Ever wonder why we do this? Snow, ice, scary roads...

[Rich]

For those of you in states where snow/ice is more than just fantasy...

I drove 74 miles to a varsity boys game last night. Took me 2:20 minutes to get there with most of my driving on the Interstate. I left early, got there right before my partners were going to take the floor at 20 minutes (I figured on 2 hours, not 2:20). I was just about dressed, but my partners graciously suggested I take my time, stretch, and come out when I could -- I got there at the captain's meeting.

Worked game. Drove home. Took just under 2 hours to drive home.

$55, no mileage.

Insane or just stupid?

[mj]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

For those of you in states where snow/ice is more than just fantasy...

I drove 74 miles to a varsity boys game last night. Took me 2:20 minutes to get there with most of my driving on the Interstate. I left early, got there right before my partners were going to take the floor at 20 minutes (I figured on 2 hours, not 2:20). I was just about dressed, but my partners graciously suggested I take my time, stretch, and come out when I could -- I got there at the captain's meeting.

Worked game. Drove home. Took just under 2 hours to drive home.

$55, no mileage.

Insane or just stupid?

At least it appears as though you didn't have to split the 2 checks three ways...

[Chess Ref]

Insane .

In our area we have to drive to this one school where there's tule fog,a windy mountaineous 2 lane country road with no lights, the people are real close to legimate hillbillys and all the accompanying social graces. Its never a fun ride or game.

Still its not even close to being as bad as your journey.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

Insane .

In our area we have to drive to this one school where there's tule fog,a windy mountaineous 2 lane country road with no lights, the people are real close to legimate hillbillys and all the accompanying social graces. Its never a fun ride or game.

Still its not even close to being as bad as your journey.

Sounds like a place I used to work in Tennessee when I lived there. One night when the moonshine was flowing, we were followed out of town by some rednecks who chased behind us for 30 miles until I pulled into a police station over the county line.

But...

Welcome to Wisconsin. The visiting team drove 56 miles in the same weather I did -- they just didn't have the last 15 miles to my house.

This morning -- temperature is -10 with a wind chill of -32. Debating on whether to walk to the mailbox to get the newspaper.

[fullor30]

Chuckled out loud and wife and son read it and opted that you're stupid................just like her husband and his dad.

As Meyer Lansky said in the Godfather. "it's the life we've chosen".


Got a last minute call from assignor to fill soph game last week during snow storm. School is 12 miles away. Took me two hours....really.

[tomegun]

I feel your pain. I've had some scary drives in West Virginia, Maryland and DC - well every drive is scary in DC!

Fortunately, the weather down here in Mississippi is great. I went to a game last night and it was probably in the high 60s. The coat closet, which only has jackets in it, doesn't get much work down here.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Fortunately, the weather down here in Mississippi is great. I went to a game last night and it was probably in the high 60s. The coat closet, which only has jackets in it, doesn't get much work down here.

Oh, rub it in why dontcha!

As I've said before, our commutes here in NVA and DC are bad enough without weather problems! Thankfully, they will close schools and cancel games when bad weather is TWO STATES AWAY and just "moving in this direction."

[Freddy]

Could it be reasoned that "we do this" for the following reasons?

A. It's a passion
B. It's an obsession
C. It's a career
D. It's a hobby
E. It's a means of income

For those in A, B, and C, the occasional weather obstacles you mention are no big deal.

Those in C don't usually fret, because their travel costs are probably covered.

For those in D and E, I can see how such a situation can be regretful.

I'd only hope that having to overcome occasional weather challenges on the way to a game doesn't negatively affect the way we call the game once we get there.

Here in the land of Lake Effect Snow, I've got to remind myself (in A and B) of this quite often. It helps to be self-employed and able to take off as early as I need to in order to make it to a game on schedule. My heart goes out to the majority of guys whose work schedules press them into frustrating circumstances

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Could it be reasoned that "we do this" for the following reasons?A. It's a passion;B. It's an obsession;C. It's a career;D. It's a hobby;E. It's a means of income

It's a winter hobby that I can make a little money on. I wouldn't do it for free. And I could probably make a lot more money with some other type of part-time job. Plus, as Freddy stated, it's my passion. Interscholastic basketball was, and is, my favorite sport, as a player, as a coach, as a father, as a fan, and as an official.

In the summer, I garden, flowers, lawn, and vegetables. As basketball winds down, I'm starting my seeds in the basement, under fluorescent lights. Someday a police officer will drive by my house at night, and see bright lights coming from my basement windows, night, after night, all night long. Any of you guys willing to put up some bail money for me.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Worked game. Drove home. Took just under 2 hours to drive home.

$55, no mileage.

Insane or just stupid?

Seventy-Four miles is not very long under normal circumstances. Usually without metropolitan traffic, that is only a little over and hour.

Not insane or stupid, it is life in these parts. I had a similar situation, but I had some car trouble probably attributed to the cold weather. I got to the game 4 minutes in the 1st Quarter (Fun, fun day).

If the weather was perfect you would have been there much earlier. What are you going to do, always take games with bad weather as a consideration? If you did that you would not ever work games. This "winter" the weather has been bad very early and often in these parts. My partners told me last night, life happens even when you prepare.

Peace

[Rich]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Seventy-Four miles is not very long under normal circumstances. Usually without metropolitan traffic, that is only a little over and hour.

Not insane or stupid, it is life in these parts. I had a similar situation, but I had some car trouble probably attributed to the cold weather. I got to the game 4 minutes in the 1st Quarter (Fun, fun day).

If the weather was perfect you would have been there much earlier. What are you going to do, always take games with bad weather as a consideration? If you did that you would not ever work games. This "winter" the weather has been bad very early and often in these parts. My partners told me last night, life happens even when you prepare.

Peace

Of course I'm talking about other people's (non-officials') perspectives. My father, who's visiting from the east coast, thinks I'm crazy. He told me to "bag it." He doesn't understand, and neither do many of my non-official relatives and friends.

It does seem a bit strange, doesn't it? I could make $55 working a part time job at home for 4-5 hours. It's clearly about more than just money for almost all of us.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Of course I'm talking about other people's (non-officials') perspectives. My father, who's visiting from the east coast, thinks I'm crazy. He told me to "bag it." He doesn't understand, and neither do many of my non-official relatives and friends.

It does seem a bit strange, doesn't it? I could make $55 working a part time job at home for 4-5 hours. It's clearly about more than just money for almost all of us.

If you they only look at it as a job. The problem is this is more than a job for us. If it was just about the money, I would work 100 Men's leagues and forget working any high school. I could make more money easily if it was just about the money. I have gone much further for things that had nothing to do with money. I know people that go hours to play golf and those people paid $100 just for fees and that did not include gas or other extra-curricular activities. If you ask me that is crazy but I am not a golfer either.

Peace

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Sounds like a place I used to work in Tennessee when I lived there. One night when the moonshine was flowing, we were followed out of town by some rednecks who chased behind us for 30 miles until I pulled into a police station over the county line.

But...

Welcome to Wisconsin. The visiting team drove 56 miles in the same weather I did -- they just didn't have the last 15 miles to my house.

This morning -- temperature is -10 with a wind chill of -32. Debating on whether to walk to the mailbox to get the newspaper.

You must have called a good game.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

My father, who's visiting from the east coast, thinks I'm crazy. He told me to "bag it." He doesn't understand, and neither do many of my non-official relatives and friends. It's clearly about more than just money for almost all of us.

Same here, but it's my mother. She thinks it's just for the money. I've given up explaining it to her.

[Rita C]

Just a question on the snow and ice: We here in the Northwest are experiencing a rare and sustained snowfall. My husband and I drove home from Seattle tonight and had a problem with ice building up on the windshield wipers so that they wouldn't meet the glass.

How is this avoided?

Rita