This weekend, there is going to be a fundraiser for the local HS athletic program. The faculty is going to play a game against the Portland Trailblazer alumni team. Some of the players on the ex-Blazer team are Bobby Gross, Darnell Valentine, Greg Smith, Dale Schleuter, etc.

I found out about it after they had already lined up officials, but they asked me to work the first game which is a co-ed mini-game (4 minute quarters) consisting of seniors from the HS program.

It should be a lot of fun, especially since the boys won the 4A state championship this past season.

I get to work with a ref buddy of mine who is on the faculty and will then be playing in the second game. We're wearing shorts, so he doesn't have to change.

They said I could sit on the Blazer's bench for their game and give all the faculty players (many of whom I know personally, since my 3 kids went to that school) a hard time.

Believe me, I will.

Maybe I'll get to do the game next year. The officials who do those games do them in kind of a "Globetrotters" style with a lot of showmanship.

I don't get paid for doing this, but I get to stay and watch the second game for free and they did say they'd buy me a Diet Pepsi. :)

Mark,

Enjoy the game. I played in one of those games a couple of years ago. It was quite fun and I am proud to say that I didn't miss a shot in the game and ended up 2 for 2 in my 4 minutes of play. Just make sure that the refs for the big game call a lane violation on the blazers whenever the opposing team misses a free throw, etc.

They play NBA rules in that game so there are never any lane violations called. Of course, they don't call traveling either.

In last year's game, Darnell Valentine thought he got fouled on a shot and jumped up and down about 10 times. The ref yelled at him, "Save the drama for your mama."