(Area) Mark Paulsen admits he misses the buzz of the crowd. KSOM/KS95.7 Sports talked with the longtime referee about the oddities of officiating in a mostly empty gym.
The referee of 35 years says he used to be able to get in a zone and essentially block out the roar of the crowd. Now that spectators are limited, things are certainly different. He admits he doesn’t exactly miss being yelled at, but…”My philosophy is when they stop yelling at me that’s when I’ll probably get out. If people don’t care about something they don’t say anything. They just let it slide, but if they do care then they are going to yell.”
Paulsen was asked if quieter gyms have lent themselves to more direct input from coaches. “I’m going to say no for one reason, because they have masks on and they are muffled a little bit. If you get up close to them it’s no problem, but if you’re on the other side I hear a sound, but I don’t hear actual definite words.
Whether it’s a packed gym or not, in the end basketball is basketball. “If I could speak for officials I think most of them would probably say everything is about the same once you get used to it.”
Paulsen sat out umpiring this past summer, but opted to work a limited basketball schedule this winter.
