When I used to go to more NBA games it got to the point where I would start recognizing refs - or at least remembering their faces. I do remember Violet Palmer and the first time I saw her work a game. To that point I wasn't even aware that the NBA had female refs. I watched her, she held her own on the court and it didn't take long for me to realize they could do the job.
From the old days I remember the names of Mendy Rudolph and Richie Powers. Those two seemed to work a lot of big TV games and they had some show boat in them - more so than the NBA refs today.
Switching gears to women's basketball, I remember in the old days (1960's) some players weren't allowed by the rules to cross into the other teams side of the court - they played defense only or some such thing. Not a fun game to watch and it failed to recognize the women's potential.
One time I was in Nashville in the mid-90's and went to a Tennessee - Vanderbilt women's basketball game. That's when I finally realized that women could really play the game - and would beat the hell of out of me in a game if I even dared walk on the court. That's when Pat Summit coached the Vols and she had Chamique Holdsclaw on the team. It was a real blood match between those two teams - one of the best games I ever saw. That gym was one of the loudest and craziest I'd ever been in.
From the old days I remember the names of Mendy Rudolph and Richie Powers. Those two seemed to work a lot of big TV games and they had some show boat in them - more so than the NBA refs today.
Switching gears to women's basketball, I remember in the old days (1960's) some players weren't allowed by the rules to cross into the other teams side of the court - they played defense only or some such thing. Not a fun game to watch and it failed to recognize the women's potential.
One time I was in Nashville in the mid-90's and went to a Tennessee - Vanderbilt women's basketball game. That's when I finally realized that women could really play the game - and would beat the hell of out of me in a game if I even dared walk on the court. That's when Pat Summit coached the Vols and she had Chamique Holdsclaw on the team. It was a real blood match between those two teams - one of the best games I ever saw. That gym was one of the loudest and craziest I'd ever been in.