Haven't heard this one before

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

Maybe he was just practicing the first rule of officiating.

Yesterday I got my December 2009 issue of the IAABO Sportorial magazine. I sat down in my recliner, after dinner, to read it over, and came across this article on page 16:

Tuning-Up Your “Pre-Game” For The New Season & “The First Rule of Officiating”

Officiating basketball today requires not only rules and mechanics
knowledge, but preparation for all the tasks you have before and after the
game – as well as when the ball goes up. For this reason, a successful
assignment begins with a thorough “pre-game.”

That’s where the “First Rule of Officiating” comes into play. At the
beginning of your pregame, the “First Rule of Officiating” will serve as
a guidepost to many of the more difficult situations that you may need to
handle during the game. Remembering the “First Rule” has prevented
many an untoward situation from degenerating into flagrant fouls and the
fallout that often ensues from such unpleasantries.

OK. What is the “First Rule of Officiating” already? Thought you’d
never ask. The “First Rule of Officiating” is ...

http://www.iaabo.org/December%202009.pdf

I stopped reading there. I was afraid to read the rest of the article. And I thought to myself, for everything that's good, and right, and pure, in the world, please don't let it be Mark Padgett's First Rule of Officiating.