The irREFutable Magazine 1 January 2021

AN OFFICIALS PERSPECTIVE January 2021

The

IrREFutable Magazine is an online outlet that was designed for refs, by

refs. Kevin draws, and Ralph writes. They combined their superhero powers to make the Avengers of officials off the court! It spawned from a conversation on the 4th of July amid a pandemic. After conversing, they wanted to combine forces and find a way to highlight other officials that were aligned with their core values: empathy, compassion, an entrepreneurial spirit, and the freedom to create something that can be impactful in other people’s lives. Once combined, they realized that it was irREFutable that they work together. Hence we are, the irREFutable Magazine.

“You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.” -Abraham Lincoln

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January 2021

What’s inside

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The Outcome Business.

Not The Income Business.

An interview with Sara Wood

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Follow us on Instagram @theirrefutablemag

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Where Were You?

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Zoom Etiquette Proper operating procedures for that everyday Zoom call.

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Don’t miss the beauty of the journey looking for a destination

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EMOTIONS The Thick Skin of An Adult League Referee

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Starting The Minor Leagues Amid a Pandemic

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Flying and COVID Safety

Latest Podcasts

An interview with Eric Carmona

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Follow us on Instagram @theirrefutablemag

Issue 1

January 2021 Staff

Kevin Sparrrock

Art Director

Ralph Fornoles

Editor

Ralph Fornoles Kevin Sparrock

Photography

Editorial Contributing Asha P. Sparrock Vladimir “Vlad� Figueroa

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Poet at large

Cover Art

Photograph: Ralph Fornoles Design: Kevin Sparrock

This publication took a lot of time and effort to put together so please respect it! Nothing in this publication can be reproduced in whole or part without the written permission of the editorial team.

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The views and opinions in the IrREFutable Magazine are those of the authors and not necessarily of The IrRefutable Magazine or Still Brooklyn LLC.

This Months Comic

The Irrefutable Magazine is published monthly except for a combined June and September issue.

All subscribers and only members receive the magazine as a result of the paid subscription. $9.99 per month. By Still Brooklyn LLC, PO BOX 141934, Coral Gables FL 33114-1934 United States.

Still Brooklyn LLC all rights reserved.

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The Outcome Business Not The Income Business

An interview with Sara Woods

By Ralph the Ref

Sara

Woods is a basketball official who is currently working amateur, collegiate, and semi-pro contests. Based out of St. Louis, Missouri, Woods saw a gap in leadership in her region and decided to create the company Big Game Officials where she recruits, develops and mentors prospective and current officials.

Big Game Officials start out prospective officials from the ages 12-14 on how to become table personnel - working the shot clock, game clock, and becoming score keepers. These initial assignments open the window to a referee’s job. These students soon graduate into a life of officiating. Her recruitment and development of prospective and current officials has achieved the trust and confidence of scouts, assignors, coaches, school administrators, and the community.

We connected with Sara Woods to discuss the Big Game Official journey.

When did you start realizing that lack of mentorship was an issue?

Sara Woods: The more I reached out when I had little to no experience, other officials were reluctant to help me unless I went to a camp and had to pay for it. I found others unwilling to share the knowledge unless I went to camps, which I understand.

The higher you go, the more it’s monetized.

Do you think it’s a problem you have personally experienced, or do you think this is systemic?

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Sara: I think it’s systemic because not only from a mentor perspective. I have also seen challenges in other organizations that are similar to mine in various organizations. I don’t know if it’s jockeying for position. I’m not sure. I can’t put my finger on it.

It’s frustrating.

In sports, you have the affirmation mantra. Teamwork makes the dream work. No matter what you do to make the team, especially those established, they are resistant. So yes, to your point, you are forced to go off and do your own thing.

From the beginning, when do you think that you needed a mentor to help you with this more expediently? More efficient?

Sara: After I completed my first season. After four months, after my first season, I thought I was going to know all the rules and all that I needed to become a great official, but when the season was over, there was only AAU ball - no camps, nobody for me to talk to, I was thinking what do we do? Just walk away, and wait for the next season? There is little to no direction when the season ends. How do I train in the offseason? You complete your last game, go home, and hang up your shoes. There has to be more.

When did you identify that you were a mentor yourself?

Sara: So, after the season, obviously, I didn’t work any postseason, but the NCAA was in town. That’s when I saw NCAA Final Four officials and reached out to one of the officials, and I was invited to a camp, which I thought was very kind. At that point, that was my first experience with a real mentor. My mentor reached out, paved the way for me to get to camp, spent time with me at camp, and followed up after camp.

She was always an email or text message away. Then I realized This is what I need.

This is what we need to serve the game. I promised myself if I ever got that good, I want to be a mentor like that.

When did you realize that you were going to become a mentor? What were the steps of identifying to become a mentor?

I want to help people. If that makes me a target, we have to ask the person who thinks I’m a target what their mindset is.

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Sara: We have a mandatory camp - a mechanics camp, you have to attend your first three years when you become a high school official. After my fourth year, they invited me to become a clinician. Really? As a matter of fact, after my fourth year, I wanted to go even though I was only required to go to three - I wanted to continue to learn when I get invited. I’ll do my very best. I met the newer officials and realized that I was there before and could answer their questions. I waited with bated breath, then to see them in action and doing what I suggested or recommended. Then they started showing up in my pregame and post games and watching my games. I said, maybe this is ok.

The mentee has to become a mentor.

Has that given you a different target on your back?

Sara: Who knows? It’s possible. I’m absolutely no threat. I want to help people. If that makes me a target, we have to ask the person who thinks I’m a target what their mindset is.

With Big Game Officials, how do you think other mentors perceive it? Do you think they find it surprising to find out that you are doing what you are doing?

Sara: I have been very transparent with the organizations. What I’m doing. I wanted their buy-in. So I’ve had a face to face conversation. They were encouraging. They had no problem. I was even told that I wish we could have done this, but there is a need. I’m surprised to this day when I held my first camp. When I reached out and tried to leverage the same organization, I didn’t even respond - and it’s perplexing, little to no collaboration. Each organization stands alone, and for whatever reason, there’s still a need, no matter what organization it is. Have to fill the void. The more I try, the less interest is in developing talent.

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Has this experience motivated you or discouraged you from moving forward?

Sara: Initially, it had me discouraged because there is a sense of loyalty. This is an organization that I grew up in that made me, that helped me develop to get to the state finals. But then, the more that I have no support or lack of choice of words, encouragement. The more determined I became. I invested a lot of time and effort into this. This isn’t something that I had a bright idea, and it’s not working, and people are not cooperating, and I’m just going to give up. I’m determined because of the need.

The lack of support doesn’t change the need to set the standard and visibility any less. If I’m not going to do it, who is going to do it?

Do you think social media has helped or hurt your initiative?

Sara: It has absolutely helped. That’s a space where complete strangers have embraced this idea. This is what I need. People have reached out to me for me to help them, mentor, across the country. I was looking at my own backyard. I got zero referrals.

How has mentoring changed in the age of Covid-19?

Sara: Unless the complete network shuts down, I’m completely accessible. My mentees know how to get a hold of me. This is exactly why I like this role. I only take a certain few. So they have a direct line to me. They can’t get me face to face, but we can get a zoom call. But I want to be accessible for any and every question that they have for me. To the defense of the highest levels of officials, that is a daunting task. These are the critical years that will make or break an official. When they are first starting out, it’s those first 2 or 3 years. They need a direct line of a mentor to overcome any obstacle - I don’t think there are enough people on my level that are qualified or willing to do it. Not everybody can teach. I even have my own challenge with the generation gap. The younger generation approaches life and work, and their efforts differ. I had to adapt and learn to be more patient. If there’s a will, there’s a way,. I’m affordable. You don’t have to pay $500 and get advice from me.

Thanks for granting this opportunity to speak with you, Sara. We wish you many blessings on this journey.

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“As a referee, my purpose is to provide athletes with the best possible competitive experience. The fierce competition is a constant reminder that teamwork is essential. As a crew, we rely on experience, training, and each other to get the call right. Officiating requires hard work and dedication.

However, being a part of the game while protecting its integrity is rewarding and worth the effort.�

-Sara Woods

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Where Were You?

By Kevin Sparrock

Some

events in life, you can remember the exact spot on the floor when you heard the news. On April 2, 1984, I remembered the weather, the smell of spring, and standing in front of a Brooklyn, NY brownstone. I remember the words, “Did you hear Marvin Gaye is dead.” For me, this man was music. I could listen to him for hours. Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston had the same effect on me. There are some family members that you can’t recall their birthdays, but for some celebrities, that emotional attachment is fixed firmly in the crevices of my brain.

John, Keri, and Alyssa Altobelli. Sarah and Payton Chester. Christina Mauser. Ara Zobayan. Kobe and Gianna Bryant. I remember exactly where I was when they passed away. “Yo, listen to this,” was said just before I heard the terrible news.

I was refereeing a game at Towson University. It was a cold day by my standards. On that day, I had a referee’s worst nightmare. We had a correctable error for awarding an unmerited free-throw. The team wasn’t in the penalty, and the crew awarded free throws before we were in the bonus. I could blame many folks for the mistake, my partners, the table personal, the teams, or the announcer, but the error was mine to correct. I haven’t had an unfixable error since my second or third season of refereeing basketball. I was angry and beat myself up over the mistake before entering the locker room at half time. As we approached the locker room, my partner overheard some murmurs in the audience. My partner looked at his phone, and he had at least thirty missed messages. The conversation in the stands confirmed his suspicions.

Without looking up from his phone, my partner said, “Yo, listen to this. Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash.” Upon returning to the court, I asked the table broadcaster, “Is it true?” With a sour face, he responded, “Yes.”

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I remember being in a fog. The game continued without any other issues. The team affected by the correctable error mistake lost by a large margin, so the error had no bearing on the game’s outcome, but it left a massive hole to my professional standards. Through it all, I had to take a pause. Beautiful people who were deeply loved by family perished unexpectedly in a helicopter crash.

When the game ended, I contacted my supervisor and informed her of the correctable error. I then contacted my wife, and we talked a good twenty to thirty minutes in the university parking lot before I left. We reflected on the tragedy, and I can’t remember if I ever mention the mistake in my game. “I love you.” She replied, “I love you, too.

Be careful driving”. Asha, my oldest, texted me to see where I was. Simone, my youngest daughter, connected on the phone and let me know she felt sad about the accident.

I often wondered why that moment weighed heavy on my heart. In my opinion, Kobe Bryant is easily all-time top ten players in the NBA, but I was never a major fan because of basketball. His relationship with his daughter, his contribution to women in sports and the arts stuck with me. It was also the nine souls who were on the flight.

The families affected.

I remember looking at the game later in the day. I watched the correctable error when it happened and dissected my thought process through my lapse of concentration. I also looked at my performance after halftime. I believe, had I not heard of the tragedy, I would have been self-involved in my mistake. That day I was prepared. I was focused, an error happened, and I will do better. I finished the game report for my supervisor. I hit send and moved on.

That was a day of reflection. That day made me think about all the people I forgot to tell that I love them and appreciate them in my life. At this moment, the mistake in my game seemed less critical. It made me keep this whole basketball life in perspective.

This past year deserves grace. With all of the deaths that we encountered, all of the financial hardships, and personal stress, we should hold onto grace for others and, most importantly ourselves. I am thankful for my yesterday, blessed for today, and joyful for my tomorrow.

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On that day, I had a referee’s worst nightmare.

We had a correctable error for awarding an unmerited free-throw.

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Proper operating procedures for that everyday Zoom call.

Isn’t

By Asha Pearl Sparrock

it backwards that the technology that should be made for those who can’t walk or leave their house is used by perfectly capable human beings, and sometimes animals, that simply do not want to leave their seats?

In 1991, the first web camera was invented to check how much coffee was left in the pot so that students wouldn’t have to get up and check if any coffee needed to be made. There was no sound and the picture was black and white and fuzzy. In 2003, Skype, an internet communication medium that included video, audio, and chat, was founded by Niklas Zennström, and Janus Friis. It gained popularity circa 2007, when Oovoo, another internet communication medium stepped into the scene. At the time, it was innovative and exciting to be able to talk to our peers and see their faces all at once and be in different houses, cites, states, or even countries. Fast forward a few years later to iPhones gaining video chatting capabilities. Not only were we able to see and speak to our loved ones(or not so loved ones) over the phone, but we can be on the go in the process. It was almost as if humanity was fast tracking our technology to the age of the Jetsons. Who would have thought by the year 2020, we’d be so sick and tired of seeing people through a screen? Granted, there are special circumstances that brought us to the point where we are now, however all the development of Oovoo and Skype and the coffee spying video camera prepared us for this moment in time. At this point we should all be pros at the perfect camera angles, the ideal lighting, and the most appealing background when getting on to video chat with someone. Zoom, Google Meet, and FaceTime are the new normal. Believe me when I tell you I am sick of hearing people using that phrase, but that is, in fact, the state of the world we’re currently living in. Unfortunately, much like the debacle of our parents and grandparents taking over Facebook and advising them not to capture the dreaded double chin selfie for their profile picture, it seems as a whole we need to be reminded of proper video chatting etiquette. Here are a few tips, or refreshers, on how to make your 1pm Zoom meeting with your boss the most bearable:

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The new normal. Believe me when I tell you I am sick of hearing people using that phrase.

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1. Clean up your area Don’t be the person who everyone’s texting about the pile of dirty clothes and stacked up boxed in their apartment. Unless you live in a frat house or you moved in that day, there’s no reason why you can’t just move some things aside. You don’t even have to clean up. Simply move everything out of view of the camera. But if having a meeting gives you an excuse to clean up, that seems like a win to me.

2. Familiarize yourself with the Zoom before the meeting Don’t be the person who has an entire conversation with the group and gets upset when people talk over them only to realize that you’ve been on mute the entire time. Find out where your mute button is. Make sure you know how to turn on and off your camera. Most importantly, make sure you know how to dip and dodge right out of that meeting. Know where the hang up, leave meeting, or end call button is in case you need to suddenly have “spotty wifi”.

3. Use a simple background Let’s assume the mess in your home is entirely too overwhelming to clean up before a meeting.

What’s the next best option? Backgrounds. You can create the illusion of being in a wondrous Paris-bound city or the turmoil of a busy metropolitan subway. Is all that really necessary to discuss projections for next quarter? Keep it cute, ya’ll. Don’t overdo it.

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4. Lighting is everything Have you ever questioned if the lights were turned off in someone’s apartment, or if they’re hiding the fact that they’re in a meeting? Does it look like the beginning of an r-rated straight to DVD horror movie? Turn on the lights. Or at least sit in front of a window. Don’t be the one who’s presenting a slideshow while we can only see the reflection of the light from the computer in your eyes.

5. Your camera should be eye level Let’s go back to the “parents overtaking Facebook” argument. Who knew we would have to address the art of the selfie once more? Don’t universities have courses on this material already?

If the group can’t see your chin, you’re too low, my friend. If the group can’t see your hairline, the camera is too low. Find the sweet spot where you can show off the collar of your shirt and the hair you quickly pulled back because you woke up 5 minutes before this meeting began. Don’t worry about wearing pants unless you didn’t familiarize yourself with how to use Zoom beforehand and you stand up to use the bathroom and give everyone a show.

6. Find a quiet place Everyone is going through stuff right now. We’re all in unfamiliar territory in a familiar place. We didn’t expect to be sharing this place with the rest of our families and roommates, though. All that being said, find the most peaceful, and hopefully brightest, area in your home to set up. It’s difficult enough having to shoo your kids back into their room while you’re giving a presentation.

You don’t also want to have to find out why your dogs are barking at the mailman. Maybe invest in some noise cancelling headphones or figure out how to soundproof your bedroom.

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7. Be on time Join early-5 minutes before. Does everyone else lose focus once they see someone walking into the room in the middle of a meeting? It’s the same as hearing that “ding” in the middle of someone speaking on a call. Treat it as if you were driving into work, people. To be early is to be on time.

8. Mute yourself ALWAYS. Yes, we all work with incompetent people. Yes, you could possibly be that weak link in the bunch. Yes, we all get frustrated with our peers and higher ups. Try to keep it to yourself while on camera, but ESPECIALLY if you are not on mute. The mute button is our best friend.

Also, nobody wants to hear you shuffling in your squeaky chair.

9. Keep your video on Builds trust and engagement. When Covid-19 first hit the streets, we all had a deep understanding of how difficult this may be for most of us. If our camera had to be off once in a blue because the effort to get out of bed and get yourself ready to sit at the computer in a home that now felt like a prison to you was a lot, most of us had compassion. Now, we’ve adjusted for the most part.

It is expected of us to have our cameras on and be looking up and not down at our phones. We’re not able to have the in-person connection as much as before. This is the most we can do for the time being. Don’t be a name or a letter on a black screen.

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10. Be mindful of your chat conversation Unless you’re texting, stay away from the chat.

Too many of us have been caught up trying to sneakily send something that was meant for one person that the entire group, including your boss, saw as well. Don’t make things awkward for yourself for future calls or when we eventually are able to go back into work.

11. Dress appropriately It’s one thing to wear boxers when your torso looks like you just walked out of a store of suits made special for you. It is another if you’re not willing to keep up the illusion that you got dressed as if you were actually leaving and going into work.

12. Be attentive Avoid constant phone checks. Please refer to No. 9.

Everyone can see that your eyes keep darting down and your forehead is lit up by the blue light of your phone’s screen.

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Don’t Miss the Beauty of the Journey Looking for A Destination

By Vladimir “Vlad” Figueroa

We

all have dreams about what could be our next move or how our future is going to look. Whether it is about a dream job or a dream house, all of those are great and beautiful dreams. Officiating is not different if you take it seriously or you’re passionate about it. Very official who is serious in their craft want to officiate at the highest possible level of their respective sports. That all starts when you decide you want to become an official.

Once you’ve decided to become an official, your first dream is to start working at the varsity level more than you work junior varsity, middle school, or rec games. Then when you finally become a varsity official, you start dreaming about becoming a collegiate official at any JUCO, DIII, and or DII league in your area. You quickly want to get a full schedule in those leagues and immediately start dreaming about how or what you need to do to get hired at the DI level. Please don’t get me wrong; all of these are great dreams and career goals to any official. In fact, those are my dreams too.

The problem begins when we start trying to get too anxious about getting to the goal line and miss how beautiful this officiating journey is. We focus on trying to reach the stars or the highest level possible for us. I made that mistake, and it almost cost me my career. I wanted to quit. But one night, on my way home from my last game of the season, when this pandemic hit, and I realized there was not going to be basketball anymore (at least for a while), something hit me. I said, “wait, I wanted to quit because I couldn’t get into a DI conference. I wanted to get hired, and now there is not even high school basketball for me anymore”. Then I started to realize something really important. I understood that what I really love is basketball, not the levels that I might work. At that point, I just wanted to referee basketball, even if it was a family 3-on-3 at home.

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I understood that I was missing the beauty of my journey of 19 years chasing a goal, and again having goals is not the problem. The problem is when you can’t even see what you have done in 19 years rather than what you want to accomplish in 5 years ahead. I couldn’t see how many state playoffs I had worked and that I was I crew chief in some of my lower-level college conferences. Most importantly, I didn’t see how many people I helped get to where I am and how many people I helped pass me.

That is the real beauty of this officiating journey!

The people you meet walking through this journey that becomes life-long friends.

I couldn’t see all of that because I was focused on the goal and forgot that nobody could have a goal if a path to it is not traced first. That path is the relationships you make and the good moments you live on that path. I was missing all of that.

If you’re going through something similar, re-focus your eyes, look back and see what you’ve done, the people you helped and the people who helped you, and don’t forget the friends you’ve made. Let’s not miss the berries reaching for the stars and the beauty of your journey to finding a destination.

Having goals is not the problem, the problem is when you can’t even see what you’ve done 25

EMOTIONS

The Thick Skin of An Adult League Referee - Championship Edition

By Ralph the Ref

I

don’t mean for this to come out venomous. So forgive me, my sponsors, my person, or anyone I offend or am about to. I have the spirit of someone that cares with spirits filled in me, and I’m not sure if I’m closer on the edge of rambling or if I’m coherent enough to write this. I’m not a biter, but a writer; this too shall pass, and I’ll get through.

Last Sunday came and went for me. Officiating is partially open, and the only thing that is steady, at this point, is Flag Football. In a pandemic , it’s the reffing alpha, and omega, especially when you ain’t in the league or Division 1. I’m a friend of both, a member of none.

Even though I’m a layman when it comes to the upper echelons, I’m still the king of Eisenhower Park, at least on that day. On the same day as my wife-of-10-years birthday, I had a championship game that featured a team called Venom and another called Bogarts.

Presently, I’ve had an illustrious past with both teams, for different reasons. For one, I played on Bogarts nearly a decade ago; I filled in for a late regular season game before I found my calling in officiating. That’s when I met the hall of fame likes of Dale, Lupa, and Mr. Bogarts himself, Matt Prince.

Venom was a team that was ubiquitous; Eddie its fateful quarterback to me, faithful to him in a select few, is known for complaining of anything and everything, big and small; last week Sunday was no different. Yet, they have altruistic fellows on the team, including Waqas, who is a man of Islamic faith, and a family man that I have nothing bad to say about.

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On the same day as my wife-of-10-years birthday, I had a championship game that featured a team called Venom and another called Bogarts.

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It was the championship game with the aforementioned teams, and before the contest I saw Lupa turn the corner. There was a song by Boy George that could aptly describe my experience with him in the mental and physical. He was wearing his Dawgs shirt, a team that transformed to a national ranked contending team that would dominate the Long Island scene for many years; but he snitched on himself, playing an 8-man game, and still exerting his loyalty with Bogarts, a team that he’s played with for many, many years, including when I did. Check the website. His picture is up there, albeit pixelated, show how long his run has been.

Oh yea, Sofia was there.

It was a short 14 months, a pandemic ago, that I met her. I’m writing inside my car on a MacBook Pro as I fondly remember when I met her typing on hers while we were on the field, something that I would never do. She had the balls to do it, even though she doesn’t have any in the physical sense, yet we ain’t worried about that - we worked on the mental, and today was a University grade education on this here officiating ish.

I got big plans for Sofia - she’s learning to unlearn, and the slog will be logged, day in and day out, of the work that needs to be put in, to get the most out. She has the potential to be a Division 1 Referee, and today was to mark the start of that. Until Eddie interrupted what we were speaking on as we walked on the field I had a break from an hour before.

He glanced at Lupa. “He can’t play,” he said to me. There was no hello. I never say bye to him, so this is the only time I speak to him, over duress. “Why can’t he play?”

I asked, as it flashed in my mind that one day that I was on on Bogarts, and Lupa was on the team, and that time when I reffed them, and that time when Mike Lupa had multiple touchdowns all thrown by the Prince.

Eddie replied - “He wasn’t on the team the last time I played.”

Now, that is a loaded statement. There can be a multitude of reasons, at no fault to Bogarts. Lupa plays 2 types of Flag games, one 8 Man, a championship game he already won as he walked to the field, and 5-Man game that was to be determined, his status in both variations are cemented through the pixelation of the Long Island Flag Football Website. But Sunday’s are the only options, and oftentimes, the league doesn’t make accommodations for a multi-sport athlete to be at two places at one time. Therein lies a conflict, one that Lupa has to choose between the former or latter.

As an official, the pet that peeves me the most is when my integrity in reffing is questioned.

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He chose the former, over and over, and the latter is now in question. “You can’t base the time you played against him that he can’t play this time,” I said to Eddie.

He scoffed at me. “Call the Commissioner.”

I knew it.

This was the last resort, but Eddie, his first and only plan all along, a phone call that I begrudgingly made, as I knew what the answer was. After 20 seconds of explaining the situation, it was determined that Mike Lupa, after playing with Bogarts since he was in his 20’s, has more championships than the amount of seasons Venom has played in the league, didn’t play. Eddie got his way.

“Be kind to unkind people; they need it the most!” - Buddhism Before the game, I told Sofia that I have beef with Venom - she could already tell how laconic in anger I was. That set the tableau for the whole game.

There’s more.

As an official, the pet that peeves me the most is when my integrity in reffing is questioned. Time was waning in the first half, and Eddie threw an errant pass that sailed out of bounds, yet was caught by one of his receivers who wasn’t completely inbounds. Muckley, one of Eddie’s receivers, takes on the energy that Eddie often outputs to the rest of the team. As Frank, the other official, called out of bounds, Muckley was out of pocket in saying that Frank made the wrong call - that he was terrible. I don’t take those comments lightly - in fact, with a heavy heart, I get offended when I hear that.

The game continued.

Although Venom was from the beginning up until that point, they wanted, no, needed to have an edge at all costs. Officials are often the casualty of this type of vitriol.

There was nothing that I could say to make this right - and so, I write.

“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.” - Marcus Aurelius There were other tense moments, as Bogarts towards the end clawed back to get it down to 7. One of Eddies new teammates, who also may have been the least mature, started voicing expletives to the idle Lupa, and his teammates, as they were in command of the game the whole time. I gave him a warning, when he told me that they were doing the same to. That’s not accountability - that’s redirection, as I asked him if that was an ample justification of his behavior. It wasn’t, and he knew it.

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Then there was another of his teammates, when the one that was talking endless sh*it wouldn’t end. A 15 yard penalty turned into 30. 30 turned into 45. 45 turned into an ejection, and on the precipice of a forfeit if he didn’t leave the premise of the field. His other teammate tried to level with me, on an uneven field, saying that I was getting too emotional. He said he didn’t want to hear me - he was a ref before, and I wasn’t doing my job. In fact, he said that I’m not allowed to call a 45 yard penalty because of my emotions. His emotions lead to my emotions. His teammates’ emotions led to his ejection. And then there was Eddie.

It’s been almost a decade that I’ve been dealing with him. Oftentimes, he bullies other refs to submission when he rants of his arm getting hit when he throws, or when he’s about to get hurt. Make no mistake, I don’t want him to get hurt.

I hope he knows it’s just hard to help someone, who bullies, degrades, questions the integrity of a referee, a tactic that adult league players love to do. Eddie is just an archetype of someone who is never satisfied, who has no joy when he plays. I think to myself - why does he even play? Is it even fun?

Lord knows how he would have reacted, after all of this, if he lost. There was no joy in his actions, in fact, a lot of his teammates apologized to me after the game. Suffice to say he won the game. But did Eddie really win?

It’s good fodder for a lowly website like this. I’ll never forget as the game was winding down when he didn’t get a call that he wanted. He stared at me with death on his shoulder. I stared back with my better angels on mine. He asked, “Who do you think you are?” I couldn’t answer - I don’t know who I think I am, I do know I’m the ref on the game. And Eddie, I hope you stare at the screen when you read this, and find out, I’m a writer, too.

Congrats on your championship.

“One does even enough when one does nothing good.” - German Proverb

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“The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”

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PODCAST Episode 8

HAMILTON, AARON BURR

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A well-adjusted person is one who makes the same mistake twice without getting nervous.

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– Alexander Hamilton

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“Ring Em‘Up”

Taking a Break, and Starting The Minor Leagues Amid a Pandemic

An interview with Eric Carmona

By Ralph the Ref

We

got together with Eric Carmona, a Minor League baseball umpire, to discuss the pandemic and his apparel company Ring Em’ Up.

What happens when you start your journey in the minors?

Eric Carmona: I was in Florida, doing college games in a tournament. When the Coronavirus hit. To tell you the truth everything stopped so fast. I thought we should be good. I didn’t think it was going to stop everything. I thought we were going to be [there for] a short time. I didn’t think anything of it until I started seeing the casualties here in New York, saw the refrigerated truck - I own a liquor route so I’d been working everyday.

I worked the whole pandemic, saw freezer trucks, waiting out there, parked in front of the hospitals. I saw it all. I didn’t really have a thought, everything would be ok sooner or later. I didn’t think it would be like this.

When did you realize that things would be on pause with the things that you wanted to do?

Eric: Once they started sending everyone home and shutting down camps.

Terminating games, and just to see the freezer trucks - that was real. See all the bodies getting transported in there. On a drive by you aren’t even looking for that. You get to witness that, trucks lined up, ready to get filled up.

The whole world stopped - Every country, every continent. The whole world. Man, that’s when I was like, “Oh wow”. I wasn’t thinking about Baseball - I was thinking about how are we going to survive this? How are we going to get through this?

We have to survive and get through this in order to get to the next level.

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Have you talked to anybody that was on the same path as you? Any words of encouragement?

Eric: We were all working those games together, and everyone was looking forward to the new assignments. A lot of guys don’t have a second job, some really depend on this Baseball alone. It was tough, how do you bounce back from something like that, when you have your money and everything gets taken out - that’s your job that’s your income.

What’s going on with St. Mary’s?

Eric: They are now shut down, and a facility used for remote learning - not open to the public, as of now.

I felt bad - I get it and understand that. Kids [are our] our priority. You are taking away from the senior citizens and them hanging out and their personal time. Take away from the community where we work out. Granted, now that they are allowing gyms to be open, you have kids that are going to school buildings or staying home. Why are you taking away communities that are already down and don’t have much? I’m willing to bet that there are 1 or 2 students, if that.

Took away a place for the community for the kids to go somewhere. A place for everyone to go to and release. Took away a lot. If they had a high presence of kids there, then you wouldn’t mind.

What did you do this summer to stay in shape?

Eric: Bought a stationary bike, total gym, hit the park, living room floor, and then I hit the roof when I had to. I got it in!

Do you think it’s going to affect your everyday moving forward? When will St. Mary’s open up again?

When the coronavirus hit, to tell you the truth, everything stopped so fast, 36

Eric: Of course, that’s home, no no - that’s home baby - I can’t wait for them to open.

I don’t like where I’m at. I like the commercial gym - it’s my home, my house. You rack it. It’s not a modern, old school rugged, can’t wait to open up - checking when it will open up. I get the same they don’t know.

Florida had one of the worst spikes in cases. What was your thought when the MLB (Major League Baseball) started playing games again?

Eric: I felt that it was too fast, we should have waited a little bit. They had to reschedule some games, teams couldn’t find out. Kind of a mess. It went off, it didn’t go without a hitch. A lot of interruptions. Should have just waited and started fresh 2021.

Were you surprised that they finished?

Eric: I wasn’t surprised. They were so adamant about starting and not restarting.

Did you umpire at all?

Eric: Maybe about 10 games. Trying to be very careful. First rule is self preservation.

If you don’t have that, you don’t have anything. You are on the road to destruction.

How about that?

Once I saw states opening up, I worked a lot of games, modified the system. [When] we weren’t behind the plate, I was behind the mound. Then I went to full umpiring mode.

Were you trying to be cautious the whole time?

Eric: I was being cautious, but being comfortable, because I love doing what I do. I want to just not be physically there, but mentally there as well.

As I saw things getting a little better. Little safety protocols, I felt better as we are going on.

How do you feel about it now?

Eric: We have to learn to live with. It’ll be a part of our lives forever. There are different strands. They have always been out there. Hit us with something crazy. But life does go on, we have to learn how to live with it, be cautious. We do it with all the other illnesses. Like diabetes, cancer, aids, autism, you name it. Those are things that we are learning how to deal with and make it a part of our daily life.

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We know we can get cancer, we know we can get aids, we know we can get flu. We learn to live with it and move on. We have to adapt to the situation, we can’t let things stop us. We have to get it under control. Everyone pitching in and putting their foot forward

When do you think it hints to going back to normal?

Eric: I’m not ready to make a prediction. I’ll leave it in Gods’ hands. Who knows worrying about something that is here. It’s seeable, which is tomorrow. I don’t know.

It could be a year, years, 2 years. I don’t want to put a time out. When he’s ready. It could be done in a day.

Be cautious, follow protocols, still try to work, move forward and move on.

Do you feel the same passion for umpiring?

Eric: Yeah - I miss it. Yup! I’m also happy I took a break - the break gave me a chance to reset everything and rejuvenate, and get the engine going, and miss the game, and the hunger-ness. I can’t wait.

What do you think you learned about yourself this whole time?

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Eric: I can’t even answer that. I’d be lying. We are still going through it, and still learning. I’m numb to the situation, and tired of it. Want to get things back to normal, want to see the family. To tell you one things, I would say hands down, that i dint’ need to think about. Being more grateful. Being more grateful, even though I always have been. Something to appreciate it more. Especially the small things.

Ring Em’ Up! How did you decide you want to expand it?

Eric: Exactly when the pandemic hit. I was thinking on a global mindset. When Nike came out they didn’t put a specific sport on it, it had a name - it was different sports.

Why not still do things for us, for umpires, but I wanted to expand and start creating iconic, forgotten legends, and kind of want to remind people “let’s not forget this person, because this person contributed to the game, to the sport, on the field, off the field, on the court, and off the court”. Not everyone loves baseball, some love basketball, soccer, a lot of people don’t like baseball. In order to tap into [those] people.

Right now, if you talk to someone 30+ years ago that was iconic at that time, and they still are important to the game, but not mentioned and spoken about.

We can’t say MJ, is never forgotten, If you say somebody Ike the mailman. Outrageous. No one talks about the mailman like that. No one talks about David Robinson like that. These are iconic people. They won championships, and are not spoken about. Black brown, Puerto Rican, Asians. Charlie Hustle. No matter what happens.

No one has ever been able to beat 4000 hits that he got. Steroids, cheated the game, He paid his time, let the man in. That was clean.

Hector Camacho. Pioneer. He set up a trend, followed by Mayweather, came into the ring with costumes. Yea he was a drug addict, but nobody ever knocked him down.

Roberto Clemente. When I thought about that project and put it together, everything that you need to know about him,is in that shirt, everything that you want to know is on that shirt. Just to give people. An idea of the contributions of. Just the name of Ring ‘Em Up.

We are still going through it, and still learning.

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Traveling

Flying and COVID Safety

By Asha Pearl Sparrock

Nine

months of economic highs, lows, and uncertainty, has made every industry in the world reevaluate their standards. Restaurants with dress codes have become lax in ensuring their highest possible sales, and flying first class at this point does not seem like an unattainable dream. Although there is still a substantial amount of work to be done and more weeks of quarantining, those of us who plan ahead want to secure the most comfort possible when traveling. On the flip side, amid all the chaos, some still need to find the means to get to work in other cities, states, and countries. What are airlines doing to ensure their customers’ safety?

There are 4 vital commodities that most frequent flyers seek out when planning a trip: Price, flexibility, travel miles, and comfort. Post Covid-19 era, a 5th has been added to this list: safety. Safety can be bumped to the top of the list. The safe travel from one location to another that we pray airlines are able to provide is a given. The specific kind of safety we’ll be discussing is the cleanliness and health measures airlines are taking in order to prevent the spread of viruses. Which airlines are providing the best possible version of all of this?

Not only does JetBlue have the most legroom in coach, but they are currently expanding their reach to Miami International Airport. Expansion at this time may be risky, but JetBlue is taking measures to provide the safest possible travel for all of their patrons by adding dividers between the seats and aisles. jetblue.com.

Requiring all guests to wear a face mask while on flights at all times and disinfecting “high touch” areas such as armrests and seat belts, they make the utmost effort to ensure a clean and safe flight. United tells you what to expect from before travel to after landing at united.com.

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New York has guidelines for filling out information about Covid-19 symptoms. Delta Airlines asks its patrons to provide “five key pieces of information including an email address and [a phone number].� This decision is to prevent cross-contamination and pinpoint where the source of infection may have originated. Find more information at Delta.com.

One of the top rated airlines since the start of the pandemic with their clean commitment on the front page of the website. Their enhanced cleaning procedures and new protocols include HEPA filters, EPA-approved disinfectant spray, and required face coverings. Find more information about their policies and procedures at aa.com.

With their promise from checking in to deplaning, Southwest cleans around the clock with their electrostatic disinfectant spray in addition to listing locations with entry requirements and destinations currently experiencing travel disruptions. Read more at Southwest.com.

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LATEST PODCAST Episode 17

Thanksgiving & Update on the Magazine.

Episode 16

ELECTION | VACCINE

Episode 15

Episode 14

Episode 13 WEAKNESS

Episode 12

ADVERSITY & FAILURE. OFFICIATING & ART.

Episode 11

Episode 10

Episode 9

KERRY DONOHUE TALKS

BERNARD BOWEN SR. FINANCE & OFFICATING

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LAKERS | FLAG

ORGANIZING.

MULTITASKING IN ART

It’s always a Catch-22 situation. They hate you if you’re the same, and they hate you if you’re different.

– Eddie Van Halen

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LATEST PODCAST Episode 8

Episode 7

HAMILTON, AARON BURR

JUSTICE | PROCESS

Remembering RBG

Episode 5

Episode 4

Episode 3

OUT THE BUBBLE

9/11 | VOTING

Episode 2 MATT POLIZZI

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Episode 6

RIP KOBE & CHADWICK

Episode 1

INTRODUCING T HE IRREFUTABLE PODCAST

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