SFCityBear said:
helltopay1 said:
Referree??Ah yes--I remember it well. I started to ref CYO games when I was 59 . . . Very humbling to be sure.
One of the hardest things I ever tried to do. I refereed a gym class scrimmage for Neff as a senior in high school. My best friend was in the class, and he kept complaining to me that he was getting hacked on his jump shot. I tried to focus tight on his shot, but I could never see the defender commit a foul. My friend was a very honest person, so I knew he was telling the truth, but even with 20-20 vision, I could not see the fouls he spoke of. Nearly lost my best friend over it. Luckily he forgave me, and we are still the best of friends. But I
never would ref a game again.
Another time in a Lowell game, I think the ref was Ernie Filiberti, a very experienced ref. He was standing on the baseline and I was at the top ot the key. A guy stole the ball and took off dribbling down the floor. He was in line with me and Filiberti, about 10 feet ahead of me. I never got within 10 feet of the guy, but Ernie whistled me for a foul. I got so hot, Ernie went over and told my coach he better sit me down to cool off. I sit down, and a few minutes later, I go back in and again I was 10 feet from some player and Ernie blows his whistle. I blow my top, and he throws me out of the game. I don't know how anyone can be a referee. Maybe the pay is good. You don't get much thanks from players or fans, mostly just abuse.
TWEE-E-E-T ! ! !
10 feet? You were probably within an 8' radius, maybe 6'. Filiberti (I remember him) was 15'-20' on the other side of the guy. Did you question his heritage, his judgment, his eyesight or make some other declarative statement?
I coached and officiated youth basketball and umpired youth baseball and adult softball for an East Bay City parks and rec' dept when I was 20-26 years old working my way through college. It was a fun life experience.
My supervisor and mentor was a former Cal tennis player and Coach Price basketball player named Dick Hunn. He was a most excellent person whom I had known for most of my life. He counseled me to become a public school teacher, which I did for about 8 years.
Anyway, I enjoyed coaching and officiating, but it could be challenging. The kids and parents were great, even though I didn't always get it right.
By far the most "challenging" group to umpire was adult softball (age group 25-35 years). Some of these mostly blue-collar guys were wannabe pros, and they allowed little to no margin for error. Some lied or tried to cheat, but only a few got hostile. I seldom ejected players from games, but once I took measures to remove a player from league participation after he made threats following warnings to his team manager about his behavior after a foul ball ruling. Much ado about nothing.
"Those who say don't know, and those who know don't say." - LT