It was a happy St. Patties

Saturday was fun as my daughter was in the Dublin Parade for her school. I have really grown to like getting involved in my kids activities. Before it was just going through the motions for her sake because I didn't have that support growing up, but these days I tend to make it interesting enough to not count the minutes that it's over. Perhaps it could be my daughter takes great pride that both her parents are involved. Of course anything I do, my wife does 10 times better...well most of the time. I make a great weenie.
After the parade, we hit the fair and I had my fair share of Guinness. Marlena got to go on the bundgy ride which was cool to watch. My friend's daughter made the most of her time on it and did even some forward flips.

Sunday the family decided to go back, but I was sunned out due to Saturday and then refereeing on Sunday. I ran line both my games where it was a miracle I didn't get lynched.


Game 1: The center I ran line with showed up less then 30 minutes prior to the game. I was tempted to take the center from him, but I was not mentally prepared to run the middle. Prior to the game we were checking the teams in and the center was demanding they tuck their shirts in and jewelry. Mind you I have no problem with what he wanted, but I had a problem with the way he demanded. It was like, "Let's piss off two Latin teams before we kick off." I'm just going to call them Red vs. Blue. So we're about to kick off, he decides to do the pre-game. He wants to talk about throw ins. WTF? I had to look at my game card to make sure we were doing Major Division and not U12 girls. Then he wanted to change me from AR2 to AR1. I said no because I had an AR1 assignment next game. That was translated to: No I am not going to stand close to the benches of two teams you pissed off before kick off. When that torture was over I went to my line. It took 3 minutes to get them pissed at the center. That was one foul per minute. The comment was, 'You do a great job checking our jewelry and making sure our shirts are tucked in but you can't call worth Sh--!" Basically was having trouble controlling the game. Surprising that hardly anyone tried anything in front of me. Could it be my rep is growing in this league. I have been noticing.

Game #2 I thought I was going to work with my buddy Norm. I was disappointed where he was replaced by another guy where I would rather have a root canal. As usual he was unorganized. Late checking teams in. I checked Black in and ran into their captain who remembered me. Asked me if I was doing the center. I said, nope, I'm a line. He was disappointed. He was complaining that the good referees are getting lines while the centers are not good. I took this as a complement for 1 of 2 things. One, it's the 3rd straight week I have received such a complement. Two, the guy who paid me the complement was a guy I sent off last year for head butting another player, ironically from the team they were playing in this game.

As the game went on here's where it "jumped the shark" (hi honey). I saw a push from behind. I flagged it. It was 2 feet in front of me. I pointed one way. The center pointed another way. He was 25 yards away. He accused the "fouled" player of diving. He added more insult to the player by saying, "You're lucky I don't give you a yellow card." My thoughts: If he dove and "fooled" me, but was caught by the center, I think it warrants a yellow card. What sucked was at half time, I wasn't even going to talk about it. He came to me and said, "I saw that he was pushed but he embellished the fall." I'm thinking hmmm....he was pushed. Isn't pushing a foul? I just responded by saying if you felt he was diving, he sure fooled me and he should have gotten a card for it. I walked away disgusted. The other AR who befriended me first thing since he was new, said my call was correct.
Well second half it wasn't too bad until the center called a PK. I can't say it was a good call or bad call. According to AR2 it was a good call. Before the PK the White was beating the Black 3-1. Black took the PK and made it 3-2. Then the forward and GK were fighting over getting the ball out of the net. If it were me I would have been the first one to the ball to prevent anything.
So while the center was now taking care of that, I had to deal with the White coach who said, "Why you give Penalty?" I told him to get back to his side and that I didn't even want to have a conversation with him. He said, after slumping like a kid who grabbed his toys and went him, "Neither do I!"
Was still bitching even after they won.