Referee Takes Mid-Game Phone Call, Deserves Nothing but the Worst

Somewhere in hell, the devil is roping off a leech-filled grotto for the man who officiated a middle school basketball game while talking on his cell phone.

For The Win’s Mike Foss spotted footage of this towering monument to apathy. The man appears to chat on his phone for a good minute, trotting the court for three possessions with the device pressed to his ear.

The world hasn’t witnessed this caliber of officiating since the Ducks upset the Wildcats at the community center showdown in 2006.

Deadspin’s Kevin Draper reports that the incident occurred Tuesday during the annual grudge match between Washington state middle school rivals North Whidbey and Oak Harbor.

Now, some of you are thinking, “It’s middle school basketball. These kids are too busy Minecraft-ing their Tamagotchis to notice. Who cares?”


Sarah cares. She’s in the stands watching Connor, who asked her to the Whidbey box social and needs to drop at least 13 points on these sandbaggers from Oak Harbor to seal the deal. How’s he going to squeeze out the baker's dozen if the ref is too busy disputing a Comcast charge to give him some continuation?

You’ve got to respect the game at every level, guys. You can’t pick and choose. Andrew Wiggins was windmill dunking in middle school. Don’t sleep on the youth.

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