Game Log 2/2/2008: Pretty good day

JV and Varsity tonight. I have to say...I'm not a huge fan of making the varsity game the second of the night. But tonight was a great night overall...two good partners, two pretty good teams, and no real problems because we were on top of everything.

The JV game featured two coaches who gave a little bit of guff. The home coach only did so once, but it was really quite snotty. I had a foul on the opposite sideline. Red was trying to sneak by on one sideline. White went to close it down, and gave Red an ever so slight hip. It's one I'd normally overlook, but Red stepped out of bounds because of it. I either have to call out of bounds--and reward the hip--or call the foul. I went foul. Coach asked for an explanation. I gave it. "She slid over and got her with the hip, which knocked her out of bounds." Coach responded with bullshit sarcasm. "Oh, did she? Mmm-hmm. Of course." Why in heck does any adult believe this is an appropriate way to treat another adult? Whatever. She was walking away, and I didn't want to chase her down. I didn't hear from her again...nor would I have listened to her if I had. One partner was really mad at Red's coach throughout...kept talking about it at time outs. I tried really hard to calm him down a bit...playing Calm Guy.

Fun JV game, too...won by a bucket with six seconds left. Felt calm throughout the tense finish. Awesome.

The varsity game was quite smooth as well. I can only recall a couple I'd like back...a travel or two I missed, one ticky-tack I could have passed on. I'll take that. The second half was weird...the game didn't much come to me.

I was pleased with my coach management. White had assistants chirping at me. I told the coach that I'd listen to her as much as she wanted, but I needed her assistants to back off. They did, even joking with me a little. Red gave me trouble on a push call. Here's how the conversation went:

HIM: What was the call?
ME: A forearm to the back of the shoulders, coach. It was pretty bad.
HIM: Did you see her get cut off? [For the record, I don't think this happened.]
ME: I told you what I saw.
HIM: Well, you have to see the whole play. You have to see the whole thing happen so you can understand it and make the right call.
ME: [Showing palm] Coach, when I need your help...

Here's where my favorite thing happened. The assistant coach, who had coached the JV that day, put his arm around the head coach and calmed him down. I may be projecting my own story on that action, but I think it's because I was nice to him. One of his girls was hurt during the JV game, so before the game began, I asked him (from my position as U1) if she was okay. Is it possible my being nice to the JV coach helped him calm down his varsity coach? I think so.

I sure hope I have a varsity schedule next year. It's so much more enjoyable.

GOOD: Coach management, call selection
WORK ON: I'm saying bizarre things after my whistle. I need to slow down and talk less.
NEXT: Tiny-school varsity on Monday. Alas, it's 2-man.