Whether you are a fat cat, or a lean and lithe feline, fitness is the real issue. In this game, the legs feed the wolf. They can also kill the wolf — suddenly or slowly. It's all in how you prepare.

It happens, of course, because of the pressure to keep the game going: Don't waste time or else you may slow one team's momentum.

Still, when things go wrong because of lack of communication, momentum doesn't slow; it comes to a screeching halt.

But there is another level of communication, one we haven't written about recently. So click the title to get yet another look at "What we got here is failure to communicate."

When the playoffs begin, the pregame for those officials who are fortunate to call them may include some of the same items as during the regular season. But many areas need special attention.

Click the title to get started.

How many nights were you away from home and not there to tuck in the kids?

Sometimes those sacrifices even extend into the off-season.

The president of my basketball association told me about a clinic he attends. This clinic is a weekend vacation in Wildwood, New Jersey (on The Jersey Shore), for the official and his family, with educational opportunities for the official. What a great combination!

I'm going to write about the clinic I went to in 2006. But John Koskinen's weekend getaway, known as the "Seashore Basketball Officials Clinic," is still going strong. Here's a link to the 2009 version.

I think I've finally stumbled (staggered?) upon the perfect solution to dealing with badly behaving coaches. Is it a chemically-induced epiphany? Or just a bad trip? You decide.