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

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...

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.

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.

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.

Oh, rub it in why dontcha! :eek:

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." ;)

Why Do We Do This?
 

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

Marijuana, What Marijuana, Officer ???
 

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.

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.

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

You must have called a good game.:D

How Many Would Officiate For Free (Not Me) ???
 

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

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

By parking the car in the garage. :D

You may already be doing this.....but I find that it helps to keep the heat on full blast, as hot as it can go, and directed fully out the defrost vents. If the car gets too hot, then open a window a little bit.

Chicago Suburban Basketball
 

Last Tuesday (12/16), it started with some light snow about 2:30p, so I decided to leave work early (@2:40) for the 30-mile trip that should take 1-hour max. I was scheduled for double header Frosh A tourney, tip-off at 5pm and 6:30pm. I thought leaving 2:20 before game time should be plenty of time to get me there in time to dress and pre-game with my partner.

My trip, well, let's say it was a little bit of a challenge. By 4pm I had 23-miles yet to go, 7-miles in 90-minutes. Then things broke loose and it the next 16-miles only took 45-minutes; then the last 7-miles took just over 120-minutes. I called the school at 4pm, again at 4:30pm and then at 4:55pm the AD called me and said, drive safely, we know you're making a valiant effort, but your partner is here so we are going to start. We'll pay you for both games when you get here.

Got there in time for the second half of the second game. Total trip 4hours 40 minutes to go 30-miles. Average speed a blistering 6.42 MPH. My GPS tracks avg. MPH and the last 7-miles we blazed at 3.5 MPH, needless to say gas mileage bit the big one on this trip.

Fortunately trip home after the game was only 5-miles and took about 20-minutes.

And they say we do this for the money.:rolleyes:

I hear that all the time.

When I explain the true story:

1. Mileage
2. Uniforms
3. State Licensing
4. Mileage
5. Getting abused by every adult who thinks I'm rooting for the other team
6. Two Local Association Dues
7. Mileage
8. Getting abused by every father who thinks I ripped off his little girl because I called travelling
9. Did I Mention Mileage? :D

they look at me like I'm crazy.

I feel your pain. I lived in the DC area and went as far as Bluefield WV! Each year I had one trip that had me nervous to say the least.

You ever try officiating when you have a 5 hour drive ahead of you and you know there is going to be about four inches of fresh snow on your car when you're done? Focus is hard to come by in those situations.

Let's not even talk about the fact that traffic in DC is rough on a sunny 75 degree day. Bad weather makes it harder.

This would absolutely kill me!

I had my first V game of the yr last week and left 2 1/2 hrs early for a 26 mile journey. Took me well over an hr to get there and the second half of the trip opened up like your middle portion.

I work mostly JV/MS games and, unlike my partners, still like to arrive 45 min early for a game and like you give myself plenty of time. When your situation happens to me and I start cutting it remotely close I am NO FUN in that car (minor road rage).....frustrating as he!! But, as everyone has said, that's why we get paid the big money! :D

Didn't work but thanks.

Rita

Although I am now in Phoenix, I used to live in Madison and know exactly what Rich is talking about. In this case Rita, opening the window and grabbing the wiper at the precise moment it is closes to you, you lift it and let it smack the windshield. Will usually free the built up ice. Once cleaned, keep the defrost heat on to minimize build up.