In one game, played last season between two junior colleges, I couldn't believe my ears. Coach number one, from San Jacinto, on my second foul call of the game: "Why'd you wait so long to make the call! We had the ball and were inbounding!"

Not disputing the call

He wasn't disputing the call: a foul call on a block perpetrated by his player right in front of him 3 minutes into the game. No, the call was the right one. It was just that the whistle was too slow for his liking. He was already climbing out of his shorts and all over me because I had a slow whistle.

To his credit, he apologized to me on a later trip down the floor, and I told him my slow whistle simply meant I was making sure I saw the whole play. He knew his team — with a neutral won-loss record — was up against some stiff competition, a team that was first in conference.

Continued...