He's Our Guy!

Today they sit at a computer and fulfill their coaching obligation; years ago, we gathered together and discussed, challenged and finally agreed. I'm speaking about the required rating of basketball teams and ranking of referees before the IHSA Post Season Regional to which your school is assigned. Unfortunately, this modern technology processes rob coaches of treasured moments of human interaction and lighthearted fellowship.

First, may I paint the backdrop? Basketball tournaments beg for a ranking of teams with hopes the better teams likely advance to title games and the next round. The rating of teams is relatively easy due to interactive scheduling of play. However, the most interesting moments between 4-to-8 coaches always came as coaches went through the names of perhaps 100 basketball officials with the IHSA mandate 'each Regional site must submit a final ranked list of twenty referees.'

The host tournament manager would read the alphabetized officials list with the rule understanding that should 3-coaches 'scratch' a name then that referee is removed from consideration. As the names were read, you might hear one or two or three scratches called out. You would place the number 1-or-2 next to the ref's name or in the case of three scratches you'd cross off his name.

I remember in the early 1970's while coaching at Edwardsville, we Regional coaches were meeting at Collinsville. I vividly recall the name Bob Freels being called out and a chorus of "scratch" followed. Freels is off the list. As the process concluded, we had only 19-officials listed. We had to go back and decide which one of the 'scratched' names would be put on the list to meet the number '20.' If you guessed Bob Freels, you're correct. After the 20-man list was ranked in a secret vote by all coaches, Freels finished THIRD. Why? Because he had been hired by all of us to work tough regular season games. He was in the fire and some of those games were tough losses. The coaches do have a tendency to hold those feelings about officials. However, when push came to shove, in that private vote moment, perspectives always return to reality...the reality of 'Let's be honest!' In the end, Freels was 'Our Guy.'
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Our Guy