Who was your favorite ,colorful, hated, despised Ref ?

Alumni Hall said:
I became pretty good friends with the majority of the refs during my time at SJU. Many would come on campus hours before the game for therapy. I always set them up with our team docs if they needed to be seen or get a quick X-ray and always helped fill their prescription needs and OTC meds from my supply. Mickey Crowley, knowing my wife and I enjoyed golf, sponsored me as a member at Pt Jeff Country Club. Larry Lembo hired my wife to be the first athletic trainer at Queensboro Community College. I used to run into Burr, Higgins and other Big East refs at Saratoga during racing season. The one rule we always had was NEVER discuss game calls!
I always made sure one of my managers was assigned to the referees each game, both at Carnesecca and MSG. Heck, I used to check in with them on the road to see if they needed anything as many other trainers could care less about them. Through efforts of myself and the AT at GTown years ago, we convinced the Big East to start yearly physicals for refs and making sure each ref had every cell # of BE trainers in case of emergency and and a defined list of food, drinks and supplies (ice and hot packs) in each ref locker room. Not sure if that still goes on…win or lose I always kept a professional friendship with them.
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Great behind the scenes stuff we are not privy to. Thanks for sharing.

Burr, Higgins frequenting Saratoga explains a lot. 😎
 
Alumni Hall said:
I became pretty good friends with the majority of the refs during my time at SJU. Many would come on campus hours before the game for therapy. I always set them up with our team docs if they needed to be seen or get a quick X-ray and always helped fill their prescription needs and OTC meds from my supply. Mickey Crowley, knowing my wife and I enjoyed golf, sponsored me as a member at Pt Jeff Country Club. Larry Lembo hired my wife to be the first athletic trainer at Queensboro Community College. I used to run into Burr, Higgins and other Big East refs at Saratoga during racing season. The one rule we always had was NEVER discuss game calls!
I always made sure one of my managers was assigned to the referees each game, both at Carnesecca and MSG. Heck, I used to check in with them on the road to see if they needed anything as many other trainers could care less about them. There were times my mangers would drive them back to LaGuardia or JFK to make a flight as cabs and car service was spotty in Queens in the old days. Through efforts of myself and the AT at GTown years ago, we convinced the Big East to start yearly physicals for refs and making sure each ref had every cell # of BE trainers in case of emergency and and a defined list of food, drinks and supplies (ice and hot packs) in each ref locker room. Not sure if that still goes on…win or lose I always kept a professional friendship with them and I’m still friends with some to this day!
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Great stuff as usual R!
 
Saw John Cahill getting ice cream this fall. He was also on the golf course with my grandfather when he passed away.
 
Alumni Hall said:
I became pretty good friends with the majority of the refs during my time at SJU. Many would come on campus hours before the game for therapy. I always set them up with our team docs if they needed to be seen or get a quick X-ray and always helped fill their prescription needs and OTC meds from my supply. Mickey Crowley, knowing my wife and I enjoyed golf, sponsored me as a member at Pt Jeff Country Club. Larry Lembo hired my wife to be the first athletic trainer at Queensboro Community College. I used to run into Burr, Higgins and other Big East refs at Saratoga during racing season. The one rule we always had was NEVER discuss game calls!
I always made sure one of my managers was assigned to the referees each game, both at Carnesecca and MSG. Heck, I used to check in with them on the road to see if they needed anything as many other trainers could care less about them. There were times my mangers would drive them back to LaGuardia or JFK to make a flight as cabs and car service was spotty in Queens in the old days. Through efforts of myself and the AT at GTown years ago, we convinced the Big East to start yearly physicals for refs and making sure each ref had every cell # of BE trainers in case of emergency and and a defined list of food, drinks and supplies (ice and hot packs) in each ref locker room. Not sure if that still goes on…win or lose I always kept a professional friendship with them and I’m still friends with some to this day!
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I played that course when it was Harbor Hills. I played with the PJ Mayors son, a friend at the time. Great views.
 
adavis1 said:
I will never forget Mike Stephens for that Seton Hall game. Blew the call, lied about why he blew the call, and Val Ackerman and Stu Jackson lied to protect him. Angriest I have ever been at a sporting event.
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Will never forget this game! reviewable completely wrong call ! Then if I remember correctly he was a ref at at a Carnesecca game early the following season
 
Alumni Hall said:
I became pretty good friends with the majority of the refs during my time at SJU. Many would come on campus hours before the game for therapy. I always set them up with our team docs if they needed to be seen or get a quick X-ray and always helped fill their prescription needs and OTC meds from my supply. Mickey Crowley, knowing my wife and I enjoyed golf, sponsored me as a member at Pt Jeff Country Club. Larry Lembo hired my wife to be the first athletic trainer at Queensboro Community College. I used to run into Burr, Higgins and other Big East refs at Saratoga during racing season. The one rule we always had was NEVER discuss game calls!
I always made sure one of my managers was assigned to the referees each game, both at Carnesecca and MSG. Heck, I used to check in with them on the road to see if they needed anything as many other trainers could care less about them. There were times my mangers would drive them back to LaGuardia or JFK to make a flight as cabs and car service was spotty in Queens in the old days. Through efforts of myself and the AT at GTown years ago, we convinced the Big East to start yearly physicals for refs and making sure each ref had every cell # of BE trainers in case of emergency and and a defined list of food, drinks and supplies (ice and hot packs) in each ref locker room. Not sure if that still goes on…win or lose I always kept a professional friendship with them and I’m still friends with some to this day!
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That is a great story! You could write a book
 
Higgins, Stephens and Burr are all excellent choices for the Hall of Shame. However if you widen the lens beyond SJU, I think it is indisputable that Breeding is worse than all of them.

Teddy Valentine and Larry Lembo were about as likeable as it gets for refs. And if you were SJU you had to work at it to lose the game with Lembo on the whistle
 
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