Ex-NBA ref bares soul

Former National Basketball Association (NBA) Supervisor of Officials Darrell Garretson gained a reputation for fairness and competence in 27 years as a league referee. It's a reputation that he cherishes and worked hard to achieve. That reputation is what has brought Garretson here for a third visit.

Garretson, 70, is in town to train the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) referees. He leaves today after finishing an extensive one-month program.

The Star pinned down Garretson for an exclusive interview the other day. This is the second part of a Q series on Garretson.

Star: Is refereeing a thankless job?

Garretson: No. It's the greatest job in the world. There is no job with better working hours. In the NBA, you finish work in June, then you relax until camp opens several months later. My son Ron runs a camp for referees in Las Vegas during the summer but that's only for five days. You get to spend a lot of quality time with your family. Don't feel sorry for an NBA referee. My son Ron earns about $200,000 a year plus expenses and an extra $60,000 in the playoffs.

S: What was your most embarrassing moment in the NBA?

G: When I called a sixth foul on Cleveland's Nate Thurmond during a Boston playoff series in the 1976 playoffs. It was a mistake. That same year, I joined a group of 16 NBA players on a one-month tour of Japan and Nate was in the group. Before we left for Japan, I talked to Nate and apologized. I'm man enough to admit my mistake. He said no problem, it happens. It felt good that I talked to him straight about it.

S: Where you ever physically assaulted in the NBA?

G: No. During my time, the relationship between players and referees in the NBA was fantastic. Players cooperated when it came to rule changes. Players will roughhouse only when you allow them to. Was Charles Barkley a roughhouser? I don't think so. He did what he had to do as a 6-4 power forward. During a Buffalo-Boston playoff series, I did a game with Mendy Rudolph and Buffalo protested, claiming the clock ran out on a crucial shot. In the replay, it was clear a second was left. We stayed in the dressing room for 1 1/2 hours, were escorted to our cars by a dozen policemen, and about four cops took us to our hotel. That was the closest thing I experienced to being assaulted.

S: Who was the biggest whiner in the NBA?

G: Rick Barry, a whiner and baiter. He was never satisfied. Up to today, he's not satisfied. Some players are crybabies. You can't talk to them. It's important to talk to players, to warn them to back off instead of calling the quick foul and destroying the flow of the game. Coaches are tough, too. Once, during a Boston-LA series, I ejected coach K. C. Jones and he didn't want to leave. So the game couldn't go on. Larry Bird walked up to me and asked why we couldn't resume playing. I told him K. C. refused to go the dugout so Larry told him to get out of there. K. C. did what Larry told him to do.

S: Should refereeing be a full-time job?

G: It is. You've got to be give your commitment to full-time availability. Being a referee is a very, very good job. If you like refereeing, you've got to love working in the PBA. The money's good and it's the best league in the country.

S: Do you think referee Ted Bernhardt was correct in calling a foul on Jermaine O'Neal in the first overtime of the recent NBA All-Star Game?

G: You and I know the answer to that. Mendy always used to say don't ruin the poster shot. Ted was hired in 1988 so he's been around. You don't know how good a referee is when you hire him. You'll find out once he starts working. A referee may be good at the start then he runs into a brick wall and that's it.

S: What was the worst insult you got as a referee?

G: I used to like talking to fans, no matter what they said to you. Now, it's not allowed for referees to talk to fans. Around the NBA, I got to know who the regulars were in the front seats. Once, there were these two guys who were really loud and talking trash. I walked up to them and said, if they didn't shut up, I'd take them to the farthest row and get two guys from the bleachers to sit up front in their seats so they can enjoy the game. I used to talk to the smart asses and made it known what I thought of them.

S: Should referees be accessible to media?

G: I don't believe in referees getting media attention. When I was Supervisor, requests to interview referees went through me and Scotty Sterling, then the vice president of operations. I always said no. The league should be promoting the players and the coaches, not the referees who are employees and answerable to the Commissioner.

S: Is the referee a policeman or facilitator on the court?

G: He's not a policeman. His job is to assist the game to be played under the rules. He's got to do it with the least attention from anyone.

S: Who was the greatest player you ever refereed?

G: Michael (Jordan) was probably the best although it's difficult to compare players who play different positions. Michael was clearly the most honest player there ever was. When he tells you he got an elbow, you look at the replay and you'll see the elbow if you missed it during the game.

S: What is the most difficult call to make?

G: I guess the blocking or charging call. Goaltending, too, but not so much anymore. In the NBA, there's a no charge zone where the offensive player will be allowed to go strong to the hole without worrying about the secondary defender stepping in.

S: How do you assess your son Ron's development as a referee?

G: He's an outstanding referee. He joined in 1987 and we did some games together for about five or six years. During a game, I just saw him as a partner, not a son. Once I got knocked down and he came up to me, asking was I okay? He would've done the same to any partner. I email him to share my comments about his game and he emails me if he wants my opinion on something. He's done several Finals games so he's good.

S: Are you in contact with other retired NBA referees?

G: No. I'm not too sociable. I know Jake O'Donnell lives in Florida. Some of the young referees get in touch with me. You know, I never wanted to be a referee--Mr. Kennedy asked me to join, I didn't apply. In 1981, I didn't want to be the Supervisor but I got the job and guys like Earl Strom and Joe Gushue hated my guts because of that. Richie Powers also hated my guts. When I did games as a supervisor, I didn't get paid extra. That's how much I loved officiating. I'm kind of weird. I enjoyed refereeing. I was always anxious to get on the floor. It's everything I ever wanted to do.

S: Do you encourage former players to become referees?

G: Of course. In the NBA, there have only been two former players who became referees--Bernie Fryer and Leon Wood who played in the PBA. Leon has excellent basketball judgment. He gained experience in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) and the CBA (Continental Basketball Association) before joining the NBA during the lockout. Lucius Allen attended three referees camps but never made it. Don Nelson worked two games with me in the summer league years ago and I told him if he had an option to coach, to do it and forget refereeing. He didn't even know how to blow a whistle. Nelson refereeing was the biggest joke. Still, I think there should be a standing invitation for former players to try out as referees.

S: Will you be back here soon?

G: (PBA supervisor of officials) Ernie (de Leon) and (technical director) Perry (Martinez) are seeing to it that there's continuity in what I introduced in my training program. They're very competent. My summer commitments revolve around my grandchildren--one of them is receiving his first Holy Communion and others are playing little league baseball. I'll definitely come again if I'm invited. The response to my program has been very positive. I don't see the referees taking a stroll during games anymore--they're running hard.

S: Are you helping out the PBA in rewriting the rulebook?

G: The PBA rulebook was last edited in 1991. Since then, they've added a lot of new rules and interpretations--all in memo form. In the NBA, the rulebook is updated every year. I think that has to be done in the PBA because memos tend to get lost. But I don't think it's my job to rewrite the rulebook.