Shoe Shots No. 14 -- A Confab of Zebras: Basketball Referees ...The Necessary People Everyone Loves To Hate ~ Original Photography and Short Discussion ~
"Who's Buying The Beer After THIS One's Over"
This post goes out to the referees of basketball. Those folks in zebra stripes that moderate the game, and keep things flowing along the straight and narrow sporting path, according to the Rules Of The Game. Notes jotted down by James Naismith back in 1891, penned as he tossed a round ball -- with funny lines etched into it's hide -- toward a garage-side peach basket of old.
Thank you, James, we appreciate you, and those rules you came up with so long ago. And thank you, men and women in zebra stripes, we appreciate you as well...at least once the final buzzer sounds. For without these guidelines of behavior, your watchful eye, and very loud whistle, much like life itself, the game would no-doubt devolve into a nasty rugby scrum.
Let's face it, there must be an historic reason for the extra-loud announcement over the PA system before each game: "No batteries or glass containers are allowed in the arena". Hard to believe someone would actually get mad enough to throw a handful of batteries onto the court, but in the wide world of sport, all things are possible.
And even though we yell at you as you run up and down (unless we're winning), disparage your Mother whenever you make a 'bad call', and every now and then toss old snacks and condiments at you when you jog by, keep this in mind...we really DO love you. It's just hard to tell sometimes.
Think of it like putting your finger into a candle flame. Once you remove it, it's over and done with, and you feel SO much better. We love and respect you, which you WILL realize, once the game is over, you're in your Subaru on the exit ramp, no one is yelling at you, throwing things in your direction as you pass, and your Dear Mother is home, safe in bed.
Just think: "Candle, finger, flame, finale."
We love and respect you for the incredibly hard job that you do, day in and day out. If for nothing else, for the love of the game and it's successful fair play. And you are an all-important part of this success.
We salute you, hard working people in zebra stripes.
Thanks for stopping in and viewing the latest Photo Phootwear
Inspired by the NBA playoffs, and a desire to give a bit back to those that perform a herculean task. I've tried it a few times. It is NOT an easy job.
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Excellent work dear friend @ddschteinn congratulations for the excellent captures, the referees are like the Presidents "are a necessary evil", thank you very much for sharing this magnificent material
have an excellent week
Never thought about it that way, but true The President part. Referees I think about whenever I am yelling at them ( : Those necessary evils of life. Thanks for checking in and supporting me, I really appreciate it. Have a nice day as well.
Good story! Your title is much attractive; "Basketball Referees ...The Necessary People Everyone Loves To Hate"! This made me read the story from the beginning till the end! I enjoyed reading it! Great job! ;)
Thank you, and glad you enjoyed it. And even read it all ( : I've always thought they have a very hard job. Even though I get mad at them now and then as well. Not TOO mad though...
You're welcome! You had done good work! I normally don't like to read long article, but this is an exceptional one! Well done! :D
Afraid a few of my articles do get a bit 'windy', so I try to do some 'shorts' as well. But I think I'm just naturally 'windy' ( :
Yes, you have natural humor and I'm always happy reading your story! ;D
Thanks, I appreciate the thought, and glad you enjoy it. Fun to write as well.
With my pleasure! That's good for you to write and for me to read! ;)
Ah bless the zebra striped, its a hard job!
Don't think you could pay me enough. OK, maybe. I suppose I COULD put up with many memories of nasty abuse when retired on a Pina Colada-cooled beach somewhere...
Thinking of Pina Colada cooled beaches always makes me feel quite chilled! aaaahhhh
Nice post, reminded me of those great BudLite real men of genius spots from years ago!
Thanks. I'll have to check that out again on youtube. I remember something about it, but it's a bit fuzzy. Get in line, fuzzy stuff...there seems to be more of where you came from every day.
@ddschteinn
I have a cousin who is a referee and he always sticks by the rules and never caves into pressure. His word is always the last word.
Great picture! Thanks for sharing!
It is a tough job, great your cousin can stay his ground, though I suppose they pretty much have to...to be successful. But that would be difficult, to just do your thing while everyone is yelling at you. They do kind of 'talk' to the crowd though, telling you why they made a call, etc with gestures. I always appreciated that. Thanks for the look and comment. Greatly appreciated.
@ddschteinn
Thanks for your reply! Yes, ti's not always easy but hats off to the great referees out there! Good to hear from you and keep up the good work! Have a great night!
This is my absolute favorite salute to referees ever! Especially the Subaru part, your attention to detail dd, is outstanding!
I recently watched a Park and Rec bball game that was refereed by a young person that was intimidated by a very, let's say, dominate coach on one of the teams. It was almost carnage in the stands and was carnage on the court. People may not always agree with refs, but they are an essential element, and I think your tribute perfectly captured their importance. Bravo!
Also, how do they stay so clean? I mean, their shoes have more shine than that very waxed gym floor. Sigh, I am probably over sensitive regarding any cleanliness factor right now as I am covered with mortar, mud, straw, and concrete. Argh! Enough rambling by this Kat, lovely post and picture, hope you are sipping something cool and enjoying the day!
I'm glad you enjoyed my tribute to the zebri. I dont' watch the NBA, only College, but since it's still going on, I figured I'd do my part for the underappreciated. And I've heard some of the incredible fans you speak of, and coaches, and parents. They can be VERY annoying. Think you wrote about some nasty gym people a month ago or so, if my memory serves. So annoying at times.
As to the ref's, they must get free dry cleaning, or something. They are always so spiffy. Never really thought about that until you mentioned it. Sounds like you need a bit of dry cleaning as well, or a large garden hose. Just saw your post on mud, need to go read it with a slow panache. Or something. Not even sure what that means, it just sounded like it fit together. Anyways, just got home from a bike ride, and now time to hit the hay.
Have a nice night, though you're probably already on your way to tomorrow AM after your tough day. Ta'
If by hit the hay you mean swat at all the bits that were stuck in my hair and on my clothes, then yes! I hit it!
I'm happy to report that I'm ref clean for the moment and it didn't take a garden hose or the pressure washer to get there. That cleanliness is gonna be short lived as we are going to adobe the oven today, so of course I woke up at 3:33 AM! Aaah!
I'm going to go try to stare at the back of my eyeballs with slow panache cause it sounds awesome! Did you spy anymore moderately melted fungi on your nightly bike ride, or perhaps the rotting carcass of a Christmas tree?
Oh, and your memory served you very well, and annoying is the polite word, lol! The refs are far cleaner in appearance than the words that I'm thinking when I ponder the "annoying" creatures 😜. Hope your day is splendid! I'm going to try to pack a non-TSA approved amount into mine!
I am looking forward to the next installment of oven 'how to' with baited breath. Whatever that disgusting euphemism or whatever it is is classified as in the English dictionary, is supposed to mean.
Heh. We only have 1 more layer of cob and a finish mortar layer to go and I will post part two. Right now my arms could be used as crab bait, they are as limp and exhausted as a beached, spawned out salmon. And that is a generous description. Mixing homemade mortar is a workout and a half, and you mentioned bait and euphemism. Um. I think it's bedtime, I'm making less sense than normal! Hope you are having a fantastic night!
What does it say when I understand it all perfectly??? Maybe time for ME to go to bed. It's later than late here. Stopped too many times on my bike tonight to photograph giant millipedes chasing me down the bikepath in the dark...
Well, I am glad that your photography skills (or would that be bike riding skills?) have ascended to such a level of mastery that you could photograph the many legged insects of gargantuan size without becoming their evening hors d'oeuvres!
I do hope that you got some millipede nightmare free rest?Today, out of genuine affection, I am going shopping with my Ma (Shudder). It is an activity that I despise wholeheartedly, but as my Mom is getting ready to head to Alaska for months and wanted to spend some Mother/Daughter time together, I agreed to the torture.
I'm not exactly sure what it says, but there is genuine mirth being experienced in this sector to know that you get it, lol! Yay! Um, I am still fuzzy with post awaken grogginess, but as you tend to understand GK-ness I am just going to pretend that I totally understand what is going on right meow. Hope your day is marvelous!!
We may be seeing more of the extralarge bugs at a later date. I'd have you stay tuned, but that takes too much energy, which you need for your 'umpteen' (as MY Mother would say) chores such as gardening and oven building and weeding and mowing and teaching and horsing around and writing and commenting and dooey'ing and, I think I've just tired myself windless just thinking of a typical gk day. Need a nap.
Speaking of Mothers, enjoy your day out with yours, sounds like fun. "Like going to the orthodontist" -gk. But in all seriousness, time spent with those that brung us in is always a good thing. I'm sure she is very sweet, and probably a character, if uni-generational reverse family genetics has anything to do with it. Buy her a nice cookie before the day is out. And tell her I said hello, that should make her day ( :
Well, I better go make a post, I seem to be delinquent in these things these days, except pictures. Better get with it. Have a marvy day...