observations

[echo]

Just a few things I have noticed:

1. Spectators have mastered the ability to count to 3, 5, and 10. If we ever make anything go over 10 most will require a refresher course of counting 101.

2. Coaches, players, and fans are born with x-ray vision.

3. Little kids love to say "hi" to their dad while he is running by them.

4. Dad's have a hard time dribbling, running and waving at their kid who just said "hi".

5. The floor hurts when dad hits it after screwing up #4.

[paulis]

That's why we have the 10 second violation; we would have to take off our shoes to count to 20. Now, to get to 21...

[zebraman]

6. Spectators are too dumb to realize the contradiction of saying, "call less fouls and let them play" followed shortly thereafter with, "someone's going to get hurt if you don't call it tighter."

7. You would think that in all my years of reffing, I would have had at least one coach tell me that I missed one that favored his team. It's never happened.

8. Some spectators honestly believe that refs care which team wins, even if the refs don't know anyone involved with either team. Where does that come from? Why would we care? I'm completely baffled.

9. If the defense blocks more than 2 shots in a row, the offensive coach will say, "that had to be a foul" as if there is no explanation in the universe for three consecutive clean blocks.

10. Officiating proves the saying, "what goes around, comes around." I was a true jerk when I played in adult rec leagues a few years ago and I have at least a couple games per year that remind me that I am still paying my penance.

Humbly,

Z

[iref21]

I have got one for you:

Officiating an AAU game two weekends ago and every time B's team goes for a layup, this clueless parent from A's team would yell travel.
After the game he came up to me and told me to read the rule book on traveling. This is an exact quote "You can move the ball around in the air when you are going for a layup".
So I followed up with the old "What color was the rule book this year?"
Needless to say he did not have an answer. Guess I better read up on traveling, obviously something changed and I have not been informed.

[echo]

Following up on iref21's comment. I personally prefer the "and one" comment everytime a player goes up for a shot. Doesn't matter that he is shooting the ball with no one within 10 feet of him!

[Brian Watson]

Originally posted by iref21
This is an exact quote "You can move the ball around in the air when you are going for a layup".

I think I need my gibberish-english dictionary again...

My fav is the kid who has no business chucking up treys. Then, when there is an airball the coach gives me the "hey, that had to be a foul, my kid never shoots that bad".

I could have had a classic davism this year, but I passed. Coach said that to me early in the game when his "shooter's" 3 point tries kept missing everything by about 2 feet. Later in the game this "shooter" aired a free throw. I looked over at the coach as I was coming back up the court and thought, nah, too easy.

[Kelvin green]

This past weekend doing games at the local community college for a clinic they were having, and by no means was I being ticky-tack. He yell out " you need to let them play this isn't a girls game." Next time down the floor my parnter calls a foul on B and a kid from A is whining about the call ( I just love that one, like you did not call it fast enough or something) so I turned to him and said I dont know I did not think it was a girls game.

The kid then goes whining to his coach about how the ref had just talked back to him. The coach yells at his kid " the ref should not be talking to you, but you shouldn't be worried about the calls just play the ref's upset at me)

I was not upset, but I think the coach figured it out because he did not say another word the rest of the game...

[Mark Padgett]

This past weekend, I was doing boys HS varsity rec. My partner calls a block on B1 as A1 was going up in the lane for a layup. B1 happened to be a kid we both have known for a few years. His name is Alex. He yells at me that "He had his back to the basket, so there's no call."

I gave him by best "Huh?" and he said it again. There was a timeout so I called my partner over while Alex was still standing there. He repeated what he said to my partner. She asked him if that "was a rule on his driveway or something?"

He said that last season, he drove the lane and was bumped pretty hard. When he asked the ref why there was no foul, the ref told him it was because he had his back to the basket. I told him the ref was probably just kidding. Alex said "That isn't fair."

I said, "Alex - this is basketball. You want fair? Call Judge Judy."