I actually ran the clock!
 

Went to see one of my granddaughters play in her first basketball game ever this morning. She's in 7th grade and it's a park district league. The officials asked around to get volunteers for the clock and book. One of the officials knows me and virtually pleaded with me to do the clock. She said they had not had anyone on it who knew what they were doing all day. I said OK and took my seat.

The weird thing was that the other official is in his first year and he had no idea why I would hit the horn for a substitution. Oh yeah, he didn't understand the possession arrow's purpose, either. Fortunately, he (and the other ref) called a really good game, especially for that level. The veteran came over twice during the game to ask me about rule interps (once on a DOG and once on a backcourt violation which wasn't one - dribbler didn't get both feet and the ball over first). My granddaughter's coach knows I'm an official but the other coach didn't and we got funny looks from him whenever I was consulted on a rule.

Bottom line, my granddaughter's team won 28-4. She scored 5 points including a free throw. She was thrilled, as was I.

He Does Have A Reputation ...
 

After seeing Mark Padgett's username, and his thread title, I thought for sure that we were heading in this direction:

Is your refrigerator running?
Yes.
Well why don't you go catch it?

Heck Mark, I thought by the title of your post you were going to have a story about letting the clock run to avoid an overtime. Glad you're multitalented, I've done the books a couple of times but never the clock. Good Luck! LW

Obviously, you somehow cheated.

I thought he ejected the clock.

Rita

I hope you didn't cheer from the table.:cool:

I started book and clock duties many years ago as that "helper dad" at the Rec level and have now actually done it at the F, JV and V level on occasion.

It is certainly easier to keep your emotions in check when a relative is not playing in the game - I've been guilty at times! :o

When my son was a kid and played in our local rec league, I would sometimes ref his games. The other team coaches had no problem with that since they knew I was "harder" on him than the other refs. Besides, it's just non-competitive rec and they're out there to have fun.

I did really get on his team one time when, after a game, they were going down the line slapping hands with the other team. The other team kept saying "good game, good game, good game" as they went down the line but the kids on my son's team were saying, "you suck, you suck, you suck". At least it wasn't his idea, but he did think it was funny and went along with it.

Well, the teams, players and officials were certainly lucky that they had an experienced official at the table. If I wasn't reffing, I'd go back to table duties. I have done the book, the clock and announced at HS games including state tournaments and I thoroughly enjoy it. I prefer doing the book but any of the jobs is a great seat for the game.

Back in the late 60s of the last century (boy - that does seem like a long time ago) I worked at a radio station in Aurora, IL. One of my jobs was broadcasting Aurora College basketball games and also some local HS games (I also did football). There was a "competing" radio station in town and their sports announcer left just before I started at my station. I always imagined I "drove him out of town" because he felt he couldn't compete with me. Yeah, right. Oh - did I mention his name was Chick Hearn?

http://www.jjmatis.com/photos/CHICKHEARN&JJ%20003.jpg

What about keeping emotions in check when you have an interest in one of the teams playing? Shouldn't there be a rule/regulation out there that for High School Varsity Contests that those working at the table need to be neutral in all aspects?

The first time I hear anything from the table a gentle reminer that this is unacceptable behavior usually suffices.

That would only work if the table was assigned in the same manner as officials (e.g., there were "table officials associations" and assigners sent members of that association to each school).

IT happens in some areas.

And what would be the penalty? Who would enforce it? What would the criteria be? Yeah, obviously we need the table crew to be as unbiased as possible. But seriously, do we need more unenforceable rules?

Years ago, I tossed a dad who was keeping the book in a kids rec game. I had called a T on his kid for excessive profanity and he refused to put it in the book because, "My kid would never use profanity". I asked him if he wanted me to tell him what his kid said and he just crossed his arms across his chest and vigorously shook his head back and forth repeating that he wasn't going to mark it down. I went and got the coach to replace him.