A Visit From One Of The 3 Nephites - 2012 Opening Nite Stake Men's Basketball

6:00 PM Game    Cortina 1st vs Cortina 2nd

When Cortina 2nd Ward was a NO SHOW I was thinking "somethings never change" – namely teams not showing up on game night…… And this is MY home ward, too! Led by Kyle McCluskey, who has successfully navigated Cortina to be a perennial 3rd place finisher and everything. Most teams would give the boot to a manager that can't do better than 3rd place year after year, but Cortina 2nd doesn't have anyone else willing to take the lead or any more capable, so Kyle remains…… I later learned Cortina had a "Daddy Daughter" Primary Activity and that's why they were a No Show, except for one fellow that did show up who evidently does not have a daughter in primary. That his wife & young kids came to watch would verify that assumption.

A Cortina 1st Warder warming up for the game that was not to be, put up a shot that was obviously not gonna hit the rim & hollered, "Oh NO, it short." His ever sympathetic teammate quipped, "probably won't be the only short shot you have tonight!" Such fellowship!

Those that did show up decided to revert to the traditional method of selecting teams & shoot free throws. The 1st five that make a free throw are on a team. After a half dozen brick shots I told them to just count out 1 - 2, 1 - 2, etc. to select teams as they would only had 40 minutes of game time & by the time five of them made a free-throw the time allotted to play would all be used up. (And the same guys that can't make a free throw like to attempt three point shots!!)

"RAWR!" Image by Riley Kaminer via Flickr

6:40 PM Game    Ironwood vs Nauvoo Station

A quick reminder, my son Tyler has finished his US Army service which included two tours in Afghanistan. First as a Paratrooper with 82nd Airborne, then as a Sergeant with Psy Ops / Special Operations.

Tyler has whined his whole ball playing career that I am unfair and do not call foul on players when theyfoul him. Feel free to hammer him when you play Nauvoo Station. I'm still not gonna give him any breaks!!

I've got to admit my son Tyler did make me proud in his debut playing for Nauvoo Station in the Queen Creek North State Men's Basketball Program and almost lived up to the hype he was putting up about his "game". In fact, Nauvoo Station finally won a game, prevailing 46 to 33 this time. The Nauvoo station brethren need to take up a collection & buy some "up to date" shorts for one of the Garlock boys who showed up wearing shorts that were throwbacks to the late 70's - way too short & way too tight. Avoiding the embarrassment of being seen by the Sistern of the ward was the only good thing about none of those single Sistern in showing up to watch the game. Fortunately Brother Wright, the ever faithful bishopric member, did show up and handled the scorekeeping duty.

If you've never seen Northern Arizona Native American "Reservation Basketball" you've not seen an awesome display of fitness & endurance and a unique brand of basketball. This season I worked a Post Season Tournament Game in Prescott Village at the Tim's Toyota Center. Many of the teams were from the reservation. Just prior to the Tip Off of my game a Native American fan hollered, "get ready to run like you've never run before ref!!" And he was right, too!! Well, Nauvoo Station had a Native American player show up. No one seemed to know if he was in their ward or had been invited by a ward member to come play. (He might even be one of the 3 Nephites for all I could find out). From the moment he stepped on the floor until he stepped off the court he did not stop running. He ran whoever was guarding him from Ironwood ward ragged. It was great to see that style of play, so I hope he plays the rest of the season!! If he does, and you're guarding him – get ready to run!!

A pleasant surprise for this game was Chris Capps of the Cortina 2nd Ward, a season High School Varsity and Tournament experienced Referee, he showed up to say saying he'd come to help referee. Also Jon Mott, Ironwood Crossing's Elder Quorum President, former Globe High School Boys Varsity Coach and currently coaching at Coolidge High School also showed up saying he'd come to referee. He figured learning more about how referees work and think would help him be a better High School Coach. That may be so, but the thing that would best help Jon to be a better coach would be to have a few players on his team taller than 5' 8"…… Tough to rebound & win against a 6' 5" Center when your Center is 5' 8".

7:20 PM Game    Cortina 3rd vs Vineyard 

I don't remember much about this game. One of the players was a fellow I had taught as a Teachers Quorum Advisor when I first moved to Queen Creek five years ago. Nothing like seeing a "kid " you taught and finding out he's now 19 to make a fellow feel old!! I was in such a state of shock I don't know if we even had two full teams.

8 PM Game       Desert Mountain vs Ranch 

8:40 PM Game    Cambria vs Rittenhouse 

Don't remember anything about these games I was working with Jon Mott on the court and did not take any notes. Jon has learned that when a ball goes Out of Bounds & he is the referee nearest the ball, it is advisable for him to blow his whistle. Jon's most common question of the night was, "Guess I should have blown my whistle on that play, shouldn't I?" He is learning it's a lot easier to referee from the coaches sideline then when wearing the striped shirt.

I'm hopeful Jon and Chris can help referee most of our games because when they can't you brethren will get to experience the referee challenge! The alternative is to let you call your own fouls and I already know that doesn't work!! There are some players that insist "I never touched him", even when there's blood evidence, who'll who will never call a foul on themselves. And there are some that will be slammed into the stage and say it was a clean play and not call a foul on the other guy.

9:20 PM Game   Crismon vs Remington Heights 

A rematch from one of last season's Semi-Final Games and it WAS A GAME!! We could have charged admission for the quality of this one!! Crismon squeaked it out again by one point in the closing seconds of the game. Marc (what was his last name?) from Remington Ward showed why he's the dominant player in our stake and it almost looked like he'd pull off the win on his own late in the game. But Crismon also had several excellent players and held on. (Sometimes literally.)

Because you asked and I'm such a nice guy: We are playing High School Rules which do not allow players on a Free-Throw to enter the lane until the shot hits the rim (that's assuming the shot will hit the rim, of course.) Everyone wants to think they're NBA and want to enter on the "release" by the shooter. "Ask and you shall receive "– as an experiment I'm going to say OK to that even though I'm concerned it's going to lead to a lot more pushing and shoving for position and elbows to the chin. We'll try it for a few nights to be sure you are all behaving yourselves. Don't mess it up!

Lost but found: A V-necked Diamondbacks long sleeved warm up shirt. Tell me what color it is & it's yours. If no one claims it after a couple weeks it's headed to DI. You can check with me after this Sunday Evening's Stake Conference Adult Session.

Schedule change coming: Got a notice the gym will be closed one week in May for floor refinishing so I need to make an adjustment to the schedule, so be watching for that.

Ladies Nites: A few Sistern have asked when they get to play basketball. Some are former High School Players, you see, who miss playing the sport. Even though I sometimes think I'm watching some Brethren play like women on our men's nites, (one player complained he had been poked by a "too long fingernail" Tuesday night) perhaps it's fair to give the ladies at least one night to organize and play? So, since these reports are passed by Present Bagley and High Counselor Arnson to President McClure, this will serve as my asking the Stake Presidency if they'll approve one night of Ladies Basketball this season. If I get permission I'll let you know. Until then it's no use asking me about it anymore because I ain't the Stake Relief Society President and I don't schedule women's sports.

It's Not The Spirit That Constrains Me, It's My Wife - Men's Basketball Report QCNS 8/31/11

Intrepid Brethren of the Hardwoods,

A fellow commented to me that he thought my weekly reports were amusing but they were a bit verbose......I can only respond that I feel as the Book of Mormon writers who said they were "constrained by the spirit" and could only include 100th of the things that happened. Actually it's not the spirit that constrains me, it's my wife, Kim who reads my missives before I send them out who says, "You're not really going to say that, are you? Sometimes I listen and am constrained. Other times......BUT I still can only include the 100th part of the stuff that happens each week.

Here's my Report-

It's good that we pray before each game as most of those shots I see being thrown up don't have a prayer of going in.

Remember, we play defense with out feet- NOT our hips, knees, elbows, & hands. In verbally warning player not to stick his knee out he replied, "Vic, you see too much!" Yep he was guilty as warned!! So please demonstrate your defensive prowess by getting into proper positions and beating the Offensive player to the spot.

The Offensive Player with the ball cannot push off or jump into/onto the Defensive Player to create space to fire off a haphazard shot. You fellows that love to streak off on a Fast Break or drive to the lane remember that principle when you are bouncing off Defenders, who have legal guarding positions and are maintaining the Principle of Verticality, like a pinball. YOU initiated the contact, so there's NO foul on the Defense. Youse take youse chances when you blast into the pack like that and the chances of my calling a foul on the Defense are not good unless they whack you really hard!

The Principle of Verticality DOES allow a player to jump STRAIGHT up in the air. He is not required to keep one or Both feet on the floor.

I was pleased that many teams DID arrive with WHITE and DARK shirts. Now if we can define "Dark" as really dark (blue, black, ect)- not Gray & Pastel yellows) it would help. You think it doesn't matter, but when the Referee is looking in  swarm of players and seeing multiple colored shirts it's hard to tell if a player is being bumped by a team mate or a opponent. Wearing distinctive shirts makes Referee calls easier. (Yes, I'll consider "Doger Blue" or BYU sissy blue as sufficiently distinct to be a Dark Color. Texas Longhorn puke orange is still banned.)

I notice the supposed "best" Referees are still eschewing actually Refereeing during games and seem content to try to Referee as they play. I'm not play attention to any of their "helpful" suggestions during games. If you want to Referee, put the shirt on.

A big THANK YOU to those who have been volunteering to Referee. You're making good calls!

The hapless Nauvoo Station boys had a sizable cheering section at their game. Or was it a jeering section? Hard to tell with all the hilarity that goes along with watching Nauvoo Station antics. One of the Garlock boys scored a basket in front of the Sistern that the opposing team felt should have been called as a traveling. As Nauvoo Station was on the short end of an in process 70 - 32 drubbing by Cortina 3rd ward, I figured it was better to let the Travel go so he could "look good" for the ladies. Poor boy must be at least 26 years old by now and fully qualified as what J. Golden Kimball described as "Any man 26 year or older and not married is a menace to society." We've got to do something about enhancing his appeal to the marriage eligible sistern of the Stake so he can get married before they ordain him a High Priest to be with Brethren of similar age......so I let the Travel Violation go.....

"Holding a basketball" by Your Best Digs via Flickr

Matt (No last name listed) of the Cortina 2rd ward was the "High Scorer" of the night based on 2 criteria.

1. Someone from Cortina 3rd Ward kept individual scores and showed Matt as pouring in 24 points
2. No other team kept individual scores

Not only did Matt put on an impressive display of Offensive skills I'm guessing he also did not have time to do any Refereeing in his game or help keep score......then again, maybe he DID help keep score which explains his 24 points?

Jeff pumped in 15 points while Todd & Ned each netted 10 points in Cortina 3rd Ward's victory.

Cortina 1st Ward slipped by Desert Mountain 46 - 44 in a spirited game.

Ranch & Vineyard quit keeping score @ 28 - 14, or was that the FINAL score??!!

Ironwood Crossing smacked their arch rival Ironwood 55- 38. Jon Mott proved he can at least hit the back board on a 3 point attempt......can't say much else, but it does create rebounding opportunities for his teammates who all turn & race to the basket for the rebounding positions as soon as they see the gleam in his eye as he starts hin unorthodox shooting motion....

Remington heights 44 points fell just short of Rittenhouse which scored 47 points even tho Jeff Monson has yet to make an appearance for Rittenhouse Ward yet this season.

And the GAME OF THE NIGHT was Dark 60- White 56. That's all the team identification there was on the Score Sheet.

Bro Mortensen from one of the Cortina Wards managed to get his wife, Pres Smith's daughter, back to watch his game. She came the first night & hadn't been back since. Said something about the games being "mildly good entertainment" but not better then watching "What Not To Wear"......as she left the first nite!

And have you noticed Ladd Smith shows up in a different pair of shoes every week? ALL are blinding florescent/ neon colors. Ladd's wife says she is NOT responsible for his wardrobe or shoe selections......

We will take a 2 week break while the Stake YW play a Volleyball Tournament.

Our Tournament will commence Thursday September 29th. That should allow time for aches & pains to be soothed and a few player to return from Injured Reserve.

HOUSEKEEPING-

Teams playing the 6:00 PM game can help speed up the game start by pushing the chair racks off the Cultural Hall floor into the Overflow area as they arrive. Please push them way to the back so there is plenty of room for spectators, rowdy kids & NBA scouts to view games from the Overflow area.

Teams playing the 9:20 PM games could please push the chair racks back into the Cultural Hall near the stage after their game.

Proposed 2012 Schedule-

The Queen Creek Stake, which hosts the Softball Field HAS APPROVED our use of the field THURSDAY NITES August 16th- November 15 in 2012. We'll try to run B-Ball from Feb 28-June 12 in 2012. I'll be submitting that to the Stake this week.

Lost & Found-

A pair of Black, White & Red Nike shoes have not yet been claimed. IF they're yours please pick them up.

Each week B-Balls are being left at the gym. If you lost yours on the court, check the equipment room by the stage.

QCNS 2011 Softball Championship FINAL REPORT

It's tough to REPEAT as Champion in anything, Yet apparently not so tough to repeat as the perennial Stake Runner Up in softball......

Not wanting the Relief Society Sisteren to feel they have any advantage over the brethren I set up my traditional Game Nite Table. A Patriotic table cloth, some of my wife's hand painted firecrackers & other patriotic crafts, a photo & some potted flowers. Someone decided the table also needed to be adorned with a pile of sunflower seeds. I later found out it was Cortina 2nd Ward Lori Ann McCluskey's kid, running amok as usual......

But first the games-

Photo by Jodola via Flicker, available and modified  under a Creative Commons Attribution License

6:30 PM Cortina 3rd VS Nauvoo Station

You gotta love the enthusiasm of Cortina 3rd Ward showing up in Black & White T-Shirts emblazoned "Cortina 3rd Ward DOGS." Especially since it meant Travis Padilla wouldn't be wearing his usual puke orange Texas Longhorn "Fork 'Em" shirt......

It's also tough trying to be a "cool & nonchalant" Young Adult Male. One fellow strode up to a small gathering of team mates & single sisters, causally tossing his ball glove on the table with an "I'm so cool I can do a 'No Look' toss and land my glove on that table" look on his face. The table is about 4' wide. He missed it, hitting the far edge and looked in horror as his "I'm so Mr Cool I can lob my glove anywhere & make it stick" look faded as fast as his glove bounced off the table. So tough......There was a new player for Nauvoo Station. A recently baptized fellow names Ryan. Glad to see him playing. Playing Church Softball opened the door to me for church membership, much the the chagrin of many I'm sure!

Game time was a few minutes away & Nauvoo Station had only 7 players. They asked if a couple of the sisters who'd come to cheer could play. Even tho I knew it would IMPROVE the skill level of the team I said "Sure," figuring if Cortina 3rd Ward had any illusions about prevailing as our Stake Champions they ought to be able to beat a team with girls on it! Mind you, Cortina 3rd Ward was absent it's best player. The power hitting & master fielding 3rd Baseman, Skye Fagrell, who being a Seminary Teacher @ Corona Del Sol High School, felt compelled to attend a mandatory Church Education Services meeting. And one of the sisters that wanted to play was the former Higley High Girls Fast Pitch All Star power slugger, Pitcher Jill Rosenhan. Turned out 10 players finally were present and the sister's participation was not deemed necessary. Silly boys......

The game started with Nauvoo Station's Yoshi ripping a rocket at 3rd base that careened off the 3rd Baseman's glove and still had enough juice on it that it took a jagged hop & scooted past the left fielder to the fence. Yoshi, showing exceptional- and here to for not seen speed- raced to 3rd base. The Short Stop's relay throw was short armed into the ground after about 25' & rolled another 50' to 2nd base......It did not look like it was gonna be Cortina 3rd Ward's finest game. The inning ended with Nauvoo Station leading 9 - 0, with the only thing looking good for Cortina Ward was their shirts.

Sam Garlock, arguably Nauvoo Station's best player- I say arguable since you could make a good argument that someone else was Nauvoo Station's best player, but we won't get into that- had to leave for what he termed a business meeting but assured his team he's be back for the Championship Game. Famous last words! Jill Stepped in & took his place.

Cortina 3rd Ward batters seemed baffled by Grant Garlock's pitching motion, (Yes, that's Sam's brother. The Garlock boys are constantly bickering about which of them is the best looking, It's an argument neither can win, especially if someone else is thrown into the comparison......) anyway, Grant had his odd, halting motion, he sticks his glove straight out toward the batter, bends his knees like he's about to genuflect then rises in slow motion to release an underhand shot put like pitch that seems to float toward the plates at a speed that would not even register on a Radar Gun. Grant had commented earlier to one of the Nauvoo Station Sisters that she had not been to any of their games long enough to see him make any "good plays." There's a reason for that & it's not because she hadn't been staying to watch the full games, either!

2nd inning score 12 - 0. Even the "Dogs" shirts were starting to lose their bark.

The 3rd inning did not get much better for Cortina 3rd Ward as Scott Potter was called out looking at a 3rd strike that barley nipped the mat. One of those pitches that the Umpire has to get on his knees & look at the dirt imprint of the ball to see if it grazed the mat. The Umpire was Scott's teammate. Scott just smiled & walked back to the dug out showing exemplary sportsmanship regardless of whatever he was thinking in his mind on the long walk back. Then he had to turn around to Umpire while the fellow that just called him Out batted. On a similar close call Scott called a ball on a close pitch that also would have been a 3rd strike. Fortunately for that batter it was called a ball as he hit an Inside Park Home Run on the next pitch. BOTH pitches were correct calls, by the way.

Score after 3 innings 12 - 3.

A Cortina 3rd Ward Sister left saying she had a Relief Society Activity to attend that promised to be more exciting than the hitting exhibition the Cortina 3rd Warders were putting on,

Up to this point Nauvoo Station's power hitter Ole had pounded out his 2 hits of a least 300'+. Trouble was they were 300' UP and only 150' out. Cortina 3rd Ward knew once Ole started turning around and bouncing balls off the fence that their nite would only get worse!

Then came the 4th inning lead as Cortina 3rd Ward came up to bat. Now, I don't know how exciting that sister's Relief Society Activity got, but the Cortina 3rd Ward batting got REAL interesting at this point! They's score's 10 straight runs before their 1st out and eventually score 16 runs to forge a 19-12 lead.

Nauvoo Station answered with 2 runs in the 5th inning. (Even Jill had a base hit to equal Sam's productivity at the plate for that game, so there was nothing lost in Sam's absence!)

The score was now 19-14 with a few minutes of game time remaining. Nauvoo Station had to close out Cortina 3rd Ward to get another chance to bat and pull out the game.

It was not to be. Austin McGilvary (or is it McCalvary or MacGillivary?) his team knows who I mean, Austin, who IS the Calvary when they need a "big hit", laced out his 3rd hit of the nite- another inside park home run to seal the victory as time ran out for Nauvoo Station.

And several Cortina 3rd Ward cell phones popped out to speed dial Skye Fagrell- "We won! Championship Game @ 8:30 PM. CAN YOU MAKE IT??" "Tell the CES Director you're sick & need to go home. Say anything, just get here by 8:30 PM!!"

7:30 PM Defending Stake Champions Ironwood VS perennial Stake Runner Ups Cortina 2nd Ward

I thought the Ramada roof might fall down as some Cortina 2nd Ward wives who normally shun the ballpark for Bunko or Book Club strolled in- Lori Ann McCluskey & Cheryl Lynn Blinston in particular. Heather Roberts (who has stopped by to cheer her husband a couple times this year), Margaret Marques (whose husband was playing his 1st game in a few years) & Heidi Ann Lambert (who was a frequent attender) also showed up. Even that Whiting woman managed to show & stay for the game instead of dropping her kids off expecting ME to babysit them. The sisters said they wouldn't miss the game for a anything! No, that's not a statement of support like you're thinking. What they meant was they showed up to gab and wouldn't "miss it" if they missed any of the game action. In other words, they were oblivious to the actual game and did not miss what they missed. Make sense now?

Ironwood went scoreless in the 1st inning while Cortina scored 2 runs with Kyle McCluskey hitting an inside the park home run. Kyle was motoring his fastest & barely had enough gas in his tank to make it all the way around to score. Maybe it was his gas that propelled him down the home base path to score......but he did score.

Undaunted, Ironwood scored 6 in the 2nd inning while Corina 2nd was blanked. Ironwood added 6 more in the 3rd inning.

About this time a 5 gallon paint bucket showed up near the Ramada surrounded by several small boys each emptying water bottles into the bucket. Some of the kids were the notorious Martineau Gang of boys, so I suspect one of them pulled the bucket out of his pocket. There were 2 kids at the drinking fountain filling up more water bottles. I brought the situation to the attention of the nearest sisters to warn them of possible water splashing their way & to watch out for a kid going head first into the bucket. Then I walked away.

Cortina 2nd was blanked for the next 3 innings. Sometimes one team gets all the good bounces and the other the bad breaks. Being on the odd end of the breaks was Cortina 2nd Ward's fate this nite! A shot by Grady Nix, hit so hard it left the Game Ball lopsided, went right at the left fielder. A little trajectory & it would have been a Home Run. With an infield as lumpy as ours it would seem impossible every ground ball could take a hop to the ironwood infielders, but they did. Not even Rocky's frying pan like glove could miss a good ground ball that nite!!

A 5 run rally in the 5th breathed new life into Cortina 2nd Ward but Ironwood was relentless scoring in each of the last couple innings to pound out a 19-13 victory which garnered Cortina 2nd Ward their 4th straight Stake RUNNER'S UP Status. The Cortina 2nd Ward Team motto is "If we can't be handsome, we can at least consistently win 2nd Place!!"

8:30 PM Championship Game Ironwood VS Cortina 3rd'

As with Mighty Casey's NO SHOW at the plate in the historic poem, there would be no Mighty
Skye Fagrell to aid the Coritna 3rd Warder's vie for the Stake Championship. I guess CES meetings are a lot like Stake General Priesthood Meetings- ain't no "end of meeting" time set. (I'm sure Sistern with 8:00 AM Sacrament Setting just love it when Stake General Priestood Meeting ends @ 7:40 AM and their husbands have not been around to help get the kids ready for church. Those are the days when you see the most "interesting" outfits on the boys & girls at church, aren't they?

BJ Blinston & Grady Nix of the Cortina 2nd Ward graciously volunteered to Umpire the Championship game so none of the Cortina 3rd OR Ironwood Warders would have to face their brethren in Sunday "Go To Meetin'" circumstances and be glowered at 'cause they called a team mate out on a close call and cost the team the game. They had more than a couple close plays that could have easily strained inter-ward relationships and made the right call on each one. THANKS GUYS for a Major League quality called game!!

Young Love......sigh......Sierra (sp?) Brendlinger, Pres Smith's daughter & recently married to James- who was on a full ride baseball scholarship to a 4 year college until he snapped his collar bone- needs to "man up" when she comes to watch James play. James sludded into 2nd base & picked up a itsy bitsy scrape with about as much blood as a Show Low mosquito would draw and she started freaking out that James needed to go the the Urgent care ASAP. "Don't you see all the blood?" She moaned. "Uhhhh, what blood?" "THAT blood!" She wailed. I said to her, "I don't see any blood. Oh wait, you're calling THAT blood? That ain't hardly even a scratch! Play Ball!!!"

Ironwood picked up right where they left off from the 7:30 game scoring 3 runs in the 1st inning. Cortina 3rd answered with 4 runs, including a inside the park Home Run by Scott Potter on a line drive OVER the left fielder's head. When asked if he was sure the bat he used was legal he said it was. The bat momentarily & mysteriously disappeared so it couldn't be checked for the proper ASA Legal Bat stamp but since he's a lawyer I decided to believe him. Do you folks think that was a mistake- believing a lawyer? Anyway, the run counted.

Back & forth they went for 3 inning neither team managing to mount more then a 1 run lead.

Curtis Cooke plunged to the ground in a near 3 way collision in right center field on a Texas League that dropped for a base hit. He had to be helped from the field with a strained hip (whatever that is) but somehow mustered the strength to bat on his next turn up. He snapped out a base hit, got to 1st base & promptly called for a Pinch Runner. (Why is it called a Pinch Runner, anyway?)

Cortina 3rd tried to pound the left side of the infield until they figured out Short Stop James Brendlinger really DID have Big League range & Scoop skills.

A 15 run explosion by Cortina 3rd in the 4th & 5th innings rang the death knell for Ironwood. Even Bishop Lovell got in on the scoring act, showing flashes of former speed. It must be noted, however, that the Bishop takes a lot longer to get up to speed these days and when he does get up to full speed it's a whole lot harder for him to stop !!

23 runs in the last 3 innings by Cortina 3rd ward paved the way to a 32-23 win.

As they walked out of the ball park Sierra Brendlinger was heard saying to James, "We need to go see my dad about you wound right now on our way home. He's a doctor. He'll know if it's serious or not!" Welcome to married life James......

Side Bar:

2 Gloves, 1 Adult & 1 kids sized were left behind. Both are black & tan. A green & black LEGAL bat was also left.

1 small brown stuffed teddy bear is very lonely, too.

Basketball Update:

Only Crismon Ward's, Bishop Andreason, has confirmed his Ward will cooperate with the PROPOSED Stake Men's Basketball Schedule. There are 3 other Wards that meet in the Stake Center that need to agree to cooperate before we can play a Men's Basketball Program. If you want to play B-Ball & your ward meets in the Stake Center it may be propitious for you to talk to your Bishop......

I realize Bishops, YM & YW leaders have been busy prepping for Girl's Camp, BSA Geronimo & Aaronic Priesthood Encampment and may not have had the time to ponder the Proposed Schedule VS their Ward calendars. Hopefully with Encampment finishing up next week we'll soon get the desired approvals. After all, we are talking about Church Basketball here, a tradition dwarfed only by General Conference & Mormon Tabernacle Choir performances in importance to the fabric of the church!

Andres' Barreto, Ironwood Elder's Quorum President sent me an e-mail stating the Bishops are all just too busy to worry about the Proposed Basketball Schedules and that HE was giving approval on their behalf. Nice try. His ward doesn't even meet at the Stake Center and is not involved in the approval process......

In anticipation of approvals, however, and since you brethren will be given the opportunity to help Referee games and will need to be up to speed on rules, I've attached
a 17 question B-Ball Rules Quiz for you to test your Rules knowledge. No, I'm not including the answers- yet. You'd just peek at the answers on questions you're stumped on and say that's what you were planning on answering anyway and pretend you knew the answer! I'll let you ponder the question a few days & then send out the answers to keep you all honest.

You'll become much better acquainted with each other as you Referee. It's a fun and interesting activity. And very amusing how what you call is perceived by others. I went from Refereeing one of our Arizona State High School Basketball Championship Games in February at the Glendale Arena (presumably only the best referees in the State are assigned Championship games) to being pronounced the "Worst Referee I've seen in 25 years of coaching" by a High School Coach on Saturday's ASU Herb Sendek Basketball Camp. I'm sure whatever referee was last pronounced "the Worst Ref Ever" by that coach feels a great sense of relief that I've now taken that burden off his shoulders......and yes, the coach was ejected....



Related Posts

QCNS Softball Report 4.30.11: QCNS's First Co-Ed Softball Game

QCNS Softball Report 5.5.11

QCNS Softball Report 5.5.11

Brethren,Well, Thursday was another nite of enjoying a Chipotle Steak Bowl and book reading for me.....

6:00 PM Game- 5:59 PM I hear the loud pinging of a diesel engine shutting down, 2 doors slam and one voice is heard, as the empty ball field is surveyed, "This doesn't look promising!"

It wasn't and it didn't get any better.......

One of those 2 fellows fessed up that on Sunday their "fearless leader" announced the wrong nite (Friday) AND wrong game time! LOOK, I ain't your mommy. You gots to be able to read on your own!!

6:40 PM Game- Yoshi (It's always Yoshi isn't it!??) and a couple other Nauvoo Station Single Warders, including some nubile sisters, came dragging in. One eager fellow asked a sister if she was going to play. "I play the field, but not the out field!" was the response. I think she said something to one of the other sisters to the effect the fellow might be able to crack her Starting Line Up, but I couldn't be too sure I heard it right. Yoshi was gonna try pitching until someone else elbowed him off the pitcher's mound. Yoshi walked off saying something about how he was better at "pitching woo" than softball's anyway....... You gotta love Yoshi's optimism!!!

7:20 Game- This one was a No / No. For the sistern- in Baseball parlance that means a No Runs and No Hits game by a pitcher and is truly an outstanding accomplishment. In our case it just means both teams were No Shows!!

8:00 PM and 9:20 PM games - Hardly anyone showed and I don't remember anything noteworthy happening.

Image by Seth Werkheiser via Flicker, available under a Creative Commons Attribution License

TOURNAMENT FORMAT:

With our phenomenal participation I'm left to ponder how to run a Stake Tournament or if we even need a Stake Tournament to crown a Stake Champion when no one will even remember who it was by next season and our Stake may have seen Wards Split and even some Stake boundary changes soon. That's just a rumor. You didn't hear it from me!

We have the ball field reserved 5 more nites. I've heard a number of suggestions (some more worthwhile than others) about things we can do. Young Men want to play. Sisters Want to Play. I have to listen to my 17 year old daughter whine almost every day about why can't she play Co-Ed, "because I'm almost 18"....

So, trying to make everyone sort of happy and break up the monotony of watching almost nothing happen for 4 hours every Thursday nite, here's what I am proposing:

3 nites of Co-Ed softball (That would be the 1st 3 Nites)

1 Nite of "Father and Son" any Melchizedek Priesthood and Young Men, Teacher's Quorum and Older, can play.

1 Nite of "Mother and Daughter" Any Relief Society and Young Women, Mia Maids and Older, can play.

This allows almost everyone in the Stake to get in at least one nite of softball before we shut down the lights and close out the Cooler Weather Spring Softball Season failed experiment.

Let me know what you think and I may make adjustments on the fly.

For now, the FIRST TWO Nites WILL DEFINITELY BE Co-Ed. I can always switch the 2nd Nite to the normal 2nd nite of a Winner and Non-Winners Double Elimination format if I get lots of support for a tournament.

I tried to matchup possible rivalries for the first nite. Not that I want to see any fight, or someone pouring root beer on an apposing Ward player or fan. I just want to see some good natured ribbing going on and folks that use to be friends in the same Ward but now hardly ever see each other in the new Ward alignments have a chance to say hello. Some folks can play ball. Some can bring food for a picnic under the Ramada & some can just let their kids run wild. I might be fun before it gets too hot!

Vic Pear
Men's Sports

PS- Nubile: Attractive and of marriageable condition or age. There is no corresponding single word for eligible young men, which may say something about the actual eligibility of the single adult males of our stake......

QCNS Softball Report 4.30.11: QCNS's First Co-Ed Softball Game

Brethren and Sistern,

A famous college Basketball coach (I can't recall his name) who had coached both Men's and Women's teams was asked by a Sports Writer what the difference was between coaching Men and Women. The reply, "The Time Out huddles smell better with the Women!" It definitely smelled better last night at the ball park than it has for some time......

Image by Garrett Speed via Flicker

Well, Co-Ed softball ALMOST worked..... and those sisters that played DID raise the level of performance!

Everyone who showed up for the 6:00 and 6:40 PM games were couples. Too bad only THREE couples showed up!

Even the ONE couple for the 6:00 PM didn't make it by game time. Fortunately, I had my routine Game Nite Chipotle Steak Bowl and a Robert Ludlum book to keep me company. (Ludlum wrote the Bourne Identity series).

I take that back.... Just remembered Yoshi from Nauvoo Station made it for the 6:40 PM game saying, "Anyone who was somebody from Nauvoo Station was probably at some Young Adult Closing Activity tonight." "So, Yoshi, what does it mean since you are here and not at the Young Adult activity?" He shrugged, mumbled something about being too old or too mature for that sort of thing and left.....

I was surprised Ole & his fiance from Nauvoo Station did not show. She's been bragging all season on how SHE was the better ball player between the two of them and if we'd just let ladies play she'd prove it! Could it be Ole knows it and wasn't man enough to show up and let the truth be known?

BUT THE CRISMON WARD CAME THRU BIG TIME FOR THE 7:20 PM GAME!! It looked like a real Family Nite at the ball park with all the kids running around. Must have had 12-14 people from Crismon Ward plus a few spectators showed up. Those chauvinist boys from the Former Stake Champion Rittenhouse Wards only had 5-6 players and not a Sister among them!! Even the Monson guy was a no show. (I'm barely holding back a comment about how Monson would have fit right in 'cause he plays like a girl. Hmmm...... maybe I didn't hold back enough?)

A few couples from Desert Mountain showed up for the 8:00 PM game. No one, as usual, from Vineyard. The Desert Mountain folks joined in with those folks from Crismon & Rittenhouse that stayed and continued the 7:20 game.

Prior to starting the 9:20 PM game, for which my Cortina 2nd ward was a complete No Show, it was rumored Skye Fagrell of Cortina 3rd ward, he of legendary prowess might show up. A monster fielder at the "Hot Corner" and a power hitter at the plate, Skye has been absent for some time from our venue. Suddenly, like a ghost or as those players from The Field of Dreams movie that eerily emerged from the rows of corn, Skye came gliding thru the Ramada onto the field. The enthusiasm of his teammates held no bounds as he stepped into the dug out!! Too bad not enough people showed or could stay from the prior game to get the boy a real game.....

Comments thru out the evening were rather interesting.

When asked if a particular sister was coming the reply was "No, She said she doesn't sweat on purpose!"

When asked if a sister that was present was going to play she replied, "No, I might break my nails". "But they can grow back, can't they?" "No, these are fake nails!" "Then you can just go by new ones, can't you?"  Hearing the exchange I said, "You ladies have been badgering me to let you play for 2 seasons, now you've got your chance and you aren't gonna play!!??" A nearby husband, not necessarily her husband, says, "Yeah!" She grabbed a glove and started warming up....

Another sister showed up in flip flops and had to borrow her brother's tennis shoes since he'd brought cleats to play in.

A sister, NOT playing, after seeing her husband botch a routine fly yelled out, "What's with you!! You choke every time I come to see you play!" No Sisters, that's not the sort of positive reinforcement your tender husbands need to hear. "Oh, nice try honey!!" or "You'll get it next time, sweet heart!" are more appropriate. Perhaps the, "Run baby, run!!" that one sister yelled to her not too fleet of foot husband one night would even be better.

Those sisters that played seemed to enjoy themselves. Some said they'd like to play more. So.......
In MAY we go back to THURSDAY Nites with the 1st game being May 5th.

We WILL PLAY CO-ED again that nite.

I'm trying to match up possible rivalries between Wards that have been divided out from each other. I switched the game times around so those wards that had early games last nite have later games next Thursday night... EXCEPT Crismon Ward showed up so well for their 7:20 PM game, I left them at that same time slot. I did hear some talk Friday nite that some Wards had been late getting the word out to people (even tho I'd warned everyone a week prior that we might play Co-Ed and TUESDAY I sent the E-Mail confirming it) and that more sisters would have played IF they'd known. So please spread the word at church tomorrow.

It was Red Skelton who quipped about his wife, "We always hold hands. If I let go, she shops" So Brethren remember, if you're at the ball park with your wife, she can't be off shopping....

See you all Next Thursday Nite.

QCNS Softball Report 4.29.11: Co-Ed Softball- Why not!!??

Brethren & Sistern,

Why not!!??

My son, Dallin, tells me he & his wife play a Co-Ed softball League in Mesa South Stake, so apparently Co-Ed Softball is not prohibited in the General Handbook. And since no one from our Stake has said no, yet......I figure why not let our Stake play Co-Ed Softball, too, for ONE night? Surely, knowing other Stakes are playing Co-Ed Softball our Stake wouldn't want to look all fuddy duddy and say no, would they?

It may even improve the level of play......

To allow every Ward & each sister an equal opportunity to play I have REVISED the schedule for THIS Friday nite so that all 12 Ward will play on our abbreviated game schedule. No Sense in over taxing the physical exertion for the Sistern on their 1st nite playing!

The 8 Teams previous scheduled are, as near as possible, scheduled at or close to their original game slots so as not to interfere with any prior babysitting or other planning for the nite.

Please pass the word along to the Sistern of your Ward, (Sistern must be at least 18 years old, single or married and not attending Young Women's. They are reminded we have a no swearing rule- unless it involves a J. Golden Kimball story.

GROUND RULES: Teams do NOT need to have the same number of men & women playing on the same team. Opposing teams do NOT need to have the same number of women playing as the opposing team. SO......one team might be ALL MALE (that will probably be the former Stake Champion chauvinists from Rittenhouse!!) and the other team might have 1 or more ladies. I don't care. Whoever shows up and wants to play, plays!! If teams are short handed, players, men or women, from other Wards present may fill in.

Hopefully this gets a full schedule of games THIS FRIDAY nite!

Vic Pear

Stake Men's Sports Something or other & Unofficial Co-Ed Softball Coordinator

PS- Artie Whiting sang a splendid solo in the Cortina 2nd Ward Sacrament Meeting last Sunday. He most definitely WAS on pitch! His warbling reminded me of that Michael Buubbelay fellow......

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QCNS Softball Report 4.25.11

Brethren,

We've got the OK from our Stake & Ward Relief Society Sistern (that attend the Stake Center) to use the Cultural Hall a limited number of Thursdays nites for Men's Basketball. THANK YOU LADIES!!! I won't tell any more J. Golden Kimball Relief Society stories for a long while......

Now we need the Stake & each Young Men & Young Women (that attend the Stake Center) to cooperate and each Ward give the Cultural Hall up ONE nite per month over a 4 month time frame and we can run a B-Ball program from mid August thru mid October. You brethren from the Wards attending the Stake Center might want to politely politic your receptive YM & YW Leaders to say yes......

Now to Softball.

All games are now 7 innings or 55 minutes, which ever occurs first.

NO INNING can begin after the 55 minute mark, so it is important teams that just played clear out of the Bench Area ASAP & teams getting ready to play gather at Home Plate for the Pre-Game Prayer and be ready to play on time. Don't ask recently Returned Missionaries or High Priest to pray.They think they have to go 10 minutes or it's not a real prayer. This isn't High Councilor or Stake Presidency Talk that can go on forever- you have a time limit to consider.

8 Players present and ready to play at the end of the prayer are required to be a legal team. Less then 8 & it's a Forfeit- unless the team with 8 or more players is dumb enough to say they want to play a regulation game anyways & risk the otherwise forfeiting team has more players show up soon and ends winning the game.

If a game is tied after the 7th inning or at the end of 55 minutes we have a Tie Breaker Format.

The Visiting Team bats first. Whoever would have been the next batter up in the regular Line Up at the end of the last inning is the batter. THREE runners are placed at 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Base. They can be any players on the team (I suggest you pick someone fast and not old High Priest that forgot their belts & can't run because they're trying to hold up their britches. Oh yeah, I've seen that already this year & it's a real hoot to watch!!) A runner on base may switch with any other player if his turn at bat come up while he is on base. The Batter's Count is 3 Ball & 2 Strikes. Each team will have ONLY ONE OUT.

If the game is still tied after that inning, we'll repeat until we have a winner.

That's my report, such as it is......

Queen Creek North Stake

Men's Softball

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QCNS Softball Report 4.8.11

Remember we are playing FRIDAY NIGHTS throughout all of April.

Granted, a night to the ball park, chasing screaming kids and no bathrooms for those screaming kids, is not an ideal "date night" for most of the sisteren, so please be sure to take your wives (girlfriends in the case of the Nauvoo Station Ward - if they have any) out to dinner after your game or on Saturday night to maintain peace and good will in your homes.

As usual there were not enough players for a 6:00 PM game. Not even enough to goof around, so they all went home. It did not get much better through the evening,...

A Nauvoo Station (Singles Ward) player showed up for the 7:00 PM game to find only one other Nauvoo Station player and asked, "you mean I gave up my date night for this?" To which I replied, "Fella, did you have a date for tonight?" "No" He admitted. "Then you can't give up what you ain't already got can you?" I pointed out. He wandered off to play catch with his fellow ward member.

An unnamed member of the perennial 2nd or 3rd place finishing Cortina 2nd Ward was getting ready for his 8:00 PM game slot and almost fell over when he stood up. Seems he'd put his shoes on the wrong feet! His excuse was "I wasn't looking" when he put the on! Poor fellow hasn't been the same since he turned 40 a few months ago.

No one showed up for the 9:00 PM game, so I turned off the Ramada lights and went home.

Cortina 1st Ward's Brother Padilla showed up in a San Antonio Spurs t-shirt bragging about how their going to be in the playoffs. OK, I can live with that as he is respecting the ban on not wearing Texas colors. But I was caused to reflect back to last week when Artie and Amber Whiting showed BOTH sporting ASU shirts. It was SO CUTE!! Other than the ASU WOMEN's Basketball & Softball teams and the Men's Baseball teams, ASU has been one big flop for the last several years in the "money sports" - football and basketball. So I have decided to ban ASU colors until they win a football game other than the maroon versus white preseason intra-team Spring and Preseason scrimmages or NAU, their traditional patsy Division II opening game opponent that they have barely beat the last 2 years.

A number of the sisteren keeping asking me, "when are you going to have women's softball or co-ed softball." Do I look like the relief society women's sports director??!! Youse got's to ask the stake Relief Society Presidency about your own sports program ladies!!

I have run the idea of co-ed softball up the flagpole once before but did not get an answer. Some stakes think it's "not appropriate" to allow men and women on the same teams. Using that same reasoning we shouldn't allow men and women to serve together in Cub and 11 year old Scout programs, serve in Primary or attend Ward Council Meetings together, but we do, don't we? So maybe we are capable of playing co-ed softball too?

So, I'm including that editorial in this update hoping it will get passed along up the line to the Stake High Council and Stake Presidency for their consideration. We'll see.

That is it for this report.

Vic Pear
Stake Men's something or other

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QCNS Basketball Report 4.4.11

An unscientific Survey was conducted at a recent Sisteren's Stake Volley Ball Open Play nite about the interest level in playing Women's Basketball or Softball. Apparently there is only limited interest in Basketball but more than a moderate interest level in playing softball. So I'll explore working the ladies into some Stake Softball this next season, which runs August 16- Nov 15. I would appreciate some feed back if the ladies prefer ladies only games or Co-Ed.

Saw a fellow I did not recognize on stage watching the games. I asked which team he was rooting for. "None of them. I'm waiting for a meeting to start and I'm not sure which is the more painful. A boring meeting or watching this game."

As has become the norm, several Ward's had trouble fielding full teams. Only one Ward had a good excuse- I think it was Desert Mountain- who said several of their players were farmers and were out in their fields "a hayin". Now, I've heard the term, "Make hay while the sun shines'' but I never knew they still made hay in the dark!! But I guess they do.

6:00 Cortina 1st VS Ironwood- Apparently both teams were still basking in the afterglow of Romney's Tri-State Presidential Primary election on Tuesday as BOTH teams were NO SHOWS. Good thing these games don't count for anything in the Post Season Tournament qualifying. Otherwise how would I pick a game winner when not a single person showed up!! A Spectator who was an avid Church & City League Softball & Basketball player back in the 80's & 90's, asked me, "What's wrong with these guys today being "NO SHOWS". We never did that!! I wish you folks would stick to asking me questions I know the answers to! My best guess is that back in the "Old Days" there were no Gameboys, x-boxes or Twitter to distract the Brethren?

6:40 Crismon VS Cortina 3rd- Fortunately I never have to worry about having full teams for these wards!! It was even Mutual Nite for Crismon & they still managed to field a full team. The schedule does rotate game nites so no single Ward take the brunt of having to forego games each week due to YM/YW or Scout Activities. Crismon even had some spectators saying they'd come down to watch some good basketball. Wrong place for that......A spectator sitting on the stage asked me why we weren't calling "3 seconds in the lane". Well, there are several reasons:

1. They are calling their won fouls & violation. No one wants to be accused of being a pansy by calling a 3 Seconds Violation on the opponent.
2. I'm not sure if these guys can even count to 3 while intently focused on their game effort.
3. With the physical conditioning of some of the Brethren, it takes them 3 seconds just to cross the lane.
4. Why ruin the scrum under the basket on shots & rebounds- it creates great entertainment value- almost like watching The Hunger Games.

But just so folks know what to expect when we get to the Post Season Tournament and we bring in experienced Referees...... here's the rules interpretation & philosophy Referees adhere to:

• If a player is in the key 3 seconds & begins to move out of the key, let it go
• If a player dribble into the key & remains for 3 seconds & then starts a shot attempt to dribbles back out, let it go.
• If a player is in the key 3 seconds & the recovers a loose ball or received a pass and initiates a shot attempt, let it go.
• 3 Seconds is NOT in effect while rebounding is going on as there is no Team Possession of the ball.
• There is no 3 seconds violation against the Defense. ( You'd be surprised how many times people are yelling "Call 3 Seconds you idiot Referee" on Defense during High School Games. It may be idiocy to enjoy being a Referee, but who's the real idiot, begging for a 3 second violation call against Defense.)

I'm guessing young Strebeck has found some shoes made with Flubber. I'm quite sure he hasn't elevated as much as he did tonight since the last time he was in the bucket of a ladder truck snatching a cat from a tree limb!

7:40 Nauvoo Station VS Rittenhouse- This was Rittenhouse's Brent Fuhriman's final game with our Stake as he leaves Friday for the Mission Field.

Not only did we have 5 on 5, Rittenhouse even had a Substitute. It was clear from their pre-game conversations they did not know what to do with an extra player.

Pre-game the Nauvoo Station feller were whine, whine, whine 'cause I'd said in my last report they hadn't won a game all season. They claim to have won 2 games. So, OK, I'm now giving them credit for winning 2 games that don't count for anything and have set the record straight, such as it is.

It was a spirited if not high scoring game. With nearly 3 minutes elapsed time and NO SCORE, Bro Wright, who was performing the Score Keep duties, threatened to keep track of missed shots in lieu of made baskets. With finally Kyle, from Nauvoo Station dropped in an impressive 3 point shot (at least it would have been impressive if any of the Nauvoo Station Sisteren had managed to attend. Nauvoo Station did jump out to an impressive 7-1 lead. By half time they had forged that lead into a 21-15 deficit.

Nauvoo Station has an outstanding ball player & prime physical specimen athlete, Tyler Pear. In fact, he's so good and such a handsome fellow I'm surprised the Nauvoo Station Relief Society isn't charging admission to see this guy play in person. (It's rumored his mom & dad might be persuaded to pay some marriage eligible Sisteren to come watch him play to get him married off, but I can't confirm that.) Anyway, Tyler initiated one of his patented drives to the hoop & collided with a defender. BOTH players crumplef to the ground. NO FOUL WAS CALLED....... Both players looked at me to make a call. Hey, I'm sitting on the stand as a Spectator now. The consensus opinion of the Brethren of the Hardwood's said you'd rather call yer own fouls than wear the striped shirts & hang whistles around your necks. That's what'cha get when youse calls your own fouls......

Had a situation where the ball was lodge between the rim & the backboard ("lodged" is Referee lingo for the ball got stuck.) No one could jump high enough to knock it loose until Chris Jones adjusted the Nitro level in his new Nike Super Swisher Shoes up a few notches until he could finally jump high enough to knock it loose. Turns out those new shoes are a better investment than he persuaded his wife them to be when he got caught trying to sneak them into his house from the store!

This game even counts as a Missionary effort. Seems that fellow I thought was one of the 3 Nephites hasn't been baptized yet.

Oh, yeah, Nauvoo Station Ward finally eeked out a 43 -38 loss, so they've still won only 2 games all season.

8:00 Cortina 2nd VS Desert Mountain- Both teams were short handed & had to recruit fellas from the prior games. Many were willing. Since Tyler Pear does live in the Cortina 2nd Ward boundaries, they claimed him as a player. Gave him extra time to work on his sweet jumper & drives to the hoop.

Ron Daniels, Cortina 2nd Ward's Senior Citizen player asked if we had any "Special Rules" for guys over 60. Yes, Ron, We do. If you play in this league at 60+ you not only qualify for Medicare, you're gonna need it the next morning. That's your "Special Rule."

A highlight of this game was a high leaping steal by Kyle McCluskey of a down court pass, the drive to the basket & acrobatic Lay Up to score. (Well, some parts of that statement may be true. Other parts of it may have been fabricated. You make the call!).

Darryl Hasson of Cortina 2nd Ward came out of a self imposed "Semi Retirement" to play. I think most of the guys in our league are Semi Retired as basketball players but just don't realize it yet! Darryl still has dead aim on the rim with his jump shots. He just doesn't have quite enough jump left in his shots to get the ball over the rim.

James Hansen (Cortina 2nd) has been wearing a knee brace trying to recover from a badly torn up knee last season. Pre-game he announced, "Me knee feels pretty good, so I'm not gonna wear my knee brace tonight! After twisting it late in the game & barely able to hobble off the court I think he'll wear the brace next week again!

Corinta 2nd is still stinging from my suggestion that their claim to victory last week was under embellished and was a rout of the other team, so the brought their own Score Keeper, the intrepid 7th grade Cortina Tigers Girl's Basketball team player, Beetle Bailey McCluskey. I overheard her dad admonish her to keep track of all his "Stats" during the game- baskets made, rebounds, assists, etc.

I'm glad Cortina 2nd did bring her as there can be NO DISPUTE that Desert Mountain led 28-12 at half time. However, according to Beetle Bailey's score tally, the final score was 34 and Cortina 2nd 35 for a spectacular Defensive Shut Down in the 2nd half. This time Desert Mountain, who were, "keeping score in our heads" dispute the Beetle's score. In the absence of a written score for Desert Mountain (and knowing they all think they shoot like Kobe Bryant in their heads which therefore throws considerable doubt on the veracity of any score kept in their heads) I declare Cortina 2nd the victor in a 1 pint rout!

This game had 2 teenagers don striped shirts & loop whistles around their necks to Referee!! They even blew the whistles a couple times, which is better then the "call your own fouls" ratio in some games.

After the game Beetle's dad sauntered over & asked her, "What were my game Stats?" She gave him a puzzled look, checking the score sheet and said, "You didn't have any!"

8:40 Ironwood Crossing VS Vineyard- Ironwood Crossing was short handed, so those 2 teens Referees got to play in the game. One of them, Chris, is from a family that was just recently baptized, too! As we were at Center Court ready to administer the Jump Ball to start the game, Chris suddenly says, "wanna see me touch the rim!?" and takes off running at the basket, making a mighty leaping effort. It's Rush Limbaugh, I think, who coined the adage, "Words mean things".  Well, Chris has a somewhat different interpretation of the "rim" constitutes than the rest of us. He touched one of the orange braces about 6 inches BELOW the actual rim. He was mightily perplexed when everyone just burst out laughing but finally came to understand that touching the rim means the ring at the top. He decided to give it another attempt but met with the same result. One day I'm sure he will be able to touch the rim. Today wasn't his day.

9:40 Remington Heights VS Ranch- Remington Heights had a full contingent +2. Ranch had to forage thru the hallways to scrounge up extra players. Enough were found to get the game going. When I looked out and saw an 11 year old had put on a referee Shirt and was walking up the side of the court holding the whistle in his hand, poised to call a foul I figured anything else I could note about this game was just going down hill and decided to check the doors & lock the place up to get ready to head for home!

Queen Creek North Stake Men's B-Ball Report
April 4 2012