Oh boy - this is gonna be fun
 

This coming Saturday morning, I'm training a young guy on two 5/6 grade girls rec games. As if that wasn't enough of a challenge, the first games starts at 8:15. This after I have two games Friday night, the last one starting at 8:45. I'm sure I'll be half asleep on Saturday. Of course, that's more alert than I usually am.

The good news? The games are six minute quarters.

BTW - I have three more games that day starting in mid-afternoon. They're 8th grade boys.

Make sure you tell the young guy that jump balls will be rare! I'll be thinking of you while I'm fishing!:D

A question
 

Do you beat yourself with whips and chains too, or do you just torture yourself on a basketball court?

I can help with therapy if you need it, but it sounds from this you need a referral to some residental treatment center:D

Hey! I won't be teaching anyone, since I am first year, BUT I do have two 8th grade games on Saturday. Girls then boys, and yes both teams are the 'B' teams.

Lots of travels, lots of fouls, lots of everything! :)

Wish I was in your shoes. I had 8 games on Sat. all 8th grade A & B type teams. The guy I was supposed to work with called last night and is in hospital. The only replacement he could find is a newbie - been on the court all of once. Everyone else around here has games already. Hope he is good. If nothing else - it will be great experience for him to get under belt. A friend says he is a "stand up guy" so I hope he is willing to take advice etc.

Yikes
 

Going from once on the court to eight games (if I read that right)? Tiring and fast experience that's for sure. Good luck to you both.

First game at 7:00am and last game at 7:00pm - so they are not all in a row.

Still a long day!

yeah, and a real good thing my wife has to work that day too.

I'm spoiled, I guess. I gave up the youth ball ages ago. People just assume I won't take it so they rarely ask. I wouldn't take just anything, but if I'm free and it fits my schedule, I'm happy to work kids ball.

I have 2 dates this year where I'm working 2 games. Both dates have a girls varsity and boys varsity, one at 2:30 and one at 7:30. One done, the other is in February. The hard part was the 90 minute drive between games and stretching out the kinks from sitting in the car after working a fast-paced boys game in the afternoon.

I've done 11 games in a day before, back in the 90s. We made the princely sum of $10 a game then. I thought it was a pile of money in the 1990s. I could do it now, but I may not walk for a while afterwards.

Sunday plans -
1. sleep in late and have daughter and her fiance first day home from Iraq deal with dogs.

2. BS with Aaron (the fiance) while sampling some imported fermented malt beverages

3. Watch FB playoff games and root for Brett. (don't care so much about the rest of the Vikes - but Brett's my man)

4. Eat great dinner daughter is planning

5. Take a nap getting up in time to go to bed!!


AHHHHH - PRICELESS!!

I had an AD I work HS ball for call me this week for a 6th grade boys A, B game. He was in a bind and since he has always treated me good I said yes. When I get to the game the gym looked like something out of Hoosiers. No three point line and a clock that looked like it was 100 years old. My partner was a early 20ish year old kid who had a collar on his shirt and a metal pea whistle. He had only worked about 6 games in his life. His mechcanics were off but he hustled and did really well. I thought he was going to blow the whistle 100 times. We worked on some of his mechcanics and positioning, and were out of there in 1 1/2hrs. It brought back some old memories of me when I first started:).

A tale of two officials
 

Last night I worked a 7th grade boys game, then drove to another school to work a 7th grade girls game. If you think the first game was more fun, you're exactly wrong.

I worked that game with an older guy (and he must be really old for me to consider him an "older guy") who is in only his second year as an official. Where should I start? He never raised his hand on calls despite the fact that I mentioned it to him numerous times, so I had a tough time knowing what his calls were. He used his own mechanics for fouls including pounding his chest with his fist (I still have no idea what those fouls were for, since he didn't verbalize them either). He missed obvious foul calls right in front of him so I had to start calling them no matter where I was on the floor, which meant I had to start watching his area, too. He called at least 20 travels, about 10 of which were actually travels. Both coaches were just plain disgusted with him but their comments never rose to the level of deserving a T. To his credit, he asked me about five times on rule interps, since he didn't know what to do.

Second game, just the opposite. Partner is a long time veteran and a really nice guy, too. Called a great game, communication was great and we had some good dialogue during breaks. 100% opposite of the first game. Oh yeah - it was a blowout, which makes it even better.

Have fun tomorrow Mark!

Canby boys tournament is this weekend - I've got three tomorrow morning and two Sunday morning (all 7th/8th grade)......with any luck my "T" count for the season won't go up.....:D

I just spoke with Tim Donaghy. He said he'll give you odds on that. :cool: