Clueless Emma

Animal groups: Could ruling lead to hunters shooting cats? | dailyrecord.com | Daily Record

"A number of animal activists have contacted state officials in an effort to head off a potential reclassification of feral cats, which could end the growing number of programs that trap, neuter and return them back into neighborhoods or the wild, and allow them to be hunted."

via www.dailyrecord.com

Good. Way too many feral cats spreading disease.

Phrase of the Day: Sep 19, 09

"The NFL’s PAC seems to have favored Democrats, but I hope the league doesn’t lean too far to the left. Otherwise the games will be mandated to end in a 0-0 tie, the officials will confiscate all gate revenue, borrow from future concession sales for “touchdown stimulus programs” and you’ll have to give half your tailgate food to Al Gore or else it’ll be 140 degrees at game time."

Doug Powers

Aha! This Proves That Anyone Who Harbors a Baseball Bat

should be closely monitored as a possible murderous terrorist, if one follows the logic of the Left.

This is kinda goofy, but I gotta tell you, it touches my heart for some reason!

It all started back when Army drill sergeants had to "quit being so mean..."

Chicago coaches who "display anger" to be fired.

This is a sad, sad moment in our history, indeed. I daresay Lincoln is turning over in his grave.

U.S. SUPREME COURT REFUSES TO HEAR CASE OF FOOTBALL COACH PROHIBITED FROM BOWING HEAD DURING TEAM'S PRE-GAME PRAYER, LETS STAND PRAYER BAN

"It's a sad statement on our rights as Americans that schools are no longer bastions of freedom. We've become so politically correct and secularized that religious individuals who seek the same First Amendment rights as others are censored."

--John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute

Noble Young Men

Basketball players with a touch of class.

One word: WOW!!

Now if we could only get public schools to follow suit...

The LPGA Tour boasts players from all over the world, and it wants all of them to be able to speak English.

The LPGA will require players to speak English starting in 2009, with players who have been LPGA members for two years facing suspension if they can’t pass an oral evaluation of English skills. The rule is effective immediately for new players.

US VOLLEYBALL GOLD MEDALISTS MAY/WALSH THANK GW BUSH--GET CENSORED

I watched this original broadcast and shouted in glee and disbelief when Walsh deliberately gave a shout out to GWB---just to have them quickly censored on official broadcasts.

Congratulations to both the men and women for winning GOLD in beach volleyball! I was tired just watching all that jumping in the sand...just one question: why are the men covered head to toe while the women wear nearly nothing? Hmmmm....

Cheating ChiComs, Crouching IOC

From Michelle Malkin:

The two pounds of frosty blue eye shadow and Bubblicious pink blush that the ChiComs piled on the cherubic faces of their gymnasts backfired. Rather than mask their youth, the pedo-friendly make-up made them look even younger. Like five-year-olds dressed up for a Beijing Halloween Gone Wild.

One of the Chinese team members has an unexplained missing tooth. Explicable if someone knocked it out– or if she’s the only “sixteen”-year-old on the planet still losing her Chiclet-sized baby teeth. The coaches refused to elaborate on the gap. Take your pick.

Apparently, the ChiComs hoped all that iridescent glitter powder glopped onto the wee foreheads of the athletes would blind spectators’ eyes to the screamingly obvious. Lo and behold, the magic dust has worked on the ostriches who sit on the International Olympic Committee (IOC). They’re in deeper denial about cheating than John Edwards.

Oui-Haw! France turns even line dancing into a socialist event!

In a peculiarly Gallic approach to the phenomenon, French civil servants say line dancing should be submitted to the same rules as sports such as football and rugby. This means imposing training courses for line dancing teachers and a state-approved diploma for anyone who wants to give lessons or run clubs.

Amateur instructors will have to take 200 hours of training under the new rules. Professionals will get 600 hours, including such subjects as line dancing techniques, “the mechanics of the human body” and the English (or at least Texan) language. They will also learn how to teach line dancing to the elderly.

The cost of the courses, about €2,000 (£1,570) for the professionals and €500 for the amateurs, will be largely met by taxpayers. Mr Chauveau said the regulations highlighted the French state's obsessive desire to organise all public activity. “France is the only country in Europe apart from Greece where sport is controlled through the state,” he said. “Line dancing is now considered a sport, so it is being controlled, too.”

Yikes. Yuck. Caca.

Lessons from the dog park

Running along the winding bike paths out at Minto Brown park is cathartic. Oh, it’s also painful and wheezy, with my body out of shape and my allergies in full bloom--but the lazy landscape lush with new crops in rich dark brown dirt and thickets of berries and the birds’ joyous hymns cleanse my soul. Turbo is tireless, glancing impatiently at me when I run too slowly to suit his druthers.

 

Among the lighter elements of this catharsis—a few lessons I’ve learned--I have seen:

1) The silhouette of a family of Dad, Mom, Boy, Girl—trailing into the sunset, fishing poles over their shoulders.

 

Lesson learned: There are still whole, complete families out there. Maybe it is still an attainable dream.

 

2) A middle-aged woman in blue denim overalls, hair a mess, on a very quiet, out of the way trail, dabbing her eyes as she walked.

 

          Lesson learned: I’m not the only one crying.

 

3) Children running unchecked in the dog park—possibly through waste and mess and at the mercy of all unleashed dogs.

 

                                           Lesson learned: Some parents really do not get it.

 

4) Unfamiliar dogs approach each other—stand stiff, look to the side, sniff each other, wag tails, then nonchalantly continue down the trail.

 

Lesson learned: Be polite, even when out of your comfort zone—but be wary.

 

And just from my own experience: chewing gum while running requires sticking it way back behind your teeth when close to the creek. Gnats travel in big ol’ swarms, and believe me, when you have to take a breath in the middle of one, you really don’t want a wad of gum in the middle of your mouth!

 

Islamist in the Hall

A little over three years ago, a report appeared in the Associated Press (AP) linking the mosque founded by former NBA star and recent inductee into the basketball Hall of Fame, Hakeem Olajuwon, with the financing of Islamic terrorist charities. At the time, Olajuwon said he didn’t know. Now, he will need to find a new excuse, as he continues to associate himself with terror-related entities and individuals.

On April 7, 2008, Hakeem Olajuwon was one of seven people to be newly inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. It’s an honor that attests to his greatness as a world-class athlete. However, the stardom and fanfare that he acquired over his 18-year NBA career became tarnished, when a report was released by the AP discussing his ties to the funding of terrorist organizations.

Joe Kaufman

MARCH MADNESS 3

Siena vs Villanova: I really don't care who wins--I've got Kansas beating them in the next round.

2:15 pm ET: Texas over Miami!

2:30 pm ET: Tennessee over Butler 2 pt game, 2 1/2 left in the game...Tn MUST win this...Whew!

2:40 pm ET: Either San Diego or W Kentucky: UCLA beats them next round

2:50 pm ET: Georgetown over Davidson 2 pt game with 7 left. Davidson is the Cinderella and still going strong! Amazing!

4:45 pm ET: Either Memphis or Miss St: Michigan St beats the winner next round, although my USAToday bracket already scratched off Michigan St...what's up with that?

5:00 pm ET: Oklahoma over Louisville

5:20 pm ET: UNC over Arkansas STOMPED 'EM!

MARCH MADNESS 2

2:10 pm ET: Duke over W Virginia Great game into halftime--Duke leading by a prayer. W Virginia holding her own--more skittish, less in control, but scrapping. Within 10 all game. 2nd half--beautiful 3 pointers WV--tied 37 all around! 12 left, WV up by 5! Come on, Duke! I've got you winning the next couple games!...5 left in the game, Duke down by 8. WV dominates the boards...separated by 11 with a minute and a half to go. Smacks upside the forehead all across the country--almost every bracket I've seen has Duke winning until hitting UCLA.

Soon as this game is over, I'm heading out to the dog park--beautiful day today--break in the rain!

Then it's off to Portland to meet a new friend for the 2nd time, eventually ending up in a downtown watering hole, where I hope to catch glimpses of scores between conversation...

Does not look good for Duke. 43 seconds. 58-70. Sorry, guys. I'm calling it over...sigh...

Xavier over Purdue!

Washington St over Notre Dame!

Kansas over UNLV!

Stanford over Marquette!

Michigan over Pittsburgh!

UCLA over Texas A&M! Good thing--I've got UCLA winning the whole shebang, but they'd better play stronger than they did last night! Beautiful stuff to end the game with panache, though!

MARCH MADNESS!!!!

LOVE IT!!!

I cannot get enough of it!

Hot coffee, comfy sweats, warm fire, full bracket of possibilities, underdogs and always someone to root for, first day of the whole next week off work...my kids are with their dad, who is visiting them here for the first time in 8 years, so it's just me and the game...ain't nothin' better'n this! (Nothin' I can remember, anyway...)

My picks today--tenuous at best, I'm afraid:

Davidson over Gonzaga--close game but G just had a run, top of 2nd half--45-54.UPDATE: HOO-AH! AWESOME GAME, DAVIDSON IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES!

Miami over St Mary's--27-32 top of the 2nd. UPDATE: YAY!

Drake over W Kentucky--38-47 top of the 2nd.TIED AT 24 SECONDS TO GO!... OVERTIME!!...TIED AGAIN WITH 5+SECONDS--DOUBLE OVERTIME??..OMG!! W.KY WITH THE LITERALLY LAST-SECOND 3 TO WIN 101-99!! AAAARRGG! I LOVE THIS GAME!

Tennessee over American--40-40 at 11:17 2nd. I've got Tennessee going to the final, so this one hurts. UPDATE: WHEW!

S Alabama over Butler 2:30 pm ET UPDATE:DOESN'T LOOK GOOD...45-70 with 7 left in the 2nd...final: 61-81yuck.

Georgetown over UMBC 2:35 GOOD TO GO--34-24 WITH 18 LEFT IN 2ND...21 seconds left, GT wins!

Connecticut over San Diego 2:45 OH, DEAR...I NEED UCONN TO WIN THIS. MAJOR UPSET IN THE WORKS??...UCONN down by 10, 17 left...sigh...OVERTIME!! 60-60 4 MINUTES TO GO! omg. OMG! San Diego wins it--almost--time out with 1.2 seconds, SD leads by 1...San Diego wins! 13th over #4!! This is why I love this game!

Texas over Austin Peay  2:50 (though I lived right across the street from APU  in Clarksville, Tn for 3 years and I'd love to see them win!) GO PEAY! (NOT EVEN CLOSE...LOOKS GOOD FOR TEXAS!) 36-61, 11 left in the 2nd...leading by 20 with a minute left.

Oklahoma over St Joes 7:10 pm Close at the moment...OK 34-22 with 20 left in 2nd...Ok still ahead, but Joe within 6 with a minute left...close enough, I'm calling it!

UNC over MTSM at 7:10 UNC takes off HALFTIME: 60-41...113-74 with 6 left in the game. Buh-bye, MTSM!

Vanderbilt over Sienna 7:20 VB struggling out of the gate...come on, Vandy, down by 12 at the half! Ah, Vandy, you're toast.

OREGON OVER MISS ST!! 7:25 Oregon off to a great start! HALFTIME: 38-28...down to the wire--Mississippi lights a fire, takes the lead! 54-57 with 7:42 left in the game. Come on, Ducks, BRING IT! Aaagh, Catron is out with 5th foul...plenty of time with 5 left, but Oregon seems to be losing steam...Just put Italian Porketta steaks on the BBQ and Oregon is fouling in the last seconds to a pathetic loss...sad, sad, sad...36 seconds left. 22 pt turnaround...My bracket is not looking well at all.

Arkansas over Indiana 9:30 So far, so good, heading into the 2nd half...76-65 with 2 left in 2nd...woo-hoo!

Louisville over Boise 9:30 Perfect at the half--by 13. Leading by 17 with 2 left in the game...yay!

Clemson over Villanova 9:40 On schedule, 3 left in 1st. Clemson led for a while, but Villanova comes back to lead by 1 with 11 in the 2nd. Tied at 2 left in the game! 66-66!...SIGH...threw it away. Once up by 18, Clemson chokes. #12 over #5.

Memphis over UTA 9:40 Looking good in first half with 7 left, by 11. 62-46 with 13 left. Up by 24 with one minute left--I'm callin' it.


4 LOWER SEEDS ADVANCE FOR THE FIRST TIME--AND IT ALL STARTS OVER AGAIN TOMORROW!

I'LL BE WATCHING WHEN I CAN, BUT WILL BE OUT AND ABOUT IN PORTLAND FOR MY SISTER'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION SATURDAY NIGHT...AND YES, ON A DATE!

SO HERE ARE MY PICKS TO ENTER THE SWEET SIXTEEN:

2:10 pm ET: Duke over W Virginia

4:20 pm ET: Wisconsin over Kansas St

4:40 pm ET: Xavier over Purdue

6:40 pm ET: Washington St over Notre Dame

6:50 pm ET: Kansas over UNLV

YOUTH BASKETBALL, ANGRY MEN, THE GOOD OL' BOYS CLUB, AND ABSENCE OF PERSONAL CENSORSHIP

Previously, I opined about apparent sexism (at the very least, immaturity and rudeness)--within my daughter's youth basketball league, for which I coach. 

Since I posted that little rant, we've played several games with great refs. I don't know if things improved because I sent a very long email to the basketball league board, or because the rude refs refuse to work my games now (could I be so lucky?), or maybe it's just luck of the draw. At any rate, things have been better.

Still, our last game was against the same team we were playing when the rude ref incident occurred, and the other team's coach took over the rude roll.

Listen, I am well aware this could be a problem with me. I've done my best to self-analyze, be as objective as possible, check my emotions and try to see things as an outsider just watching the game. Imperfect and emotional as I can be, the truth is more important than just my side of things (though it would sure be nice to have an assistant coach who happened to be there all the time so we could compare mental notes--even better if it was a guy who was truly on my side). But I can't shake the definite impression I get of discrimination.

We lost 19-32, which was at least a higher score than our previous 11-28. We ran them tired and even were the first to score. My girls have improved so much, and I'm so proud--and my own daughter was a sparkplug out there, with many steals, drives, and wicked defense. We just have such a wide range of skill levels on our team, it's difficult to bring them all together (our lowest have a long way to go, and games can't (or shouldn't) be won on the backs of 1 or 2 players), especially when I'm bound by mandatory substitution rules. With all ten of my girls healthy now, I have to keep teams of 5 intact, which hurts us when I've got a couple who refuse to challenge anyone driving the baseline. Nevertheless, we've improved leaps and bounds and I think they're having fun.

This last game was against the top team in our bracket. They've won all but one game. It would be a fun challenge to play them if they acted like gracious, kind competitors. However, led by their rude coach, the girls are obnoxious and unkind. They had only 6 girls playing, and I hoped to run them tired with my quick 2nd 5.

Our rules stipulate that if there are only 6 players, the coach must sit each girl for 1 complete 6 minute play period. This coach kept the starting 5 in until one girl fouled at with 14 minutes left in the 2nd half. Granted, I wasn't really paying attention until I realized their top scorer (Gargantua) hadn't been out the entire game and, forgetting they had one foul out, asked the coach if he planned to ever sub Gargantua. He YELLED at me that he HAS NO ONE TO SUB! A calm reply would have sufficed. Earlier this coach had yelled, stomped around, argued with the refs about a foul called on Gargantua for swinging her elbows without a pivot, which is an obvious foul, but he not only disagreed, he argued in the ref's face as the ref calmly explained and had a conversation with him. Had it been me yelling and arguing, I guarantee I would never have gotten a calm explanation and certainly would not have been treated as a buddy.

During the game, I asked the refs to watch the 3-seconds in the key (Gargantua parked herself there and never left), and called a timeout 3 times while we had possession of the ball, only to lose possession and have the ref tell me we had to have possession. If my voice is so irritating, why do they only hear it when they want to? Other than that, the refs were fine until the last 2 minutes of the game.

When we hit the last 12 minutes--free substitutions at my will--we began to play good ball. My little girls--the quick ones--shut down Gargantua and began to gain on them. We had been behind 15 pts, forcing them to quit the full court press, per the rules, but during the last 2 minutes, the score was 19-32, which, by my calculation, is a 13 pt spread, enabling clock stoppage. Unfortunately, the parent running the clock was with the other team. To give him credit, he did agree we were within 15 and began to stop the clock but the ref told him to keep it going, ignoring the rules once again.

Here's the thing: I don't make personal comments about girls on the other team or about their parents or their coach. Basketball is a game for the kids, not a time for personal attacks. When I speak up, it has to do with enforcing rules, keeping play fair and safe, and asking questions. When this other coach speaks, he's derogatory, rude, and makes personal attacks. Some examples:

1) When I asked him about subbing his girls out and he YELLED at me he didn't have anyone, I shrugged and smiled kinda goofy. He said, "OMG, you are so weird, all you do is yell at the refs, no wonder your team never wins!" I may be weird, I don't know. But I was not yelling at the refs--I have NEVER yelled at the refs, other than trying to get them to hear me call time out, and the personal attacks were completely insupportable in any case, especially aimed at my girls.

2) When I was trying to get the 2 minute clock stoppage rule enforced, this coach said the same thing he said last time--"It won't make any difference, you won't be able to do anything anyway."

His girls picked up on his attitude and were dancing around, joking loudly about "Oh, no, what shall we do" in reaction to our short scoring streak. When their guard fouled out, the girl who was told to take over at point loudly exclaimed, in a fit of laughter, "Oh, no, I don't know if I can handle it!"

I know youth sports have always been havens for rude coaches and poor refs. I'm not so thin-skinned I can't deal with these pathetic moments. But I have had it with officials who should be monitoring the pace of the game, and enforcing rules, just dismissing them at will. I'm tired of the buddy wink wink nudge nudge good ol' boys referee club in the face of an angry male coach that turns into an immediate peacock feather display of bravado and assumed power when I say anything to the referees.

I've dealt with this same evil, resulting from the military's blind eye towards spousal and child abuse: even with hospital documents, including pictures of my bruises, with an investigation that revealed his endangerment of our baby, when he would leave the house, cut me off the bank account so I couldn't pay the bills and our house lights and water were turned off, I was told there was nothing the Army could do, and I'd better not go to the civilian police, because if he was found guilty of abuse, he'd lose his job b/c he would not be able to carry a firearm, thereby ending his ability to pay child support. I was young and dumb and I listened at the time.

I've dealt with this same evil within the divorce courts of the deep South, replete with obese, snoring bailiffs. The judge said he didn't like divorce cases, took 2 years to take ours (he filed, not I) and told my attorney he wouldn't listen to him, as he was angry at him for something else. My abusive husband was basically rewarded for his evil, although I've come to truly understand that the only thing worth having is my kids and I got them--though he tried a custody suit 2 years ago until I faxed a 28 page explanation as to why he should not have custody. His attorney quit on him. Small victory. I still don't get fair child support.

Is this the same thing happening on the 7th grade basketball court?  Well, I know it's not the same thing, but it's the same evil that grips these rude, obnoxious men who make personal attacks. And really, it crosses gender boundaries these days, too. If you've ever read comments left on high profile political blogs or newspaper websites, or even Craigslist.com, you know people have no comprehension of personal censorship. I used to post a lot in a "Christian" singles forums, but eventually realized most people cannot discuss or argue without attacking ad hominem. It's become an accepted practice, especially shielded by internet anonymity.

I've decided I won't coach for this basketball league next year. Of course, knowing myself, I'll probably forget how disgusted I am right now and become excited at coaching my daughter again. I've had parents ask me to coach a tournament team with players I choose. Maybe I will.

YIKES! BAD REF OR NOT, THIS IS GOING TOO FAR! 6TH GRADE COACH ALLEGEDLY PUBLICLY THREATENS 17 YR OLD REF

Detailed information received at the scene reveals Coach Jeffery Scott Larsen received his first technical foul during the first-half of the game, while he became excessively argumentative when objecting to a foul called on one of his players.

The second technical foul was instituted at the beginning of the 2nd half -- with a resulting ejection from the game -- when Coach Larsen became increasingly angry at the officiating and hastily slammed his clipboard down on a 6th grade girls hand, who was positioned at a courtside table acting as the designated scorekeeper. This young girl sustained a cut to her hand, not requiring sutures or medical attention.

Additional information received indicates Coach Larsen failed to leave the arena when ejected -- as prescribed by law -- opting to stand in a corner of the hall, continuing to yell at the officiating, and continuing to coach his players from a corner of the gym. It was during this point in time, when the Molalla fans became more immersed in the taunting of the referee, and the electrified fan hostility continued to escalate with time. This antagonism was carried onto the floor at the end of the game when both the Estacada and Molalla fans swarmed the floor verbally facing-off against each other. No physical injuries were reported.

At the conclusion of the game, witnesses report Coach Larsen advanced rapidly onto the basketball court while grabbing the arm of referee Houston Webb, and menacingly cocked his arm back with a clenched fist.

I'M AS CONSERVATIVE AS ANY--PROBABLY MORESO--BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS

The Kansas State High School Activities Association said referees reported that Michelle Campbell was preparing to officiate at St. Mary's Academy near Topeka on Feb. 2 when a school official insisted that Campbell could not call the game.

The reason given, according to the referees: Campbell, as a woman, could not be put in a position of authority over boys because of the academy's beliefs.

Campbell's coworkers deserve credit for stepping up and standing with her--military veterans are overwhelmingly good people.ce

THE NEED FOR MUTUAL RESPECT IN YOUTH BASKETBALL IS A SLAM DUNK

I tend to be loud from the bench. I holler at and for my kids to teach them, remind, encourage, etc. I am not rude or belligerent. I do not allow my players to confront the refs, or to yell at them from the bench--it is my job to talk to the refs as their proponent.

As a female youth basketball coach, I'm admittedly in the minority. Apparently, my voice, at times, stands out above the 5 male coaches hollering at the same time in our local basketball game complex. My mom warned me when I began coaching my son's team several years ago, that men may not appreciate a woman in their midst. I threw back my head and laughed. After all, I'm the product of the Title IX generation, the NOW generation, the I-am-woman-hear-me-roar generation. I served in the bowels of the good-ol-boy club--the US Army--and not only survived, but succeeded, out-performing a majority of male soldiers in many tasks. Now we're talking youth sports--how could antagonism towards women be alive and well in the 21st century? I seriously thought Mom was out of touch.That was about 5 years ago.

I do not claim to be the strongest coach or the best strategist. Fundamentals and defense are my forte--I'm continually learning to gauge, run, and teach better offense.

I was MVP for my high school team, though that was in a school of 400. I did not play in college--tried out for volleyball and didn't make the team, so I was too dejected to try out for basketball. When my son began playing basketball in Georgia, I couldn't help noticing most coaches ignore fundamentals, choosing to scrimmage all practice and highlight star players. Consistent defenders who are not showboats, like my son, tended to get overlooked. I was driven to change the way his teams were coached. I helped out as an assistant for that season when he was about 7.

Then, though I've never played a real soccer game, I coached my daughter's 5 and under soccer team in Georgia--fundamentals are fundamentals, regardless the game.

When I was hired to teach full time, I became head coach for a varsity girls team in a small Georgia Christian school. It consisted of mostly 7th and 8th graders; skills were low, but we improved so much over the season, I had parents and coaches from the other teams compliment us in surprise. When we moved back to Oregon, I coached my son's 5/6th grade youth team. One of my most humbling life moments was when a mother approached me in tears, thanking me for changing her reticent, unmotivated son from a kid who was "forced" to play, to a highly motivated basketball player who couldn't wait to play the next year. What is more important than that, when all is said and done?

I'm now coaching my daughter's youth basketball team--last year 6th grade, now 7th.

I have a deep passion for the game, and my goal is to impart that passion to kids, so they'll want to play again. Improvement in fundamentals as a team is more important, in my opinion, than showboating individual players. Learning to focus, to never quit, listening and following instructions, teamwork, learning game aggression within the appropriate context, increasing  confidence and skills are priceless lessons.

In our league, my team is in the lower skilled bracket. I'll skip over the inane team selection process for now--I'm working to swallow that particular bitter pill. I'm focused on coaching my girls to become the best team in our bracket. It's proving a tough assignment, with 1 win, 4 losses. We'll have a winning season, in my opinion, if we can get every girl scoring and every girl improving. Ok, yes, I'd like to win a couple more games, too.

So all this leads up to what's really on my mind: apparent sexism or, at the very least, blatant rudeness, disrespect, and  inability from a few male coaches and male referees. It's not that I'm just a naive chick in over my head.

I dislike when writers quote dictionary definitions, but it feels apropos here. Wordnet says a sports referee is the chief official (as in boxing or American football) who is expected to ensure fair play. Dictionary.com says a referee is (in certain games and sports) a judge having functions fixed by the rules of the game or sport. It so happens that the league I coach for has a set of rules that cover the minutes of each game, substitution rules, fair play time, clock stoppage, appropriate defenses for age groups, etc. It seems, though, that these rules are of no consequence to the refs employed to regulate our games.

My opinion is that whoever is in charge of training and assigning the refs blatantly refuses to train them and hold them accountable for knowing the rules. The rules change among age groups, as well as among city leagues. This does not excuse them from knowing the rules of the leagues and teams they choose to referee.

I know it's "only" youth basketball. But the excuses I've heard for not following the rules are pathetic.

1. When I pointed out we are to play 24 minute halves, rather than 20 minute halves, I was told by the ref, "ah, well, it's only kids." We lost by a few points just after we began to pick up the pace--who knows what those missing 4 minutes might have given us.

2. Over and over I'm ignored when I point out that we're on a running clock until the last two minutes of the game. I have been told several times that if one team is winning by 15, that rule does not apply. So far I've found nothing in my rule book or on the league's website to back up that supposed ruling. Stopping in the last 2 minutes creates a less frantic, more measured close to the game. I've now requested that my parent volunteer automatically stop the clock. This works much better than trying to discuss rules with the refs.

3. At a recent game, I pointed out to the refs my guard was being fouled--(when the defender was on my side away from the refs' vision) the defender was punching at my ballhandler's gut and lower back. My girls were also hit and pushed under the basket a lot. I told one ref they were getting pounded. He laughed and said with a sneer, "No, they're not!" When I told him about the punching, he sneered at me, rolled his eyes, and told me to "Be quiet and sit down." Please note that the other coach was doing just as much talking from the bench, but he was never disrespected by the refs. I said nothing rude, nothing personal, nothing but pointing out repeated fouls--my job to protect my girls.

At halftime, I approached the dark haired ref and said quietly, "Please, do not ever tell me to sit down again." Note I was off the court, even behind my bench, standing b/c I have back problems and because I prefer to stand during games--at no time did I approach the floor or interfere in any way. I felt very disregarded and singled out, and my immediate intuition was that this had more to do with my being female than with anything I'd said or done.

 
He got in my face, puffed himself up, laughed and sneered, and loudly exclaimed, "I'm a ref, I'll tell you to sit down any time I want to."

I told him quietly that it is my right and expectation to protect my girls and point out fouls that are repeatedly missed. 

He fumed about how dare I question his ability to do his job and kept repeating that I'd asked him to call a fair game. I explained that I wasn't questioning his ability, I was helping him keep the game safe and fair for all players.

The other ref told me he agreed with the ref I was speaking to, because he was "sick of hearing my voice."

4. At our last game which, by the way, was called fairly and justly, led by a different ref and assisted by the one who told me he was sick of my voice, I had no problems until the 4th quarter. I couldn't figure out why our offense was struggling so much, until I realized the other team was playing a zone defense, which is forbidden in our bracket. I called a time out, asked the refs to check the zone, as it is illegal. The answer I got? "Nobody is playing anyone, don't worry about it." Um...hmm...isn't that kind of the definition of a zone defense? Did that not make my case? When I pointed out rules are rules, he said rules are rules, but nobody follows them. And I'm nobody? It would be a heck of a lot easier for me to have my girls in a zone, but I don't do it. It's ILLEGAL. For the record, the other coach told me after the game it was unintentional--the girls were lost. I don't know if that's true or not--seemed to me they all stood in the key,  even though my girls were playing a high give-and-go offense at the top of the 3 pt line. I respect, him, though, for being honest and kind. It's my bad, really, for not noticing earlier what was going on and switching offense to a zone screen too late. But isn't that the job of the officials?

Bottom line: It doesn't matter if the refs don't like the way I look, the way I sound, the way I coach--there must be mutual respect and professionalism as we are mentors for these kids. I suppose because I'm loud and female, my voice might bother the refs. But if I'm treated differently than male coaches simply because I'm female, if I am disrespected as an individual, if my girls are being hurt and fouled without recrimination on the court, the behavior of these refs is inexcusable. They must know the rules, enforce the rules, and make the safety of all players their top priority. I am also a parent, paying these refs to do their job, volunteering my time. I should not be exposed to rudeness and immaturity. 

 

HOME-GROWN ROOKIE MAKES OREGON PROUD

What a game!  I had no druthers regarding this year's Super Bowl, other than I always cheer for the underdog--until I realized we had a small-town boy not only on the player list, but PLAYING as a rookie!

The Boss-man, as he's affectionately known in the sleepy town of Monmouth, where he played ball for Western Oregon University, had quite a group of followers packed into local watering holes to watch his Super Bowl debut.

It was Boss' 45 yard catch in the 4th quarter that put the Giants into scoring position, and as a rookie, well, how could that be topped!

Though I don't know him personally, I suppose all of us small town Oregonians can catch a bit of happy, knowing we grew one o' them big 'uns in the Willamette Valley.

Football, family, food, and a tiny claim to a local boy's fame--what could be better'n that.

VERY COOL! KEVIN BOSS FROM WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY, MY ALMA MATER, IS PLAYING IN SUPER BOWL TODAY!

Local boy will start in the Super Bowl for the Giants

I'M AGAINST A NANNY STATE, BUT TRULY, WHEN IT COMES TO HIKERS IN SNOW, BY GOLLY, USE YOUR BRAINS. CARRY THE DEVICES! PERHAPS NOT MANDATORY, BUT REQUIRE A WAIVER OF ALL RESCUE EFFORTS IF REFUSED.

The latest Mount Hood rescue effort to find a pair of climbers who failed to show up at Timberline Lodge Monday has highlighted the debate over the Mt. Hood Locator Unit.

The unit, not much bigger than a cell phone, was developed after a May 1986 hiking tragedy that claimed the lives of nine students and staff from the Oregon Episcopal School who were trapped by bad weather during an annual hike.

The units send a radio signal that search teams can use to triangulate the rough coordinates of lost climbers. The device is sewn into a thick strap and worn across the torso or inside a backpack. When activated, it sends out a radio signal. Searchers on Mount Hood are equipped with special receivers programmed to pick up the signal, which can extend as far as five miles but is affected by natural obstructions such as cliffs.

"It's pretty much line of sight," said veteran climber Steve Rollins of Portland Mountain Rescue. "If we can see it, we can receive it."

But someone still has to call authorities to alert them of the missing person, or no one will look for the signal, Rollins said.

"Activating a mountain locator unit does not activate a rescue for you," he said. "And it certainly doesn't guarantee that we can get to you."

The units became a subject of debate after three other climbers -- Brian Hall, Jerry "Nikko" Cooke and Kelly James -- went missing last year while climbing Mount Hood. Their fate became a national story as blizzardlike conditions pinned searchers near the timberline for days.

None of the men had an MLU, though James had a cell phone that he used to call his family from a snow cave near the summit where his body was found. All three died on the mountain.

Somerescue groups and climbers are wary of making the units mandatory. "Sometimes it gives people a false sense of security," said Todd Wells, a searcher with the Hood River Crag Rats.

Wells also questioned the MLU's effectiveness. He was one of the rescuers using a receiver Sunday to track the signal emitted from the party's MLU. "It was like a needle in a haystack," he said.

Other distress beacons are also available, including avalanche transceivers that can send and receive signals.

More recently, personal locator beacons have become available. They're similar to those carried by ships or airplanes, and communicate with satellites. They send out a distress signal along with a location, but cost about $500.

At minimum, experts advise people heading into the backcountry to a carry a cell phone, compass, maps and a global positioning system unit. And they should know how to use them.

AND THEY WERE ALL NAMED MOHAMMED...?

PORTLAND WINTER HAWKS WIN WORLD RECORD IN TEDDY BEAR THROW...

ONE OF MY FAVORITE TOYS GROWING UP WAS A ZIP CORD EK MOTORCYCLE THAT JUMPED A RAMP...OR TRIED, ANYWAY...

Evel Knievel, the red-white-and-blue-spangled motorcycle daredevil whose jumps over crazy obstacles including Greyhound buses, live sharks and Idaho's Snake River Canyon made him an international icon in the 1970s, died Friday. He was 69. 

America has lost one fantastic showman.

Changes

Adolescent boys with young muscles, just learning of hormones, testing their physical and emotional strength, exhuberantly showing off for girls, parents, friends--thrown in jerseys, stuffed with padding, helmets restraining bulging egos,  set on the field to scrap against an identical group of boys in different colors--the sweet, thick air of testosterone-injected high school football signals changes of season, of life...

Chilly nights, almost-frosty mornings, changing colors, crunchy leaves--fall's jewel-toned splendor...

I'm off to watch my 15 yr old boy play JV football 3.5 hours away...long night, but oh, so worth it.

God is good.