Governing a large state like New Jersey takes a special kind of politician, one with an iron will and mighty intelligence. Nothing can derail his mission ... except 11-year-old cheerleaders!
Ray Floriani is a blogger who doubles as a youth basketball ref in the Orange, N.J., area. On Monday he found himself officiating a sixth-grade boys game between South Orange and West Orange, the latter team being coached by Sen. Richard Codey, D-NJ.
We get going and early on South Orange gets out to a lead. Codey shows a little of the mentor that works about a half mile down the road by debating a few calls or no calls. Still, he is working hard genuinely teaching and encouraging his kids. On one play I call a three seconds on his player. 'His foot wasn’t in the lane,' Codey protests, 'Coach it was,' I answer politely. Plus I gave him about five seconds.' "
"During a time out, my partner comes over and tells me Codey wants a Technical on the South Orange cheerleaders. 'Why,' I ask. 'He said they are too loud and he can’t think.' I suggest to my partner let’s just move on.
Codey, whose team lost by 32, was acting governor of New Jersey when Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004. He also once introduced a bill to remove the word "idiot" from the New Jersey Constitution. So you know that in order to break that iron concentration, those cheerleaders must have been really raucous!
Thou Shalt Not Tech The Cheerleaders [Rush The Court]