Well guys you should have seen the face of Philadelphia Eagles' linebacker, Jeremian Trotter tonight. We held our annual football officals banquet in Glassboro, NJ tonight. After dinner a few of us wanted to get together for one last drink so we went to a bar. A Philly radio station has a show called "unnecessary roughness" which features Trotter in a call-in show for sports radio. I happened to have the December edition of Referee magazine in my car. He had no idea that such a magazine existed and his face was priceless when I showed him page 35 where he's featured in the "They said it" section where he talked about how referees should get fines.

He read the caption, laughed, and autographed it! He asked us of we did things like "make up calls" and that kind of stuff. He said who are the high school officials here? Of course I pointed out the 10 of us who were there and he had a little fun with us. A good way to end the season.

Now that could be a MasterCard commercial... "Autographing an officials magazine that quotes you bashing officials- Priceless. There are somethings money can't buy. For everything else, there's MasterCard. Accepted at shoe stores everywhere."

Great story, ljudge!

it sounds kinda like a couple of years ago, i was doing a hockey game in a neighboring state. i went to a bar afterwards and noticed that a player that i had ejected was in there turning back a few. he came over to my table and bought me a couple of beers. we ended up drinking for hours and exchanging stories.

it is great when players can leave the game at the game site.

LJ,
Is that radio station WIP?

WIP indeed. I believe the host was Greg Gargano. Trotter is stacked! Never piss this guy off! The officials I was with couldn't believe the size of this guy. Ironically, he was sitting right next to me in "learn how to be a Dad class" in his rookie season. Our wives were both pregnant at the same time and we both had daughters in 1999. Of course I reminded him of that. He obviously didn't remember me but he remembered the class...and signed my magazine of course!

That is cool! Also I think that is Anthony Gargano (cuze). I work in Brulington Twp. I listen to the station every now and again....LOL

PS- LJ does your association have their own web site?

I think it is Anthony now that I think of it. I don't listen to WIP as much as I used to.

http://www.njfoasouth.org. The user interface won't win any awards but the site is very valuable. I use it for access to the roster and our ratings cards which is very helpful.

Someone (I'm guessing) was evaluating me because they put my picture in the photo gallery. If you click visit our photo gallery I'm in the Deptford v. Highland pic and also in the first of the two Lindenwold v. Haddon Heights links.

People had a little fun with me at our banquet over the Deptford picture. Apparently this is a very veteran coach and everyone wanted to know what I was saying to him. My response was "probably telling him to get the bleep in his box and stay there!"

LJ, I didn't know you were a WH...LOL...I know the site I have been seaching for other NJ web sites. I can only find three (North, Central, South). I like the south web site very well laid out. I am changing the raritan site around...too much junk.