The Ramblings of a Bald Old Geezer.
 

Who would have thunk it, that this basketball season will be my 41st season as a basketball official; time sure flies when you are having fun, :D.

When I started officiating at the age of 19, if someone would have told me that I would be officiating 41 years later (check the birthday list on the Forum's main page) that I would have told him that I am not even thinking past my first quarter mid-terms let alone what I will be doing two generations later. But here I am still at it despite that Abomination Upon The Game (see Alternating Possession) being inflicted upon The Game.

Nor, that I would thought that I now have two sons in college (Junior, who officiates basketball, baseball, and softball with me; its hard to believe that this is his 5th year officiating. And Andy, our younger son, and the only smart male in the family because he was wise enough not to get in to the sports officiating racket even though Junior and I are applying subtle pressure on him to join us).

Nor, that Bonnie Jean and I will celebrate the 30th anniversary of our First Date next Monday (we celebrated our 29th Wedding Anniversary in September). The Pope has already made her a Saint and she isn't even Catholic.

The basketball season starts in Ohio (and Michigan) in less than two weeks. Our first games are on November 21st, but our first game together is not until December 01st. And so the "circle of basketball life" continues, LOL.

Well that is enough rambling on my part, I want all of my brothers and sisters in stripes to have a great season and remember to have fun, no matter what happens.

MTD, Sr.

I thought I was going read some thoughts on officiating by Dick Vitale.

this bald old geezer thanks you for all you ramblings over the years..always enjoyable and make me smile...thanks

Thanks for the historical recap Mark.

I am old(er) too (not as old as you of course though, wow!), and getting bald (so I am told), but relatively new to the avocation.......and I so wish I had started way back when too...... Unfortunately my military career and family got me into the game late.

Best of luck to you and Jr. for the upcoming season. My son's wouldn't join me and I wish they would have.......oh well, they have their lives.

MTD - don't think of yourself as "bald". Think of yourself as someone who is helping the environment by wearing solar panels on his head. ;)

BTW - Based on the numbers in your post (41+19) I'm older than you. :(

The Kids Stay The Same Age, Why Don't We ???
 

I'm about to start my thirty-first year of officiating. And, yet, I'm only twenty-nine years old.

In metric? :confused:

I tell my wife that I am a solar powered sex machine, :D. That is why we live where the sun hardly shines, :p.

MTD, Sr.

Great Story Mark.

I am starting my first season and wish I would have started earlier. I have a couple boys going to graduate in a couple years and hope they join me. I grew up in Portage county we played our tourny games in trumbull county. Its very possible you officiated one of my games.

Good luck with the rest of your career..


Kevin