. At our season ending pizza party last week, one of the guys asked some of us what was the worst thing we ever saw happen at a game. I told him that about 10 years ago at an 8th grade boys rec game, a coach slapped a player right across the face as the player came to his bench!

Apparently, the player was the coach's son and the coach was upset that the kid wasn't listening to his instructions out on the court. Obviously, I tossed the guy immediately. He protested, saying it was his son (as if that made it OK). I told him I didn't care if it was his great-grandfather, any physical violence against any player would not be tolerated regardless of the situation. I reported it to our Board and they kicked him out for the season (3 more games). Since this was his youngest kid, he wasn't going to coach anymore so we didn't have to deal with upcoming years (I'm sure we would have suspended him permanently).

When this happened, there was about two minutes to go in the game and the kid sat on the bench for that time. When the game was over, I made sure another parent on that team took him out with the promise that if the dad wasn't outside, they would take him home. I don't know what happened after that. I do know his mom wasn't at the game.


Anybody have anything like this happen at one of your games?

Years ago in my first or second season a coach actually intimated that perhaps I blew a call............

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Years ago in my first or second season a coach actually intimated that perhaps I blew a call............

OMIGOD!!! If that ever happened to me, I'd have to go into therapy!

[rockyroad]

Worst thing at a game was when a HS player landed on someone's foot and broke his ankle/lower leg - sounded like a gunshot went off! Kid screamed and crumpled to the floor. Grabbed his leg and his foot was pointing backwards from the rest of his leg. I almost threw up right there.