Full Court Press

A Personal Story By Tim Leighton

Legendary Chisholm boys’ basketball coach Bob McDonald figured he’d seen it all in a 54-year coaching career that has made him Minnesota’s winningest coach with more than 900 victories. And you know it must be really something for the always-quotable and affable McDonald to stop in his tracks, speechless.

He saw me. I was wearing referee stripes.

Less than 24 hours earlier, I had been interviewing him for my “A’’ job as a sports reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer Press. During a long postgame interview the day before, he was upbeat following his team’s loss in Minnesota’s small-school semifinals.

He further pontificated about the state of the newspaper industry, coaching longevity and the “so-so’’ officiating he had encountered during the season. I had to suppress a smile at that last one. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I was officiating his third-place game the next morning.

To do so would have broken my personal code. I work very hard at keeping my vocation and avocation separate. Yes, I know it could be perceived as a thin line. I have been a reporter for 20 years primarily covering high school sports, and a 19-year member of Minneapolis Officials Association.

I have yet to have a problem or cries of conflict of interest.

After McDonald stopped shaking his head in amusement, he muttered to me, something like, “You little stinker!’’ as I walked past him during the pregame warmups. I chuckled to myself but didn’t show any visible reaction. During the game, McDonald behaved himself for the most part. Sure, he gave some in-game personal opinions on the performance of the three-official crew, but they were mostly harmless.

Following the game, I left the venue and had to head back to the Target Center in Minneapolis and morph back into reporter mode to cover four championship games. More than a month later, I was interviewing McDonald for another story when the topic of that state tournament game surfaced.

“It is very unique what you do,’’ he said. “Those are two different hats that you wear. I don’t think many guys could do that. It takes a great deal of focus to pull that off.”

Many years ago when I advanced to the varsity level, I met with my editors to make sure they were still OK with me continuing my avocation. “Personally, I think you are nuts doing that job,’’ one superior editor said. “I don’t like you guys. You drive me crazy when I coach my son’s team.’’

They weren’t the least bit concerned about a conflict of interest.

“As a referee, you have to be objective, and call them like you see them,’’ another editor said. “You’ve obviously been doing a good job of that because I haven’t heard any complaints or issues.’’

With their blessing, I continued with the understanding that when I officiated a ballgame I was wearing the referee hat, not a reporter’s. If something of significance happened during a game that I officiated, I was not allowed to report on it. I could pass the information along to another reporter to pursue.

McDonald is glad he has another anecdote for five decades worth of tales.

“It was a first for me and there is nothing wrong with that,’’ he said. “I see a man that is interested in sports and doing a great job as a referee. Yours is a link that is very special, and that makes for a greater understanding and warmth for the game. I just don’t have a problem with it.’’

Mission accomplished.

Tim Leighton is a sports reporter with the St. Paul Pioneer Press. He is a 19-year member of Minneapolis Officials Association.