Referee Documentary

[bbcof83]

Does anyone know of any documentaries (or movies) on officiating? Specifically I'm looking for something on basketball. I'm talking serious movies, not the one with Billy Crystal or "The Ref" with Dennis Leary.

[BktBallRef]

Serious movies about officiating?

There's no such thing that I'm aware of. There are training videos that arre available from Referee magazine, but I' don't know what you're lokking for "movie" wise.

[bbcof83]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

Serious movies about officiating?

There's no such thing that I'm aware of. There are training videos that arre available from Referee magazine, but I' don't know what you're lokking for "movie" wise.

A few buddies and I were talking this weekend about how we would love to see a documentary on somebody like Steve Welmer who travels to a different city every night and what his life is like. I have read articles like this but we were wondering if anyone has ever made a film about it. Seems like it would be very interesting the public and maybe could inform Fanboys about what an official really goes through day in and day out.

As far as movies, I figure there is nothing with the star of the film playing a college ref or anything like that but I thought I'd ask anyway. Just looking for entertainment on this one.

[Mark Padgett]

This probably won't help, but that doesn't stop me from mentioning it.
There's a movie called "The Temp" that was filmed here in Portland. There's a scene in it showing a basketball game. The large sized official is my brother-in-law, Jim (uncredited in the movie). Apparently, somebody who was working on the movie was a friend of his and when the movie people said they needed a local to play this part, he recommended Jim, mostly for his size (he's about 6'5" and very athletic). Jim didn't play basketball in HS or college but he's in the Portland Public League HS HOF for football and his college's HOF for football and baseball. He played a year in AA ball for the Mets' farm system until he injured his knee. He was a big left handed hitting first baseman. He then became a middle school PE teacher and did that for 30 years until he retired. Now, he and his wife play golf every day. After teaching MS PE for that long, he's certainly earned it.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

This probably won't help,

Correct!

[fiasco]

I had a book proposal accepted by a NYC literary agency for a non-fiction piece I want to do on college officiating (grueling schedule, putting up with coaches, future superstars, off-season work, march madness, etc etc).

Agent said she would have signed if I had a few chapters already written. Anyone want to front me the money to spend a few weeks following some D-1 officials around?