Game Log 10/28/2006: Back where I belong

This was nice. Two good games today got me back on track. Last week clearly was an outlier.

I'm glad that the games were not easy. The first, in fact, was especially difficult. Green had six players and White had four. Right off the bat, loads of fouls. On the first two, Green's assistant coach gave lip. I stopped that right away and told my partner. It worked--the assistant didn't talk anymore. Head coach started whining a bit. Didn't warn him until the second half, in part because I couldn't tell for sure whether it was him whining or a parent a few rows behind him. It became clear to me in a big hurry that he didn't know what he was talking about. We probably could have T'd him, but we didn't, for reasons that will become clear momentarily.

After yet another shooting foul with about 10 minutes left (running clock), one of Green's players fouled out. That left them with five players. Head coach talked to partner. He felt the calls were soft. They weren't. Still, partner and I came together, and agreed to make all future fouls on Green "good ones." Not a minute later, I had a good one. Two forearms raked across two forearms. And what do you know...it was the kid's fifth.

Green was left with four players.

They were winning by four with ten minutes left.

The coach called me over and asked if he'd have to forfeit if another kid fouled out. I said no: he can play with one player if they have a chance to win the game. Nobody else fouled out, but Red was just too exhausted. White took a lead and won by six.

But not before the technical. It was a weird, weird call.

Green #2 drove to the hoop. White ran at her for what looked like it would be a very ugly attempt to block the shot. She wound up and looked like she was jumping to deliver a fastball...sort of like a cricket bowler. Everybody in the gym saw her approach.

She whiffed. Flat out whiffed. No call.

Green #2 didn't appreciate it. She bitched. The rebound kicked around. She bitched again. She wouldn't stop, My eyes went to her and I blew the whistle. Technical foul on Green #2.

Green's bench and fans cheered. See, I blew my whistle while the ball was in the air. The ball went in, and Green thought I had an and-one. I didn't.

I counted the hoop and called the T. We went down to shoot for Blue's two T free throws. Then the coach wanted the one shot for the foul.

I didn't have a foul on the shot, of course. I called the T, which was elsewhere. Should have expanded my vision, I guess, but then I would have had a bizarre false double-foul...and the T was first. In which case I could have waved off the shot...

Well, damn. Now that I'm looking in the rule book, I'm not 100% sure I shouldn't have waved off the basket. I can't find the stinking reference in either rule book or case book. I'm confident I got it right, but I'll have to confirm somewhere...

Okay, there are many permutations as to what I could have done. But since I didn't call a foul, I had a T and counted the hoop. I explained to the coach that I didn't have a foul on the shot. He said: "If I'd have known that, I'd have had a technical foul too."

The best news: I stayed calm through some bizarre calls and some angry fans. I believe the whole thing went well. Perhaps somewhere in me I wanted a calm, easy game today, but in hindsight, I'm glad I didn't get one. I had a test, and I passed it. We controlled a tough game.

The second game was way calmer. 15-point game between two not-terribly-talented teams. I worked on focusing on defense and picks. "Defense and picks! Defense and picks!" I kept saying to myself as I worked off-ball. Did I actually focus on them? Mostly. But even when I wasn't, I know that when I chanted that internal mantra, I wasn't ball-watching.

We almost had a dreaded blarge call in the second game. I was trail, and the drive came from my side of the court...a fast break-y situation, so it was forgiveable for my partner to call it as lead. We double-whistled the contact. I closed hard, but my partner punched out her fist to signal a player control foul...then immediately dropped the signal and gave the call up to me. Fortunately, I was doing the right thing...keeping my fist up. And I had a block. The defender was moving sideways at contact, and I don't think she was ever set. Plus it was in my area. At the next time out, my partner said "Here's something to think about. The defender was backing up, right?" I just said "Nope. I have a block. She ws moving sideways."

I need to mention the opening jump of the second game as well. I was the umpire, so my partner had the toss. The ball hit Red, then White, then was caught by Red's jumper. I believe it was before the ball hit the floor. Violation. Alas, I didn't come up with the fact it was a violation until I had run about five steps down the floor and went "Whoa! That wasn't right..." And it was my job to whistle it. Or did the ball hit the ground? I don't remember. Rulebook says that the ball should hit the ground.

One girl for Green cried, claiming she had been punched in the nose. I told her I'd watch for it. I don't think she was punched in the nose. I was set to keep an eye on her, but she was removed from the game right away. My partner had called a shooting foul on her...said she had initiated the contact. That sounds about right. If I'd had a little more game awareness, I would have stopped the conversation with Red after finding out she was okay and not needing to be replaced.

Again, weird...but it's good that it happened in the off-season. Prepares me for the season better.

THINGS I DID WELL: Handled bizarre situation great. Call selection felt right. Watched the defense well.

THINGS TO WORK ON: Jump ball weirdness...keep an eye on it. And I need to get my butt into condition in the next four weeks.