The game from H-E-double hockey sticks

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Sixth grade girls game last night. There's your first clue. This is what we call around here an "elite" league, not just rec but the "top" competition. In the first quarter, we had 17 held balls! No, I am not making this up. The scorer kept track. I don't know how many there were for the whole game, but it was a ton. Score at halftime was 37-3. Final was 58-8. The losing coach lost his AC midway through the second quarter courtesy of my partner. Three girls fouled out but we were never in the bonus. One girl cried when she fouled out, and I mean really heavy tears.

Before the game, my partner asked me if the girl's fingernail polish had to match their uniforms. It took me a moment to realize he was kidding. One team was wearing what could only be described as "neon day-glo" polish in assorted colors. It was bizarre.

There were a few moms and dads taking video. However, I doubt you'll see any of it on youtube.

Oh yeah, the winning team was the visitors. My partner and I got out of Dodge as soon as the final horn sounded. I did notice, however, the home coach kept his girls away from shaking hands even though the other team lined up to do so. There's no "shake hands" rule for this league, or else I would have reported it. It was still stinky sportsmanship. The visitors didn't really pour it on. They were just that much better.

How could this have been an 'elite' league with 17 held balls? first quarter? absurd. Did you let the play evolve or toot the second the both touched the ball? Sounds like a very weak league. Not to mention the lopsided score.

No value judgement Mark, but it sounds like you don't enjoy doing this level of play.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fullor30

How could this have been an 'elite' league with 17 held balls? first quarter? absurd. Did you let the play evolve or toot the second the both touched the ball? Sounds like a very weak league. Not to mention the lopsided score.

No value judgement Mark, but it sounds like you don't enjoy doing this level of play.

Actually, he just has a good laugh at it, which is necessary for sanity.

In my GV game last night (see above), I called 4 carries (some of these were beauties, too -- I mean hand under the ball, 3-step carries right around a defender) and (wait for it) another 3-second violation. And this one was a beauty, too. I was watching the player and was about to call it (and when you average one a year, you can imagine the level of camping this involved) when the defensive coach started yelling for it. Well, I don't like to be told how to call the game, so I let it go some more. Finally, about 3 seconds LATER with the player not moving, I had to call it and prepared for the other coach to start in about the coach calling the game. Nope, he told the player, "What did you expect?"

So it wasn't a top notch game and we had bodies all over the floor all night with parents and coaches wanting SOMETHING called and we felt like it was like being in the twilight zone.

Was it a fun GAME to work? Not really. Does it mean I'll be giving up the LEVEL because of it? Nope.

(And there was some perverse joy in getting a $115 check for a game that probably wouldn't have been a decent big school freshman game. Of course, I spent 4 hours driving to and fro...)

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Actually, he just has a good laugh at it, which is necessary for sanity.

In my GV game last night (see above), I called 4 carries (some of these were beauties, too -- I mean hand under the ball, 3-step carries right around a defender) and (wait for it) another 3-second violation. And this one was a beauty, too. I was watching the player and was about to call it (and when you average one a year, you can imagine the level of camping this involved) when the defensive coach started yelling for it. Well, I don't like to be told how to call the game, so I let it go some more. Finally, about 3 seconds LATER with the player not moving, I had to call it and prepared for the other coach to start in about the coach calling the game. Nope, he told the player, "What did you expect?"

So it wasn't a top notch game and we had bodies all over the floor all night with parents and coaches wanting SOMETHING called and we felt like it was like being in the twilight zone.

Was it a fun GAME to work? Not really. Does it mean I'll be giving up the LEVEL because of it? Nope.

(And there was some perverse joy in getting a $115 check for a game that probably wouldn't have been a decent big school freshman game. Of course, I spent 4 hours driving to and fro...)

Can I ask what they give you for mileage?? Are you way up in "Ya hey dere country?"

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Can I ask what they give you for mileage?? Are you way up in "Ya hey dere country?"

Nah, I live 20 minutes north of Madison.

It's the conference. They recognized that to get officials out to Southwestern Wisconsin they had to pay mileage and good game fees. They are the only "local" conference to pay a $65 game fee. It appears that they cap the mileage at $50, which is actually $20 more than I was expecting last night.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Nah, I live 20 minutes north of Madison.

It's the conference. They recognized that to get officials out to Southwestern Wisconsin they had to pay mileage and good game fees. They are the only "local" conference to pay a $65 game fee. It appears that they cap the mileage at $50, which is actually $20 more than I was expecting last night.

I thought it was 115 PLUS mileage.........I was going to say where do I sign up! Why don't they use Iowa refs, or maybe they do.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fullor30

I thought it was 115 PLUS mileage.........I was going to say where do I sign up! Why don't they use Iowa refs, or maybe they do.

Iowa isn't that close (at least 40 miles away) and the roads and geography is odd. Plus there's the whole "license in another state" thing that turns a lot of people off. I know I worked in IL for 5 years as a reciprocal official about a dozen games a year, but knowing I would never, EVER see a single post-season game there along with the BS of dealing with the second state organization made me finally pack it in.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Iowa isn't that close (at least 40 miles away) and the roads and geography is odd. Plus there's the whole "license in another state" thing that turns a lot of people off. I know I worked in IL for 5 years as a reciprocal official about a dozen games a year, but knowing I would never, EVER see a single post-season game there along with the BS of dealing with the second state organization made me finally pack it in.

Rich..............check your PM

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Can I ask what they give you for mileage?? Are you way up in "Ya hey dere country?"

Oh, you should've seen the JV officials, too.

One was in a Byron collar. The other in a V-neck. Both wore watches, one silver and one black.

One had this pair of shoes on: Running : Training : WR993

One wore black Dockers with a braided belt. The other had a pair of beltless pants that looked kinda like sweatpants. The other had on a nice, purty gold chain. Both blew pea-whistles that sounded like lung transplants were soon on the horizon.

Their attire matched their officiating.

When we were getting dressed I started asking the usual questions:

-Flag or no flag
-Who's the R
-What color watch?
-Necklace or no necklace?
-Lanyard or finger whistle, metal or plastic?
-Byron or V-neck?
-Officiating shoes or my black dress shoes?
-What color watch will we wear?

[mj]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Oh, you should've seen the JV officials, too.

One was in a Byron collar. The other in a V-neck. Both wore watches, one silver and one black.

One had this pair of shoes on: Running : Training : WR993

One wore black Dockers with a braided belt. The other had a pair of beltless pants that looked kinda like sweatpants. The other had on a nice, purty gold chain. Both blew pea-whistles that sounded like lung transplants were soon on the horizon.

Their attire matched their officiating.

Let me guess, no one said boo to them during their game? That's usually how it works in these parts. All the expert fans seem to come out of the woodwork for the varsity game.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by mj

Let me guess, no one said boo to them during their game? That's usually how it works in these parts. All the expert fans seem to come out of the woodwork for the varsity game.

Who would yell at George from the garage and Bill the local plumber? (At least the conferences see value in bringing varsity guys in, so I can't complain about that. It's the schools themselves that hire the JV and freshman officials and many of them take ALL the games at the local school.)

Adding to it: I had never seen two lazier guys on the court. Neither one of them even crossed the division line as a trail. They'd saunter up the court and stop 2 feet in the backcourt. They didn't hesitate to call (phantom) fouls from that position, though. Neither coach and no fans said a word. I got more crap on my first foul call than they got all night, I'm sure.

After about 4 minutes of watching it, I turned to my partner and said "I've seen enough" and headed to the locker room to dress (he came with me, of course).

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Bill the local plumber.

I thought Joe was the plumber?

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Oh, you should've seen the JV officials, too.

One was in a Byron collar. The other in a V-neck. Both wore watches, one silver and one black.

One had this pair of shoes on: Running : Training : WR993

One wore black Dockers with a braided belt. The other had a pair of beltless pants that looked kinda like sweatpants. The other had on a nice, purty gold chain. Both blew pea-whistles that sounded like lung transplants were soon on the horizon.

Their attire matched their officiating.

When we were getting dressed I started asking the usual questions:

-Flag or no flag
-Who's the R
-What color watch?
-Necklace or no necklace?
-Lanyard or finger whistle, metal or plastic?
-Byron or V-neck?
-Officiating shoes or my black dress shoes?
-What color watch will we wear?

It must be quite a stark contrast when they have 'real' officials for varsity games.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Did you let the play evolve or toot the second the both touched the ball?

My standard for blowing the held ball adapts based on the quality of play, I'll be the first to admit it. In a good girls varsity game, I'll make sure the ball is tightly held by both players and will wait to make sure it's not just momentarily touched by two opposing players. For a boys game, I'll wait even longer.

6th grade girls? The threshold is considerably lower. I don't care how "elite" they are. Letting it go too long is just asking for it, IMO.

[fullor30]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

My standard for blowing the held ball adapts based on the quality of play, I'll be the first to admit it. In a good girls varsity game, I'll make sure the ball is tightly held by both players and will wait to make sure it's not just momentarily touched by two opposing players. For a boys game, I'll wait even longer.

6th grade girls? The threshold is considerably lower. I don't care how "elite" they are. Letting it go too long is just asking for it, IMO.

I'm sure you've had the partner who can't wait to signal jump ball the nanosecond it's touched by two opposing players.