Episode 377, The Rant: Shay Franklin - Part 3, The Return.

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Oo, Betty. So was the poncho a smart move? [00:00:08] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:00:09] Speaker A: Huh? [00:00:09] Speaker B: Yeah, I just. [00:00:11] Speaker A: Yeah. Why? You did you. Was it like Will Smith with the cigar in his mouth? It's for the look. You don't want to bite it? [00:00:18] Speaker B: No, it's for the look. I don't light it. [00:00:22] Speaker A: That's what he said. Yeah. I haven't heard cuban cigars for the limp. He went Cuba Sagar with the. With the dance and all that. Like that, man. [00:00:31] Speaker B: Nah, nah, nah, nah. Can't hear my yellow. I see the volume going up, but I don't hear myself in my eardrum. [00:00:42] Speaker A: You don't hear yourself at all? [00:00:44] Speaker B: No, sir. [00:00:44] Speaker A: Like you don't hear yourself whatsoever. [00:00:46] Speaker B: At all. [00:00:48] Speaker A: How about now? You here now? [00:00:50] Speaker B: Yes. [00:00:51] Speaker A: Okay. [00:00:51] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:00:52] Speaker A: All right. I hate to say we've been recording Shay, so whatever you have said or done, we'll be held against you in a court of law. 1234-5678 910 1112 episode 377 the Rant Shea Franklin part three, the return full disclosure, this isn't the first time we recorded the trilogy. Part three was well worth the wait. Shay pulls up to the chop shop to bare her soul on what the basketball season of 2023 2024 meant to her. Her journey that started before the season, the start of the season and the mental block. Us being able to work together at Lutheran High School and culminating in the New York State double A Catholic League championship at the crib. All that and more. My conversation with Shay now. 65678 910 11 12 33 11. [00:02:33] Speaker B: 83 11 three eight. [00:02:52] Speaker A: The rant has been brought to you by the Premier flag Football League of LI, Long Island Legends. It's an adult flag football league, which has a multitude of fields in both Nassau and Suffolk county with games played on Sundays. The spring season is upon us and is rapidly approaching, starting April 7. Interested in signing up a team? Interested individually coming on as a free agent. What about reffing? Be sure to follow and dm us at LI Legends on instagram. Welcome to another edition of the Rant. I'm your host, Ralph the ref. I'm with a super special guest who's right across the street from me in Bakmu, which is a ukrainian region that's currently under siege with Russia and all that. But I got one of my best friends in the game, women's collegiate basketball official, high level high school basketball official in New York City, somebody that I was so honored to do my final, final game. And I gotta tell you, like the postscript of that, I just did my first game boy, was I rusty. Shay Franklin. How are you? [00:03:57] Speaker B: I'm great. How are you? [00:03:58] Speaker A: I'm good. I'm really honored to do this. And we're doing something different. We're taping this on April 18, 1st off. Shout out to Fabian Hatta, who is one of my best friends, also in the game. It's his 50th birthday. So I just wanted to wish you a happy birthday, my brother. I hope you have fun in whatever you do. I'm not too far behind you, but I'm still far away. So that's all I'm gonna say. [00:04:19] Speaker B: Happy birthday. [00:04:20] Speaker A: So, full disclosure, this is, like, part five of me and Shay. Cause one time, a whole animal came in here, and she wanted. She didn't know if she wanted to cook it or throw it out or. I don't know what she was. [00:04:33] Speaker B: But she went like, nah, that was crazy. [00:04:36] Speaker A: Wanted no part to that. And then I think we were so happy the last time that we were celebrating with spirits, and we might not have been as fully functional as possible. So I gave Shay the courtesy first. She was trying to, like, blackmail me. She's like, you better give it me, or else I'm gonna leak it on CNN. So I was like, you know what? Just get what you want. Here we are. So just another. It's just another excuse to hang out with you. But how you been? It's been almost a month and a half since we last did an official school basketball game. What you been doing to preoccupy your time? [00:05:10] Speaker B: I'm great. I'm great. Happy to be here talking to you, of course, and using this time to vent and talk about everything. But I've been great. I've been doing good. Happy to take a little break from the season once the season ended. But that break was short lived, and it's already back to work. [00:05:27] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:05:27] Speaker B: And I want back to work for. [00:05:29] Speaker A: A minute, but I want to tell everyone. Shay definitely played herself. Cause I was like, yo, let's re record the podcast. And it was the same day as the national championship. And she's like, out of all days, right? Got one game. It's like, the same time. Like, whoever. Whoever scheduled that was like, what time's the national championship? All right, good. We gonna start talking. [00:05:50] Speaker B: I'm not over it. [00:05:51] Speaker A: But you didn't know. And you know what? That's one of those lessons that you go, all right, either you did this, and I'm probably. I might not do this again, or I'm gonna just make sure. Let me go on ESPN. Let me check the schedule. Let me see what's going on because, oh, it's hurt. Yeah. And you know what, though? You can't go wrong. Cause at the very least, you're doing something constructive. At the very least, right? So you can't be that man. Cause sometimes I be like, ah, I wanna be home. I'll tell you my wildest situation today. So, boces, as you know, what you've. Which you've been employed to as an independent, done contractor, as an official for basketball, I got, like, a real convoluted situation. So I'm a lacrosse official. I'm a flag football official, and I'm a softball official. And I remember the whole time during the playoffs, I was going up to grace, I was like, red 33. Don't forget I'm taking the lacrosse class. Cause I know what you're gonna do. You're gonna try to strong on me with that softball. So it's not that she's strong on me. It's just that there's such a shortage that she's just gonna snatch me up for that. And it kind of kills my other schedule. So I can't really pick, you know? And it's disappointing because it's just, you know, I understand from her standpoint, like, just empathizing of, like, trying to be able to set up six, seven sports every day. And people calling, complaining, and going like, yo, I can't do this. And you gotta fill in games. Some get, yo, especially on a lower level. Some games aren't even getting filled. So, you know, whatever. And I still try to take it for what it is. Cause I do like softball. I had an awesome game the other day. Shout out to Seaford middle school and MacArthur middle school. That's what's up. Y'all seeing these 7th graders, it's being 75 degrees in the sun. It's such a. It's so hard to get me there. Once I'm on the field, I'm like, I'm here. I'm here. There's 400 people, like, the whole neighborhood. Yeah, it get wild. It gets wild, right? So I told him after the game, I'm like, yo, thanks for not yelling at me. They were all laughing. It was like, yo, this looks scary. [00:07:48] Speaker B: That's crazy. [00:07:49] Speaker A: This can go very laugh. Like, very, like, very soon. [00:07:53] Speaker B: I always say the little kid games are the craziest. [00:07:55] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Yeah. [00:07:56] Speaker B: You're like, oh, I got some eight year old. You're like, what the hell? And these kids are serious, too. [00:08:03] Speaker A: It's so crazy. It's so crazy. So to finish my story, I could have just had a complete day off, because somehow, inexplicably, they assigned me a softball game. [00:08:12] Speaker B: Uh huh. [00:08:13] Speaker A: At Uniondale. Uniondale versus Malvern. Okay. Right. And Shay played for the Uniondale team. So I don't want to disrespect you, strum. But I also had a flag football game, Roslyn versus Roosevelt at Rosslyn. And I just prefer flag football. Flag football is my favorite. [00:08:30] Speaker B: I don't blame you for that one. [00:08:31] Speaker A: I went in the office, I called him up. I said, you know, I got a conflict. I got one. She was like, she said, you accepted the softball game first, so you gotta get rid of the football game. I went, okay. And I'm like, I don't wanna do that. But you know what happened today? It rained in the morning. Wow. So they canceled the game. See, and I'm out here like, this is why I canceled the softball game. But that's that. Outdoor sports. And, you know, I'm really happy. But I just wanna recap the beginning of the season. Like, you know, I just can't believe that this is the same season that we started off at Oyster Bay High School, thinking like, all right, I'm finally getting to work with one of my really tight buddies in the game, and they wasted talent on this. Like, we ready to do something. We ready for war. And war, it was not. You know what I mean? But it was cool to. And sometimes you gotta just roll with that, right? Yeah. [00:09:30] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:09:31] Speaker A: I always try to preach to you being present in the moment, right. It don't always gotta be the best game. It don't always gotta be the college. It don't always gotta be the VAR. It could just be like, yo, you hanging out with somebody new, you meeting somebody new, there might be a new spot you wanna try out eating wise over there. But what was your recollection of that first game? Cause that was early, early in the season. [00:09:53] Speaker B: Well, first I was hyped because we never get to work together, right? Never. So I was like, finally, we get a game together. It's not canceled. All right, bet. And then to just be out there. It was funny because at that time, I was like, such in a mental state about my season and like, this being, like, my first year, like, actually being a college ref, having a schedule, having a plan, and having an opportunity to make that kind of money, it was a lot of pressure on me because I want to perform the best. I want to be great at this. Right? I love it so much. It's like you like, I don't know, you put all this pressure on yourself because you want things. Like, you know, that these opportunities are available. Like, oh, shit, I could really do this. Like, whoa. Like, this is, like, this is for real now. And I was so focused and locked in, and it was so ironic working with you, but the mental state that you were in, and you were like, why you putting so much pressure on yourself? Like, we gotta have fun with this, too. And I was like, I really, like, held onto that because it helped me find a better balance. Like, I'm gonna be good at it because I put the work in. I mean, I'm still learning. It's okay to make mistakes, but guess what? [00:11:10] Speaker A: You never gonna not feel like I'm year 25 in this volleyball and I have not put the foot off the gas of learning. [00:11:18] Speaker B: Yes. That is, it never stops. [00:11:20] Speaker A: That's why we on time, because we don't stop. [00:11:23] Speaker B: And I think I love that part, too. [00:11:25] Speaker A: What? [00:11:25] Speaker B: The constant learning. [00:11:26] Speaker A: I mean, that's the only way you gotta look at it because you realize, and I learned this from shout out to father Phil, who was my latin teacher in 12th grade. Anybody that's in his class, he gives you like, a special slip and you go see him in his office, right? This is also one of the prime inspirations of, like, how I kind of built this. If you notice, I don't have them anymore. Cause they're all inside. But I'm fascinated with owls and what it means. I got a tattoo of an owl and all that. But if you go into his office back in the day, we're talking 25 years ago, he had, like, wild, different owls. Like an owl clock, like an owl plush toy, an owl pillow, owl pet, owl napkins, right? Just owl, owl, owl, owl. So he don't ask you, you just go like, what's, like, what's up? What is. What is. What is the obsession with this animal? And they're like, what, you know, what the symbolism for an owl is? And he's wisdom. And I said, okay. And, you know, it's the type of person that you already intimidated because, like, you could just. His intelligence just emanates. You just see, like, how he just. He keeps wanting to just want more, right? And he said something profound, just, I guess, like the way you felt. And maybe that's probably parsed out why you feel the way you feel. He said, I realized that I know so much that I don't know shit. And he said, shit. And you thinking like, this is my latin teacher. Like, this is. I thought we were at Kellerberg, like, what's going on here? And he said, if you try to learn about the sea and you want to be an expert at the sea, but then you deviate to coral reefs, and then you go over to different species of coral reefs, you know, we'd still be here, right? Like, you'd still be trying to seek out that information on top of you discovering something new. So I realized that, okay, I might know more than you, but I realized how much I don't know by knowing more. And I was like. It was, like, such a profound thing, and it made me realize, you know, to a degree, when you meet somebody that's an official, and you go, like, yeah, I know that we good. Like. And you see that they're not submissive to the process of learning. Cause that's such an important part. And sometimes people lose sight of that, and they start. Their ambition gets in the way, their ego gets in the way, and I always just try to have learning in the forefront, and, you know, that's why you always are, like, I can't believe you do all these sports, because it's like, I just like to change the channel and learn more. This is you and basketball. [00:14:04] Speaker B: Mm hmm. [00:14:05] Speaker A: But this is me and everything. [00:14:06] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:14:08] Speaker A: Right. So basketball. I'm here, but you. Cause this is what you focusing on. But I choose to keep wanting to change the keys, you know? So I did not know that that was, like, a profound thing that you did today. And I do remember that you were distraught about, I guess, the mental load that you were getting, because that's the first time you undertook it. I think, you know, I think once you go. Cause same thing with me and you. We both went to federations, right? And, like, it was kind of like, are you sure you got the right? Like, that's how I spent the whole time there. I was just like, I can't believe I'm here with all of y'all. But they, you know, they treated me as if. And that's what I wish I could take back and, like, claim ownership. They're like, yo, I belong here, and I didn't do that. I didn't. I didn't. I was kind of, like, starstruck. And I think even though you probably thought you weren't ready, how much readier did it make you come this next season? Just gangbusters of just having that confidence. You know what I'm saying? So, like, even though you thought you were not ready, it made you more ready than you'll ever be. Right. So just talk about where your mind was at there. Cause I know you were stressing. I know you had a couple of things going on. Where was your mind, you know, in late November? [00:15:29] Speaker B: Was that when our game was? [00:15:30] Speaker A: I feel like it was late November. Early December. It was early December. [00:15:34] Speaker B: It was around that time. [00:15:35] Speaker A: It was around the beginning. Beginning. [00:15:37] Speaker B: I probably. I had, you know, done a scrimmage or two for, like, college. I was, like, nervous as hell. My first college game, I was so nervous. Like, I just. I don't know what it was. Like I said, I know exactly what it was. I wanted to be so good at it, so I put all this pressure on myself. Like, what if I make a mistake knowing that as hard as you work, you could lose that shit so fast? And because I'm so committed to just that and my not. Like, it's like, a fine line of what I'm locked in and committed to. You don't want to fail at something. This is the first time I've, like, really committed to myself and done something for me. So I just. I guess that's another reason I don't want to let myself down. So I put this pressure on myself, and I want to make people proud. I want to make, you know, my family proud. I want to make myself proud. My mentor is proud. So it's. At that time, I was just like, all right, how am I going to do this? I have a. My nine to five is not something. I just. That's also very time consuming. [00:16:44] Speaker A: Right. And it's an important. It's important to you. [00:16:46] Speaker B: It is. [00:16:46] Speaker A: You an overachiever? [00:16:47] Speaker B: I pride in what I do. [00:16:49] Speaker A: You don't want to turn on that Genesis machine. Cause you already know how entrenched you're gonna get. [00:16:53] Speaker B: I understand streets of rage is going down. [00:16:55] Speaker A: Streets of rage, too. [00:16:57] Speaker B: Yeah. I, um. I don't know. I just want to be good. I have. I have so many things that I want out of life, and sometimes you get put in these situations where it's a test, and I feel like all of this happened at a great time because I was going through something mentally and emotionally, and I needed to commit to something. So what's better. What's better to do than commit to yourself? I needed me, and I was like, you know what? Forget everything else. All this is happening for a reason. I'm getting. I'm busy for a reason. I'm having these opportunities for a reason, and I don't want to look back and say, damn, I missed out on this because I wasn't prepared for XYZ. So that's really where my mental was trying to make a good first impression, however way I could do that. [00:17:47] Speaker A: So I think that's interesting that you think that way only because. Okay, yeah, there's one thing to be like, am I ready for this opportunity? I can't believe I'm getting this. I always find people that, like, want the most. Well, not necessarily the people that want the most help, but, like, you know, when sometimes, like, you're at the point where you. You can really speak to somebody of, like, how to navigate. You know what I mean? And that's big. I was telling Pat this right there. So my man pat right here is to the side. He's gonna start reffing. And, like, I've been through so many things that he already on step 13. Like, imagine all the things you can. You can verbalize to him of the mistakes that you made in the beginning, where it's like, yo, don't even do that. But that's up to you to have the presence of mind, because I got some other people. I'm like, yo, just listen to me. What are you not listening? And they want to do their own thing, and they're like, I don't understand what I. You got to commit to whatever you want to do. But, yo, if that's what you want to do, that's what you want to do. But I really like being present in the moment, right. Not thinking why? Because what I was saying is, when you hear the quality of somebody's vocabulary and the way they speak on the reffing, I don't understand why this is this way. And I'm like, why do I need to waste time, like, answering that? Like, why not just do, like, that day when we had the oyster bay game, I wasn't like, yo, why they wasting us on this? I might say in a joking way, but I'm not really deeply thinking. Like, I don't. Let me look up the other games. Who's on that game? Like, that just goes into a whole lot of energy that could be put into, like, you being great. You know what I'm saying? So I pride myself in, like, yo, it's April 18. I'm doing flag football. I'm outside with a hoodie. I got hand warmers on. This is where I'm at. I don't want to do basketball. That's not what I want to do. I did that already. So I think there's something to be said to constantly trick your mind of, like, I'm present. I'm happy. And I can say after that game, I had a lot of really good games. And then we reconvened in the middle of the season, and we started doing luha and I forget what our first. Our first game was. The Mount Verde game. [00:20:03] Speaker B: Yes. [00:20:04] Speaker A: Okay. So. [00:20:05] Speaker B: Oh, boy. [00:20:05] Speaker A: There's a lot to talk about with that when we unpack. But full disclosure, the national championship was played a couple weeks ago, and the semifinals was Mount Verde versus Luja. Now, and I say this with respect, malverted was the four seed. Luja was the one seed in the national where we talk about nationally ranked teams. So just. Let's just give it up to Shay for doing. Give it up to you, nationally ranked lu hai. [00:20:34] Speaker B: We did it. [00:20:36] Speaker A: So we doing this game right. And, like, okay, so Mount Verde is like, I don't know, fifth in the country. Luja was two. Like, there was just a lot of people there, and we was gonna hang out after that because they had the same game. But at Hofstra, which you hit me up two weeks earlier to see if I got that. I don't know why you made. Thought I would have tickets, but, hey, cool. So we end up doing the game, and I'll never forget the tip off. I was telling Shay at the timeout, I don't think I've ever ran that fast in a game. I've repped a lot of games, but this girl went from zero. She went from 0ft to 94ft. And I'm talking about, like, back on D. Like, ready. Like, I am ready for this game. And it was like, three minutes and 37 seconds of just that. Yeah, of, like, I'm nervous. I don't want to mess up. I understand. Mad people are watching this. Shay's right there. This is just a lot right now. [00:21:44] Speaker B: It was a lot. [00:21:45] Speaker A: Nobody understand, but I just want one whistle to blow and, like, let's just get through the flow of the game. So, first of all, congratulations to all your success of doing those type of games. What was that game like for you especially? Like, I think we found out maybe middle of the way, like, oh, you know. Cause, you know, Ernie goes, oh, and by the way, guess who you're working with? You know, that Asian Pacific islander who I love. [00:22:12] Speaker B: I love. [00:22:13] Speaker A: And get a load. Who your partner is. Shanasia. [00:22:20] Speaker B: He says it like that every time. I really love him, though. [00:22:23] Speaker A: So just talk about what it was like to just, you know, him. Make the phone call. Like, all right, get to it. What do we want? [00:22:30] Speaker B: So my planner that I was so happy about getting this year. I'm so excited about getting this damn planner, y'all. I felt so excited and responsible. That was, like, one of the best things I did, physically. Write it down. I don't like to put it in my phone. I like to write it down. [00:22:42] Speaker A: I like to do both. [00:22:43] Speaker B: When you write it down, I feel like it's like a to do list. And it makes me feel so good to, like, cross stuff off to do list. It could be, like, the smallest shit. [00:22:50] Speaker A: Yup. [00:22:50] Speaker B: So when I got the call, I was like, I can't believe it. Like, this is crazy. I can't believe I'm about to do this game. I wrote that, yo, I wrote it in my planner. So proud. I, like, circled it, highlighted it, called my parents. Of course, right away, I was just like, yo, I cannot believe it. And then when I found out who I was working with, I was like, all right, this is just. [00:23:16] Speaker A: It's too good to be. It's true. [00:23:18] Speaker B: It's just meant to be. [00:23:19] Speaker A: It's too good. You know why? It's too good to be true. I literally don't chase anything that you chase. You literally don't chase anything that I chase. And we end up at the same spot anyway, multiple times. [00:23:31] Speaker B: Crazy. [00:23:32] Speaker A: I have no conversation and conspiring about the people you connected to whatsoever. And I know, ditto for you. But somehow we still end up on the same game at the same time, at the same place. So if it ain't meant to be, I don't know what to call it. [00:23:47] Speaker B: And it was an intense game, of course. Cause, like, Ralph was saying about the history, but, yo, it was just like, from. Like you said from that. When I threw the ball up, that girl was out. Out. Yo, we were crying, laughing in the timeout, like. But it was a great game. It was a great experience, the level of play. I love basketball, and I love how the game is evolving. So to be a part of these things like this, be like, yo, remember Lee? I just think it's amazing. I'm super proud and very, very gracious. [00:24:27] Speaker A: Let me ask you as a player. Cause obviously you played at Uniondale and you played a dowling. And we all know historically, I met you at island Garden talking crazy. In the adult league. [00:24:39] Speaker B: I'm saved. [00:24:39] Speaker A: When you watch these players play just from a female perspective as a ballplayer, you feel like your firmware is at, like, Windows XP compared to what they doing now. Cause I feel like if I knew these moves, I'd be cooking. What? [00:24:51] Speaker B: Nah. I feel like there are certain levels where it's like, yo, this is crazy. But, like, I'm from New York, okay? This is how New Yorkers play ball. [00:25:01] Speaker A: True. [00:25:01] Speaker B: You know what I'm saying? Like. [00:25:03] Speaker A: And you gonna have personal pride. Like, I don't give a. I don't care what you do. I'm still gonna get in you. [00:25:09] Speaker B: Everybody catches up to it. But as far as. As overall, because I say all the time, like, there's a big gap in skill level. Like, I feel like the skill level is getting back to what it was. But there was a certain time where it was just trash. [00:25:24] Speaker A: Like, who was coaching? [00:25:27] Speaker B: No, my era was great. Like, it was a bunch of teams that were good. [00:25:30] Speaker A: Oh, the era when you started coaching. [00:25:32] Speaker B: Nah, I'm playing you trying to play me. I ain't that old. I got a little green, little sparkles, but don't play me. [00:25:41] Speaker A: I'm sorry, Shay. It was just a joke. Oh, my God. [00:25:43] Speaker B: Don't. It's all right. [00:25:44] Speaker A: It's all right. [00:25:45] Speaker B: Me and my tea, we chilling over here. My feet still a little. [00:25:48] Speaker A: Nah, I'm good. [00:25:51] Speaker B: I had to get you back. [00:25:52] Speaker A: Every time we come in here, it's always like, oh, Shay's coming. It's 35 degrees. Don't matter if it was 72 the day before that, yo. You know, but, yeah, it's. [00:26:03] Speaker B: I'm just happy how the game is evolving. And I love that people are finally given girls credit, because college basketball's been good for a while. [00:26:11] Speaker A: Yeah. And, yo, I wanna point out, too, like, everyone's like, I don't understand. Year 25 of the NBA, they were not doing nearly as well as the WNBA, it's been. WNBA came out when I was in 11th grade. I'll never forget it. And I was into it. Cause I was in love with Kim Hampton. I loved Kim Hampton. I was just like, who's that? And there was no google back in the day, so I just watching the tv. Theresa Witherspoon, Rebecca Lobo. But Kim Hampton was my girl, and I just really enjoyed watching it. And I really. Especially when I started reffing it, I think you could see, like, it's shifting into, like, the skills and, like, the footwork, and they're really. They're really getting into, you know, just embracing how you could play. And I find it amazing how far it's come. And, you know, like, you. I'm very excited that I have a little small piece of it. You know what I mean? It's really cool to. It's dope to watch it evolve, and, you know, it's just gonna get better and better, right? Kevin McClark coming into the league with a whole slew of other talents. Cardoso, angel Reese, Cameron Brink. [00:27:16] Speaker B: Yeah, I'm interested to see how those two are gonna work together, but I think that Aaliyah Boston and Caitlyn Clark and Indian is gonna be up. [00:27:25] Speaker A: Yeah, but don't forget, they still got Lexi hall from Stanford when they won the chips. And they got Celeste Taylor, who, like, yo, that's a place she just wanna be. Draymond, if you got. You know how it is when you got a shooter that shoot like that. You like? I'm good. There you go. [00:27:40] Speaker B: Oh, that's amazing. [00:27:41] Speaker A: Am I wrong? [00:27:42] Speaker B: I wonder. She's. She's probably the first. I wonder if she's the first player from there to go pro from Long Island Blue high. Mmm. [00:27:50] Speaker A: It could be. Could be. [00:27:51] Speaker B: That's amazing. I was so happy when I saw that come across the screen. I was like, definitely. [00:27:55] Speaker A: Definitely. [00:27:56] Speaker B: Vegas aces are gonna be good for another team. [00:27:59] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [00:27:59] Speaker B: Yeah. They got crazy tough. [00:28:00] Speaker A: That's tough. That girl tough. The one that looked like the girl from the Aziz show? [00:28:05] Speaker B: Who? [00:28:07] Speaker A: The one that looked like, she from the Aziz show. What's the show? I don't even know. Master or none. You ever seen master or none? You ain't never seen master or none? Shit, I might have to put you on after this, but anyway. Who? [00:28:17] Speaker B: Deja fair? [00:28:18] Speaker A: That's her. [00:28:19] Speaker B: Yo, she's tough. [00:28:19] Speaker A: Five. [00:28:20] Speaker B: Five. They was trying to say, like, oh, she played for five years. So what? So what? [00:28:26] Speaker A: I don't understand why everyone got her relegate to get my girls some respect. Did you? Did you? Whoever said that? Did you play division one basketball? [00:28:33] Speaker B: Trash, huh? [00:28:34] Speaker A: She played for two division one schools. You know where I played? I played at Hofstra, but the rec center. Not the. Not the. Not the real place. [00:28:43] Speaker B: Nah, she's gonna kill. And they got the Martin from Iowa. That's a big pickup, too. She's a great player. Very smart. So aces. I don't know what my liberty gonna do. I hope we get it together. [00:28:57] Speaker A: You know what I really like to see? I want to see autumn young whippersnappers get smacked up by Asia Wilson. Cause Asia Wilson is a dog of all dogs, when it's winning time. Kelsey Plum, when it's winning time. And the biggest killer, autumn all. What's her name? From the aces. Oh, the point guard, Chelsea Grace. She's over b. Oh, my. She's the toughest I've ever seen. She hits these wild, timely shots that I just don't understand. [00:29:26] Speaker B: She plays at a magic Johnson pace. That's the way her game. That's the way the pace. [00:29:31] Speaker A: Like, but you know what's so annoying? She's so tall. There's, like, other people that are as good as are on the same team. [00:29:37] Speaker B: They're not gonna like her body frame. She's the tallest. Like, I don't want to say thickest, but both, like, who is getting in her way? [00:29:49] Speaker A: Who's gonna stop her? Nobody. [00:29:51] Speaker B: Nobody. [00:29:52] Speaker A: Nobody. [00:29:53] Speaker B: Who gonna stop Chelsea? Nobody. [00:29:57] Speaker A: See, this is why we need to start our own show. I know. This would be magic. So we had luhit a couple more times, I guess, like, at that point. [00:30:06] Speaker B: I like the other team that we had, too. [00:30:08] Speaker A: Sidwell friends. [00:30:08] Speaker B: I liked them a lot. [00:30:09] Speaker A: They were good. I felt like they were so much more disciplined. I just didn't think they had enough horses. But you know what's so crazy in comparison to the Mount Verde game? Not to say we didn't do well. Cause we did. I just felt like being at the comfort level that I was able to breathe right. It was more like, whew. [00:30:26] Speaker B: I got that over with. Yeah. [00:30:27] Speaker A: And I think what I love about this is that you ain't never really gonna feel like that again. You know what I mean? Like, I'm not saying. I'm not gonna say that. I'm not gonna be thankful. I'm not gonna say that. I'm not gonna be a little bit nervous, but it's not gonna be, like, you know, like, this Monday, and you're like, chill out. Like, if it was a tv show, five days till Saturday, you get into work, like, in the shower, like, just. [00:30:50] Speaker B: Like, yo, I'm crying. Yeah, no, we could definitely breathe. And we. Yo, we had good crews. Like, we trusted each other. We talk to each other. Like, I'm learning that now. At the point that I'm at, like, in my officiating journey is, like, just talk to each other. Like, how often do you have a pre game with somebody, and somebody goes, how's your kids? How's your day? [00:31:12] Speaker A: Like, yo, but see, and we talked about this, too, of, like, you know, the best thing that I feel about myself is that I could be myself at all times. [00:31:20] Speaker B: Correct. [00:31:21] Speaker A: And also, the second best thing is that the biggest compliment that I could pay you is that I really don't care what you do. I'm not gonna be, like, on 413. What were you thinking there? What were you thinking? I would have. I would like. And it's not because I'm not like, turned on. It's just like, yo, I respect you so heavily that like, this is what we rolling with. That's what she saw. You know how many times this coach. I was like, that's what she saw. What you want? Of course you're gonna feel that way. You're the coach. [00:31:50] Speaker B: They try to play you against each other too. So funny things. They should mic us up sometimes for the games. [00:31:57] Speaker A: I don't know if they ready for that. [00:31:58] Speaker B: For me, definitely not you. [00:32:00] Speaker A: They went up to somebody today. So my 1st, 2nd day coming back from rec, from the game that we had to a rec game, this dude was like, that's a shooting foul. I was like, I just gave you a foul. Like, how do you know if it's shooting? He's like, I got hit in your arm. I was like, yo, so during the. [00:32:19] Speaker B: Timeout, boys, I can't. [00:32:22] Speaker A: During the time I come up to him, I'm like, yo, come here for a second. I said, where do you work? He said, why? I'm like, where do you work? He's like, I own a company. I'm like, where do you work? And he was like, why? I was like, cause I wanna go there when your employees are there and curse you the fuck out when you at work. And he was like, that's different. I'm like, how is it different? What's different about you disrespecting me when I'm at work? So the next time when we get on, I'm like, I call foul. I'm like, what'd you think about that with Eddie? Any thoughts? Any thoughts? Did you like the call? Should I made it earlier. All his teammates were like, he's sorry, he's sorry. Won't do it again. Sorry. He didn't know. But yo, just like, what does that mean? Black and white referee shirt. That means you could just automatic punching bag. [00:33:12] Speaker B: I just the focus on referees. Of course we feel differently because we are referees, but it is OD. Like, there's like, we're gonna make mistakes, we're human. However, I'm talking about like, people that really, like, work on what they do. Like, you know, you care, you know the rules, you know what you gotta do. You're not out there. Like, I don't care who wins the game, but what people need to understand is you are not going to talk to me any kind of way. [00:33:42] Speaker A: No. [00:33:42] Speaker B: And I'm not gonna tolerate that either. [00:33:44] Speaker A: Yeah, I just want everyone to know en masse, like, you don't have to speak in a certain tone to convey of how you feel. Because I also understand the game of basketball when your kids aren't executing. It's not all me, right? It just isn't. But I'm trying to lend an empathetic ear because I also know from a coaching standpoint, and you know as well, when you work so hard, day and night, night and day, and try to make them conceptualize something, you want them to execute it in the game. And, like, we not even talk about that. Cause they scared. [00:34:14] Speaker B: Right? [00:34:15] Speaker A: What do you gotta do? You gotta at least put on a brave face and show, like, all right, I want these kids to know, like, I care. Like, let's ride the refs. Cause this ain't working. [00:34:24] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:34:25] Speaker A: So I know that that's a tactic, and I'm not gonna take it personal because I understand it's, like, not necessarily win at all costs, but, yo, you trying to win. [00:34:33] Speaker B: You trying to do whatever you're trying to win. [00:34:34] Speaker A: I get it. Like, there's number one versus number eight in the. Whatever it is. It's crazy. So we did that. We felt comfortable. And I think this year, well, I've been feeling this a couple of years, but. And I expressed this to you during the real time. Like, I just was so burnt by the time we got, like, I'm thinking to myself, why are you complaining? Like, you've wanted this this whole time. You finally get it, and now you don't want it. And it's not that I don't want it. It's just I wish it wasn't now. I wish it was earlier where I was, like, still wanting to do it. And not that I don't want to do it, it's just I did it too much. And when you do it too much on top of doing it too much with hard games compounded. Cause doing it a lot and making it easy is not bad, but doing it a lot and doing a lot of hard games is very, very, very taxing. How were you mentally by the time it was like, go time, Valentine's day, all the way to march, I felt. [00:35:37] Speaker B: I felt fine. I was tired. I hit that wall, but I was able to still push through. And I feel, like, perform at a level that I was pleased with because I had that. I had done so many games like that already. But you talked about that. You be like, yo, shay, why you want to go all the way over here? Why you want to drive there? And I'm like, because I feel like it's preparing me. I gotta put myself in those positions to make mistakes. [00:36:07] Speaker A: And you know what, too, when you say that, that, to me, is a valid answer. That's not like, a thing I don't respect because that's something that I did, and that's something that I probably would have still been doing had it not been for COVID-19 yeah. So I wholeheartedly respect that. I just hope that you give yourself grace that that might not always be what you want. You know, life can change. So I don't ever want you to feel like static. This is what I want to do. And feel disappointed if your body at work deviates from something that you thought you wanted because you might not want it anymore. [00:36:40] Speaker B: Right. [00:36:40] Speaker A: That's all. [00:36:41] Speaker B: Time changes. [00:36:42] Speaker A: Time definitely changes. [00:36:43] Speaker B: Things can happen. You could meet somebody and fall in love. You could want to move. You might get another opportunity with your nine to five. That's, like, earth shattering. I don't know what's going to happen. [00:36:52] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:36:53] Speaker B: All I know is that I'm doing what I said I was going to do, and that's committing to myself. [00:36:57] Speaker A: I think a good time period of elapsed time is six months to go. Like, just reassess yourself. Like, looking at yourself in the mirror, like, am I progressing? Is my health good? Am I getting all my goals? And, like, where am I at? Like, what do I want to do? Maybe I want to ratchet my professional life. Maybe I want. You know what I mean? So I think six months is a good window of time to be like, this is okay. I still want to continue this and just kind of like, check yourself and be like, is this what I still want to do? [00:37:25] Speaker B: Yeah. You know what's crazy? I always talk about this damn planner, but that planner helped me so much. [00:37:32] Speaker A: What got you into doing that? [00:37:36] Speaker B: I went to camp over the summer, and there was somebody I was sitting next to, and he pulled out this nice binder planner, all of that. He was writing his notes, and I just loved how it looked, the organized. I'm very organized. So I was like, damn, that looks nice and neat. Like, I like how that looks. So I was like, why don't I get a planner? Cause I put stuff in my phone. [00:38:05] Speaker A: You can still do both, though. [00:38:07] Speaker B: But it's something. I'm a writer. I love to write. [00:38:10] Speaker A: Okay. [00:38:11] Speaker B: It's something about writing something that I have to do for myself down and checking it off when it's done. It helps me being able to write down and talk about, like, I'm so grateful. I'm blessed to have the opportunities that I'm provided. But I had to learn to balance because I have a family that I love. I have friends that love me. I have things and events that I want to be a part of. And that planner also helped with that balance portion. So even though we got to that game and I was tired, I had hit that wall. I still had a little bit left because I felt like this was the most prepared I have ever been starting my season. And I felt good. I was still tired as hell. Still sounds like, yo, I don't feel like doing this well, but I felt better. Like, I felt more. I felt like I was going in the right direction of having a better balance so that I can have longevity with this if I choose to do that. Cause you gotta. You have. You have to balance. Yeah, you have to. [00:39:11] Speaker A: Do you think that, like, my balance is just doing other sports and going left? [00:39:14] Speaker B: No. And you. I don't know how you do it. Cause you have a family. It's just me and my plants. [00:39:19] Speaker A: True. Well, it's me, my plants and my family. [00:39:22] Speaker B: I have my family, like my mom, my dad, my sister, my nephew, you know, my friends. [00:39:27] Speaker A: I think you do a great job of balancing it, though, because when I see your stories, I'm just like, oh, wow, you not reffing. [00:39:32] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:39:32] Speaker A: And I said that so many times of being like, you know what? She knows how to balance it, which is a good thing. [00:39:36] Speaker B: I'm trying. [00:39:37] Speaker A: That's a good thing. And I try to balance it, too, you know, like, I think, especially when you get a level of success and you'll be able to pick and choose. This is what I was telling Pat. [00:39:45] Speaker B: Like, it's a blessing to be. [00:39:47] Speaker A: You get to the point where, yo, you say, 100 nose, why is this person still hitting me up first? They must really love my swiggity swiggity. I'll just say I've learned a lot with that, too. It's such a blessing to like. So I got a wedding on Saturday. One of my best friends, Greg. Shout out to Greg, who had a fantastic year. He did a lu ha game on hobsters floor. That's my man. [00:40:10] Speaker B: Shout out to Greg. Congratulations. [00:40:12] Speaker A: He's getting married on Saturday. And, you know, I was still trying to ref. I want to see what I could do. And I'm like, yo, I'm only available eight, nine, and ten. And they gave it to me. That's a blessing to be able to just do that off it. Cause, you know, when you first start, yeah. You got the 06:00 game. You get there and you like, wait, why are they still playing? Why is there 17 minutes left? Like, oh, yeah, the fourth game didn't start on time, so. And you like, man, I'm such a rookie, man. [00:40:41] Speaker B: Oh, nah, it is. It's definitely a blessing. And it's nice to, like you said, like, you know what? I got something to do later. Let me go make some money real quick. [00:40:50] Speaker A: Right, right, quick. Just right. [00:40:52] Speaker B: Let me go make some money so I can spend it. [00:40:53] Speaker A: Let me just be able to get my kids some. [00:40:56] Speaker B: Yo, cold stone, again, I cannot stress enough to people, you can make this whatever you want with it. Right? Let's be real to a certain extent. [00:41:06] Speaker A: Mm hmm. [00:41:07] Speaker B: But to me, there is no better hustle. I'm talking cash on the spot for majority of the year. Yeah, yeah, right? Mm hmm. Cash on the spot majority of the year. Or you're having a constant workflow, or, you know, sometimes with, if you're school, whatever, you gotta wait to the end of the season. But still, I don't think there's any other thing that you could do that's like that. I mean, you could get into trading and things like that, but you show up, no matter how good or bad you do, you getting paid. [00:41:38] Speaker A: I look at it like this, like, I want a 43 as tv. I go on best by, like, 216. All right. Yo, I'm trying to ref on Saturday. What's good? [00:41:46] Speaker B: And being able to call somebody and be like, hey, guys, no problem. [00:41:48] Speaker A: 8910. Eleven. You want it? I'm like, damn. You not hitting people up. [00:41:51] Speaker B: I have one tournament that I work every single summer. On Saturday mornings, ten and 11:00. Cash on the spot. Is that me and my partner do the same partner all the time. Cause that's my boy. [00:42:04] Speaker A: Uh huh. [00:42:04] Speaker B: They'd be like, hey, shay, you wanna. You wanna. I be like, yes, I do. I get up, I could go, you know, chill, whatever. The night before, I'm there. It's right in Queens. I get there, 945 games start. I'm out. Get paid for cancellations. Whatever else I could say, all right, that's the end of my day. Or I could go somewhere else. [00:42:23] Speaker A: That's what I'm saying. I was telling Pat earlier, like, it's like, it's a faucet, right? You need money. Here we go. [00:42:30] Speaker B: Yeah, throw me up. [00:42:32] Speaker A: I'll take twelve games today. [00:42:33] Speaker B: Thank you. And if you wanted to, you know, the multiple, like, you, like, you do multiple sports. I know that if that, if I had, you know, if I wanted to, I know that option would be available, too. But I cannot even imagine trying to add another sport in my brain. [00:42:47] Speaker A: I don't know why I can't. How many movies have you seen recently? [00:42:52] Speaker B: We talked about this. [00:42:54] Speaker A: I know, and I'm gonna put you on a spot again. [00:42:55] Speaker B: Is this the last, like, a new movie? [00:42:57] Speaker A: How about tv show? What was the last tv show you saw? [00:43:01] Speaker B: Disappointing. The last tv show I saw. Cause I'm ready to stop watching it. I don't even wanna talk about BMF. They don't deserve it. The best tv show that I recently saw that I'm still stuck on snowfall. I'm still not over snowfall. That was. That was. That's in my top five. The wires. Number one. But snow fall. Interesting. [00:43:22] Speaker A: Do you watch another show? [00:43:24] Speaker B: I don't watch a lot of tv. [00:43:26] Speaker A: When was the last show you watched after that? [00:43:28] Speaker B: You messing on my. [00:43:29] Speaker A: You messing up my point. But what I'm trying to say is. [00:43:32] Speaker B: Like, I watched basketball in 1st 48. That's it. [00:43:34] Speaker A: Okay. Do you ever go like, yo, I just saw 1st 48. I can't watch no four. I don't know how my brain gonna handle that. What are you talking about? [00:43:43] Speaker B: I don't. Cause I'm not interested. [00:43:45] Speaker A: That's different. But that's different. That's different than saying you can't handle it. Cause that's a miss. That's a mischaracterization of how much I know that you would excel in those things. Like. And that's fine. That's fine. And I wanted to tell, too, and I've said this before, but, yo, rest in peace. To my man Irving. I just want to say, he had this one thing, his one shining moment. Like, we took the lacrosse class four years ago, and my field test was the same day that everything shut down, so I was never able to do it. And I always felt bad when he talked to me, because he's like, yo, man, I don't understand how I'm not able to, like, maneuver. Like, I'm like, yo, just. Just keep doing what you're doing. Just keep showing up. Just doing better. Like, don't worry about what I'm doing. But he had this one little thing on me, which was. Cause I guess my membership lapsed and he was still doing well with it. [00:44:41] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. [00:44:41] Speaker A: He's like, yo, son, I finally got you on something. I'm like, yo, what's up? I respect that. [00:44:47] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:44:47] Speaker A: But when he passed away, God rest his soul, he passed away last summer. I kind of re explored it again. I was like, you know what? I'm gonna do it. That's what's up. I'm gonna do it for his memory. So that's what's up. It turned out to be, like, a crazy story. Because there's a girl on my team. Her father is. Cause she overheard, like, oh, you ref. Oh, my dad raps. I'm like, your dad? Refs? Your dad's the football coach at Kellenberg. And I started talking to him, and I was telling him, like, yo, I took the field test, and then the pandemic happened. I wasn't thinking about reffing. I'm sure you weren't either. And they told me that I gotta re sign up. And I'm thinking this whole time, like, you see what it is? I'm not talking about basketball. Basketball is, like, well satiated with quality, competitive, like, high level refs in our tri state area. But when it comes to these other sports, they're just dying. So I'm thinking, like, how you gonna drop me when y'all got no one? Like, how could it be scarce and prestigious at the same time? Two thirds of things can't be true at the same time. It just can't be. So I was like, you know what? The parent or the college lacrosse official who's also the football official. Football coach. Jimmy's his name. Jimmy McDermott. Shout out to Jimmy. He's like, oh, I just talked to the president. I got you back in, but you just gotta take the class. You don't gotta pay. I was like, man, what's up? That was a cool gesture. And he's like, oh, yeah, by the way, I'm gonna be the teacher. I was like, you gonna be the teacher? So, like, it turned out to be the. It turned out to be the best class ever. [00:46:14] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:46:14] Speaker A: Literally the best class. [00:46:15] Speaker B: Maybe Herb hooked it up for you. [00:46:17] Speaker A: Maybe he did. And, yo, I'm gonna tell you. Sorry. I met the Asana for my volleyball games. She's also the lacrosse assigner. So I'm out here wearing all my Kellenburg. Cause we at Kellenberg. So I'm the coach today. And they were like. I was like, so, Diane, I just wanna know. Look, look. I know nothing about lacrosse. I just wanna know, when is it appropriate, you think that I could start doing lacrosse games for the catholic league? And she was like, oh, what are you doing March 25? I wanna lie. So I went on that field, girl, and I don't know, I was being my basketball self, but I had fake it to you. [00:46:57] Speaker B: Make it no clue. But I'm glad you're doing it. [00:47:00] Speaker A: I'll tell you where I'm at now. I got to work with one of my old mentors from flack football. When I first started, Bob Ludi, we had Manhasset versus North Shore middle school. Yo, these girls in Manhasset lacrosse, they are tough. I didn't understand what was happening. This girl's wear, like, she looked like she was in the american revolution. Right? We did the draw. She went. She went, whop. Caught it herself. [00:47:25] Speaker B: Yep. Yeah. [00:47:27] Speaker A: Went like this, and I went, oh, nice. And the whistle in lacrosse is like this. It goes. [00:47:36] Speaker B: Really? [00:47:36] Speaker A: Yeah. And I'm out there having a ball like, oh, this is great. I'm so they scored ten goals in four minutes, and then after that, they just kept passing back. [00:47:47] Speaker B: And I think their soccer team is. [00:47:48] Speaker A: Good, too, but I would imagine their lacrosse is crazy. [00:47:51] Speaker B: A couple girls that I used to coach, of course they play basketball, but they were very good in lacrosse. [00:47:56] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. La Pinto, right? [00:47:59] Speaker B: Yes. One of them plays in college. The other one's going to college now, too. [00:48:04] Speaker A: I think she's gonna play division one. She's really good. [00:48:07] Speaker B: A lot of them are going on to play college sports, which is amazing. [00:48:12] Speaker A: Yeah. Listen, that high level lacrosse, they're really good. I think I might like it more than basketball. I know that sounds crazy. [00:48:18] Speaker B: It's pretty similar. It is kinda. [00:48:20] Speaker A: You know what I like about it? [00:48:21] Speaker B: I have friends that played lacrosse in high school. [00:48:23] Speaker A: Yeah. You know what I like about it? [00:48:25] Speaker B: Loved it. [00:48:26] Speaker A: No one knows what's illegal, so you be calling something and you be like. And you gotta direct it. It's not like basketball, where it's like, all right, I got foul. I know I got two shots, right? Everyone knows in the gym there's two shots, but here it's like, no, no, no. You had an empty stick. Check number four. You're gonna go 4 meters behind. You're gonna go there, you're gonna go there, you're gonna go there, and on my whistle, and you could be making it up. Cause that's what I'm doing. I'm out here, like, 14. Get back to behind the floor. I'm like, that's what they look like. So that's what I'm gonna do. You know, basketball, you gotta be precise. But everyone just giving me so much respect. And I told you this last time, they poly's my mentor. He's been nothing but amazing to me. [00:49:06] Speaker B: I love him. [00:49:07] Speaker A: I went to, like, four of his games. He's really good, yo, he's really good. At lacrosse. He's, like, number one in lacrosse. He's amazing. He really is. [00:49:15] Speaker B: He asked me from when I started, so he's always good. He always asked me, though, you wanna do soccer? You wanna do lacrosse? I'll be like, nah, I'm good. He was like, all right, if you change your mind. [00:49:23] Speaker A: Well, listen, he working on you, because he did the same thing to me. Eight years later, here I am. [00:49:27] Speaker B: We had a game at the Coliseum this year. [00:49:30] Speaker A: Yo. I just love how he's always so jolly. [00:49:32] Speaker B: He's always ma happy. Every time I see him, he's like. [00:49:34] Speaker A: Chef, you doing good? [00:49:35] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. [00:49:36] Speaker A: He's like, we gotta hurry this up. I got a soccer game, and he'd be like, I'm getting 120 a game. Like, damn, Dave. [00:49:43] Speaker B: That's why he's so damn happy. [00:49:45] Speaker A: Where's the soccer games at? Like, I'm not seeing one of these. I want to say, there's no better way to end the season than doing, like, the highest level that you could possibly do, especially at the high school level. The double a Catholic final. That was something that's been on my bucket list. Cause I did the b. I did the a. I went to federations. But, you know, I think at this point in your career, at least on a high school level, like, it's like, there's one check, but you have something a little below, and you just want it. You just want to check that off. And there was no better honor for me to be able to be the representative of the archdiocese of Rockville center and share that moment with you. What was it like to get selected? And I think what's so crazy was that the full circle moment, that after that Mount Verde game against Luja, we went to Hofstra, took a picture, right? And we were like, yo, this is five minutes from our house. We saw a car with the back door open, and we came back, and it was still open. It could have got robbed, driven, came back. But it just was like, I just remember going in, just being so proud from being around the area and seeing Hofstra for the first time. Besides, since speedy was playing, just completely sold out. And then to think, three weeks later, me and you would have another picture there. You know what I mean? So what was that like, getting selected? And then, I guess doing that game? [00:51:07] Speaker B: Believe, yo, all the things, like, these calls and opportunities I get, I'm always surprised. I was shocked. I was not expecting to get that call. Like, I was like, all right, season's over. I'm gonna take a couple days off, rest my body. I got the call. Like, you got selected. I was like, what? So my mentors always laugh like, you're not crying, are you? Cause when they called me before, I get emotional, I'd be, like, so grateful. So I'll be crying, maybe making fun of me. But he was like, you're not crying, are you? I was like, nah, not this time. But getting that call, being able to go to Hofstra. We grew up over here, right? [00:51:43] Speaker A: Yup. [00:51:44] Speaker B: I was able to have my family there, which meant everything to me. But, like, standing on that court, I felt like it took me back to that self commitment journey. Like, I never committed to myself. And look at what happened when I did. Like, damn. It's, like, piques your interest. Like, what can. Like, how far can I take this? What else is in store if I continue to commit like this? Like, who would ever think me and my dad went to a Hofstra game last year? He was like, I got some tickets, and we went to the game, and one of my peers was reffing. I was like, dad, imagine Mike flurry. Nah, Mikey. Me. [00:52:20] Speaker A: Okay, Mikey. May. Yeah, yeah, it's Mei. Come on. Stop. [00:52:23] Speaker B: Me, may. Sorry, Mikey. At least I shouted him out. It's all love. So I was like, I'm gonna get. [00:52:28] Speaker A: People to butcher the shenanigia. Go ahead. [00:52:29] Speaker B: It's cool. They mess up my name all the time. At least just know it's love. So I'm sitting there with my dad. I'm like, dad, imagine that. That's really cool. He was like, you gonna get there. You gonna get there? And then I'm sitting there having a full circle moment. Like, yo, not only were we just there, I was just here with my dad last year. I'm not at the collegiate level, but God willing, I'm taking that as a confirmation. So I was just super proud. I was nervous as hell. [00:52:56] Speaker A: Were you? [00:52:57] Speaker B: Yeah, I was. [00:52:57] Speaker A: Do I make you at ease? [00:52:59] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:53:00] Speaker A: Like. Cause I'm loose. [00:53:01] Speaker B: Like, we could calm down. But even when the game, I think I wanna say it took a good two minutes into the game for me to, like, why do I feel nervous like this? [00:53:11] Speaker A: Yeah. When you done did this, you did this already. [00:53:14] Speaker B: I was just, like, super proud. I couldn't believe it. I think I was, like, really, like, in shock still from the beginning. Like, yo, I cannot believe, like, I'm running up and down on this court right now. Like, I was just so proud of that. And then I'm working with you. I'm working with K. I was like, yo, this is super dope. It was dope. [00:53:32] Speaker A: It was very dope. I mean, it was definitely a full circle moment with me because, as I always tease you, I won. It wasn't, what, six, seven seasons ago when you had your first game, you had no idea what you was doing. You just was, like, reluctant to blow the whistle. I'm not even gonna tell you what type of atrocity I know. You got paid for that game, though. [00:53:51] Speaker B: That's what I mean. [00:53:52] Speaker A: Fake it to your mate. That's what I was telling Pat. Don't matter if you bad or good. [00:53:55] Speaker B: You gonna get you still getting paid. [00:53:57] Speaker A: Give me that money. I don't care. You lucky I'm here. [00:54:00] Speaker B: Yeah, just make sure you know how to fight in case somebody follow you to the court. And I'm just playing words, yo. [00:54:04] Speaker A: That's what the Roosevelt coach tried to do to me. They tried to do that today. Talking reckless. They're zero seven. They lost 400. Please, it's not me. It ain't me. It ain't me. I know it ain't me. So we got that out the way. So that's. We're about a month in a week removed from that. And I'll just tell you what I've been up to this month. I grew my beard out. I'm back to, like, I haven't thought about basketball at all. It was a little bit of a shock to do it. And just like you on those Saturday mornings, I got an everyday, every Monday partner. His name is Mike. He and boy 119. And he's always famous for going 15, like, on the shot clock. But we just got a good thing going. Like, we got a good synergy, you know what I mean? He's just good vibrations. And I just was like, yo, I purposely try to, like, forget that I'm a basketball ref to see, like, how embedded it is in my subconscious. And when I did, it was like, as if I never left. And that's so crazy that you do so much repetition of one thing where that's really how you feel about a certain thing. But, you know, I've been doing flag football. I've been doing softball. I've really been enjoying the weather recently, even though it's been cold the last two days. But, you know, there's been a couple of 75 degree days when I'm out there, you can see I'm a little tanner. [00:55:21] Speaker B: We need more to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's not beach time yet, but I know. You ready? [00:55:25] Speaker A: Nah. But before beach, which I hope you come with me this year. [00:55:29] Speaker B: Yeah, I definitely. I have to go to the beach. I haven't been to the beach in, like, two years. [00:55:34] Speaker A: You know, is for you, who aspires to be a division one college basketball official, which I know at some point you will get the nod. Talk about your camp season. I know you're talking about this weekend. You're going to be driving up to spooky nook. [00:55:48] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:55:49] Speaker A: So talk about what else you're going to be doing in the circle. Were you getting prepared? Cause, like, my brain is off. So I'm sure that you still in lock in mode. [00:55:56] Speaker B: Yeah, I took. After the season was over, I took. I took maybe, like, I want to say a full week, almost two weeks off of officiating. I literally just took that time, rested my body, but I was still watching ball because it was March madness. So that's on tv all day, every day. But as far as the physical, I didn't, like, do any extra studying. I didn't. I just literally took a break from officiating, and I needed that. But once that was done, it was right back into it. Doing camp prep, officiating, you know, practicing on the things I need to to get camp ready and just getting ready for the summer. Cause it's 365, and that's the part where balancing is super important. So I feel like I'm in a good mental space. I'm happy with my physical, and we'll see, you know, what happens. [00:56:53] Speaker A: Yeah. I wish you the very best of luck this weekend, and I'm sure that regardless of the outcome, I just know that you're gonna be present in the process of anything that comes your way. [00:57:05] Speaker B: Yes. [00:57:05] Speaker A: Because there will be something. I don't. You know, I can't guarantee that something's gonna be to something that you want, but I guarantee that it'll be something that. Whether that be, you know, a word of encouragement or meeting somebody there, you already know how this works. Sometimes you don't even see it. It might be right in your face, and you don't even realize it. So, you know, continue to keep doing those great things. I did want to ask for the people that are just starting out because, you know, they say. And I also feel like I was a fortunate. I was reaping the benefits of, like, shooting up quick where, you know, I felt for a long time I just wasn't ready for this games, wasn't understanding why I was getting those games. But, you know, you somehow managed to trick your brain to just be present and being able to be thankful and I think that that foundation of just, like, being egoless and selfless and understanding, like, with gratitude, the opportunities that are set forth, because you also realize, too, as much as, like, it feels fluky for you or feels like you don't deserve it, there's a lot of people that don't get the calls that we get, you know? So I always am very in tune to my position in the game. Right. Because it's not normal. It's not. No, it's not. And it's. And, you know, I think the harder part is maintaining it, right. Cause I felt like I made the blueprint this year. How am I gonna top that album? Like, don't you feel the same way on a level? Like, how am I gonna. There's no. And somehow I do. And somehow I do because I just stay present. I'm not worried about the end. I'm just right there. But what kind of advice would you give somebody just starting out, you know, like, somebody like Pat, yo, he just. Nothing. Just clean slate. [00:58:47] Speaker B: Take your time, take your time. Take your time. Take your time. [00:58:52] Speaker A: Take your time and be on your own time. [00:58:54] Speaker B: And be on your own time. Find your own process and what works for you and go with that. Be a sponge. Learn to listen first before you have to reply or ask a question, because sometimes the answer is already there. If you just take your time and listen. Find a good mentor and plan. Like, write down exactly what you want to do with this. No matter how big, how small, whatever the purpose is, just make a plan. And as you cross the little things off your list, right, like, you got an end goal, but along that way, you're gonna learn so many things and pick up so many gems, and then you're gonna add more pieces to that to do list. Because now it's growing and it's expanding. And then the last part would be, make that money. Make that money. It's so much to be made. Don't take things personal. This is a business, and it's your business. [00:59:57] Speaker A: So, yo, I wanna. At the very least, my final thing I wanted to say. I forget what game it was. It blurred, but I remember there was a coach that was screaming at the top of their lungs, and Shay was like, right there. And the ear was right here. She did a little smaller the back and walked them back. And I was like, wow, shay's elite son. You walked him off the edge. So that was. So you were like, coach, back to your bench. I don't know what you're saying. I just know it worked. I forget what game that was, but I was like, no wonder she getting the calls. You see what you doing? We ain't even talking about the whistle. We talking about when it's like, this guy. This person wants an explanation right now, and it better be satisfactory or else. So I appreciate. [01:00:51] Speaker B: That's hilarious. [01:00:53] Speaker A: I just want to say I appreciate all of those moments that we have, and I hope that we make even more memories next year. [01:00:59] Speaker B: We will. [01:00:59] Speaker A: Any final words you want to say before we part ways? [01:01:01] Speaker B: Nah. It's a blessing. It's a blessing to be here, blessing to do this. And I'm grateful for the journey and can't wait to keep growing. [01:01:08] Speaker A: Yes, sir. Shanaja Franklin. This is Ralph, the ref. This is the rant we assign out. Peace.