After putting in a full day of work, officials earning their stripes - Worcester Telegram
“You find out your limitations as far as playing ability,” Palermo said, “but I wanted to do something that was still going to be part of the game.”
So-called “part-time” college officials put in a full day of work at their primary jobs, before beginning what can amount to a full night or more in their second jobs. College games usually last about two hours, but referees are required to be at their site an hour and a half before the opening tip. They have sometimes traveled hundreds of miles to get there and will turn around right after the game to cover the same distance home. They go to work the next morning and do it all over again the next night.
Energy drinks, the radio, open car windows and rest stops are part of a night’s work. So is driving through snowstorms, being away from family, getting jeered by fans and questioned by coaches. The man or woman in stripes isn’t always the most popular person in the gym.
But college basketball referees, who