&%^$#!@!@+!Parents{}_+)(*&^&^%!!

WARNING...I am on my soapbox...

What is wrong with some parents?!?!?!?!?

As you will remember, one way I am trying to maintain a balance to my life is by getting back into basketball officiating. I was a Men's College Division One basketball official before I answered a Divine Calling of military chaplaincy. I have truly missed officiating the greatest sport on the planet.

I recently did a 6th grade game (it doesn't matter where) and a few parents were embarrassingly pathetic in the asinine ways (I warned you about being on my soapbox) they thought they could be better officials from the stands.

"Traveling!" "Call it the same at both ends, ref!" "He's fouling him every time."

I would love to know what these parents think they are really accomplishing. I can't speak for all referees, but the more I hear crap like that this, the more (or less depending on the alignment of the yelling parent) I want to call what they are crying about.

Let me just say this...the basketball court is a classroom. Parents--you are teaching your children valuable lessons in that classroom. Please think twice about how you trash my authority as a referee, because if you keep it up, someday very soon your child will loose all respect for your authority.

And that my friends is a very certain thing indeed!