Spring Like Weekend, Officiating Egos...

The predicted Spring Like weather did indeed arrive as predicted, however, what was supposed to be mostly to partly sunny and warm, turned into a mixed bag....Saturday as we headed south to Centerville then Lebanon for that cities Holiday Festival and a ride on the Polar Express with Hal, Lisa, and Kasyn the sun was in and out, but the day turned into a rather pleasant trip...the rain stayed away and we spent 4 hours or so walking the street festival then on to the train for the Christmas themed "Polar Express" ride and visit with Santa.

Grandson Kasyn, just turned one last week, was decked out in the Santa Suit that Lisa had purchased for him....walking the streets of Lebanon, he was the hit of the day....We departed before the parade started and got out of the crowded town...Highway 48 was jammed packed heading south in Lebanon, the trip north to Centerville however was less traveled, and we were back at the Condo in short order.  Lisa and Hal ordered some Pizza, and I helped them take care of that before Patricia and I headed home, The K-Man was sound asleep by that time.

Yesterday it poured down rain in the early part of the day as Nick and I headed to Columbus in Nick's new Ford Pick Up to collect Sam's stuff for his pending move to the Chicago Bergs....by the time we reached the Capital City, the rain had turned to drizzle, we made quick work of that, and headed home.  We, at Nick's behest, decided to stop at the Beer Barrel in St. Marys, 3 hours later we were calling Sam and Patricia to pick us up, in no condition to drive....sampling a variety of Christmas Ale on draft and other brews, we both were pretty well 'shitzfaced".  I feel fine this morning, but have no desire to repeat that scenario again, anytime soon, but at least we got Sam's stuff here, and then will move it again out of the garage, once he finds a place in the Northlake Region of Illinois.

Today Patricia and Sam headed back to Centerville, her with taking a personal day to sit with Kasyn, and Sam dropping her off then heading to Cincinnati....I will watch the grandson on Tuesday and Thursday of this week, with their baby sitter off on vacation.  As the morning dawned, it was still a foggy, drizzling mess out of doors.  Frankly, it's December, I'd rather have 30 degrees and clear skies than this....and it appears that is coming later this week...more December like weather.

Officiating Egos____

This week marks the first full week of Basketball officiating on my 2012-13 schedule...tonight, tomorrow, Thursday, and Saturday morning double headers are on the agenda.  For the two weeks that follow, the schedule load is likewise, before a less busy final week of the year, then January is my busiest week of the Basketball Season.

I have been a Baseball umpire for many years, been named State Tournament eligible, worked 4 Regionals, as well as dozens of Sectional and District games...despite the fact that I believe that I am better than most,  I have kept my ego in check...after all, it is high school baseball for Gawd's Sake....yes, Ive also done American Legion District Tournament finals, and Summer ACME{High School} State Games in Varsity and Junior ACME, but like anybody else, I don't get it right 100% of the time, and I for sure don't look down on younger, and less experienced umpires.  For some reason many basketball,and to a lesser extent,football officials
don't seen to "get it".

High School Varsity officials, at least some, seem to think they are something special...even to the extent of talking down or ignoring younger, less experienced officials.  Now admittedly I work very few Varsity games....a few years ago I decided to get into varsity games, and after a few of those I found out I really didn't like it.  The fans, the egos of coaches and fellow officials, just were not what it is with football and baseball, so I backed down and decided to finish out my basketball officiating days doing mostly Junior High, with a few Freshman and JV games tossed in....I still work girls varsity on occasion, if an AD needs a hand, but for the most part it's not my thing...I enjoy the workout that basketball gives me in the winter, but little else about it appeals to me.  Baseball is, and always has been,  my favorite, after all I've been around the game, playing, coaching, or umpiring, for most of my 63+ years.  Football at all levels is OK, although there are coaches I can truly say I can't stand, but it's still more enjoyable at all levels than roundball.

So a message to those hot shots doing varsity high school roundball...."Check your ego at the door, and give the younger guys some respect and help, as for older guys like me, I don't need your respect or help, especially if you are a major league asshole, and a minor league official".   As I said, not all, are this way, but a good percentage are, and some of them I work baseball with....and I, despite their shortcomings, would never treat them the way they do the younger basketball guys, working JV games.

Also, speaking of High School Sports, Congrats to Marion Local and Coldwater, both out of the MAC won their respective Divisions in Football, The Flyers winning D6 and Coldwater D5, it was Marion Local's 6th title and second in a row, the Cavs 3rd and first since 2007, after finishing runners up the past 2 years.  Two Titles for our small Mercer County, giving us a full 1/3 of the 6 state titles up for grabs.

That's my rant for the day....back later>>>>