Game log: 10/15/2005

I had two games today--a high school summer league. It was my first time on the court since April. On the whole, I'm afraid it showed physically--I'm out of shape. By the end of the second game, I had turned a red color that I shouldn't turn. Time to get to the gym--I have about 6 weeks to improve my conditioning. I HATE the gym, and I HATE running, but I'll do what I've got to do.

The games were mostly uneventful. The second game was notable for a timer who was a massive butthead. He was, it appeared, a parent for the green team. I walked up to him before the game and introduced myself.

"Hey, I'm Blog."
Yo! What up, homie?
[thinking this is a major moron--he was responding to my greeting with sarcasm--but maintaining politeness] "Tell me who you are."
I'm Johnny. I'm the guy who's gonna be yelling at you all day.
[thinking this guy had better not give me any trouble from the table or he'll go home]: "Why are you going to do that?"
To get some of the calls to go my way.
"It doesn't work."

Does this guy introduce himself to everybody saying he's going to verbally abuse them? What an idiot. But there were no problems that game.

Things to work on:

GAME ONE: Foul count was uneven in the second half. Not much I could do about it, really--couldn't find any "coach pacification fouls." I'm not a big fan of the Coach Pacification Foul, but it's something I've been taught, and it's fairly routine. Occasionally you have to toot a borderline one for game management purposes. As long as it really exists, you're fine.

Thank goodness the players were as tired as I was in the second half. That made a huge difference.

GAME TWO: I'm pleased with that one. There were several ugly rebound fouls early. Why do so many players believe that boxing out entails knocking your opponent backwards several feet? And why do players who are boxed out believe they can push their opponents in the back? I called four of these in the first quarter--all on white. I called none in the second half, because they weren't there. I love it when the players learn.

I really mucked up a foul on white in the second half. #15 drove for an uncontested layup. She missed. Blue got the rebound, and I saw #15 run back in from the baseline. I could tell she was upset, and was ready to ding her for a foul--she was flailing about wildly in frustration. She whipped her arms in, and I went up for the foul call...but dammit, I anticipated rather than saw. As wild and ugly as her movements her, and although I give myself a pat on the back for seeing beyond the movements to the mind of the player, I called what I thought might happen instead of what actually happened. I just need to wait a half-a-beat more before blowing that whistle.

One other thing to work on: I have a TERRIBLE habit of nodding or shaking my head when I think a block was clean or a kid didn't travel or whatever. That's awful because if my partner has his/her eyes out of his/her area (and yes, it happens sometimes) and calls the foul, I've sold him/her down the river. I can't do that. I MUST get rid of this bad habit.

Things I did well: Management, cleaned up post play, had a sense of where the game was at all times

Things I need to work on: Conditioning, nodding, quick call for nonexistent anticipated foul.

NEXT UP: No games currently scheduled. I may try to get in a couple more games in early November, but I'm reasonably with it right now, so I may wait until scrimmages start in mid-to-late November.