The Rant

Board 119 Certified Basketball Official, Owner and Operator of the outfit, Ref Corner.   It was a pandemic ago since we linked up. In person, and still in it, we chop it up at the chop shop to discuss what Justin has been up to, his officiating experience in Omicron, his sabbatical on social media, his change in perspective in 2022, and what the future holds with reffing, Ref Corner, and beyond. A...

Board 185 Certified Basketball Official. In hot pursuit of his goal of being an NCAA Division 1 Official - All while displaying it through - The Official Grind. Right before the Pandemic, Jack converted from a Coach to a Basketball Official. In this pod, we discuss his early life growing up in Staten Island, NY, his love of sports, how he got into officiating, and goals moving forward and beyond,...

Board 41 Certified Basketball Official. Teaching others to become a Millionaire, they Methodical Way. Malachi and I have shared the same passion of Basketball, simultaneously, in different circles, for more than half of our lives. In this pod, we sit down with Malachi to discuss his love for the sport, transforming that to reffing, making money doing it - and making the money work for him. So much...

It’s the holidays, and the beats and rhythms of the Basketball season are as normal as it can be. Knocking on wood, we get together before the thick of the holidays to catch up, to discuss the evolution of the pandemic, his experience in reffing the 21’-22’ season, and the strange nature of what normal is in officiating Basketball.  All that and more, my conversation with Marty, now.   

Owner of Bball Referees & Vice President of IAABO Board 42. * For almost 300 Episodes, Bernard has been a guiding, shining light for my career, every step of the way. In this pod we catch up with Bernard, as we discuss his new post as vice prez of the Bronx/Manhattan board of Boy’s HS Basketball, his growth in Bball Referees, assigning refs in a pandemic, and how all things virtual evolutioniz...

It’s been a long, winding, intense, and grueling season. But it’s complete - and what a ride it's been. In this pod, co-hosted with Coach Splendore, Uniondale Girl’s Volleyball Coach about the season I had, that he had, and what it meant to us. All that and more, our conversation, all things Volleyball now.

It’s the pandemic now and it was the pandemic before since the last time we spoke. In this pod, we catch up in time of the interim, where we talk about how he has still been getting his fill playing, being around the game always, and what the future holds. All that and more, Justin Joseph, part 2, now. 

Former Head Coach Varsity Boy’s Basketball Team at Northshore High School, Educator, Lightning Director, and Owner of Mecca Basketball.   It was only a matter of time until I’d get Coach Carp on the Rant! On this pod, we discuss his love of basketball and his come-up playing it, his entree into coaching on an unforgettable JV season, to coaching at the varsity level, and pivoting because of COVID...

 Former Track Runner, Music Teacher, Board 41 Certified Basketball Official.  Prodigious is an appropriate word to describe one Brendan. In this pod, we discuss his love of sports, his love of music, his love of teaching, how his pandemic has changed over time and in life, as well as his pursuit to get to the highest levels of officiating. All that and mote, my conversation with Brendan, now. 

Head Honcho of Long Island Basketball and Head Coach of the Boys Varsity Basketball Team at St. John the Baptist.    First off, my apologies to Jake. We recorded a few months before the pandemic, in the throw of it, and in the throw of it again. But this time, in person, we chop it up at the Chop Shop to discuss his COVID experience, how he balances work, coaching, and life, and what he expects fo...

It’s been a whirlwind of life since we last spoke 2 years ago. A Career Change, moving, Corona Virus - Tim chops it up at the chop shop to talk about all these changes, his Summer of 2021, and getting his footing back in officiating. All that and more, Tim Jinks - Part 2 - now.     

Queensborough Community College Women’s Basketball Head Coach, Middle School Teacher, St. John’s and Molloy College Alumni - all with a smile!   As mentioned, the smile is infectious. Peep the JPEGS! In this pod, we chop it up with Coach Blaise about his humble beginnings in Queens, his realization that he was always meant to teach and coach, his experience at St. Johns and Molloy, his stint at Lu...

Even before its inception, I always thought of Snoop as a bucket list of a guest. She joins #therant on this pod, to discuss her deep roots in Hempstead, Uniondale on Long Island, her love for Basketball, her legendary status at Uniondale High School, as well as being a College Champion at Molloy. Let’s not forget her competition at a high level in NYC and Long Island in the Women’s circuit reppin...

Part 2, The Return.   Before the strange Summer of 2021 started, we chopped it up in the garage of one of my OG’s, Nyreaf. He returns on #therant, to discuss the state of NYC, the state of Officiating, his lessons in assigning, and catching up, all while I munch on some Chinese Food.  All that and more, Nyreaf George, Part 2, the return - now. 

 Head Honcho of the Rockville Centre Basketball Summer League. Every Summer, with the exception of the Pandemic-laden year of 2020, barring a canceled game, 4 games are concurrently happening every weeknight. Enter Troy. In this pod, we discuss his love of sports, his hair-pulling with the RVC league, what he’s learned from the pandemic, and his happiness to get the league back, up and running, th...

Board 119 Certified Basketball Official, Ex-Baller, and Former York College Coach.   Chances are, if you’ve been in the summer circuit in NYC, you have seen one Nate Reeves. In this pod, we chop it up after some games we did, discussing his early life in Hempstead, NY, his early days falling in love with the game of basketball, his college days at York, to being one of the top officials in the NYC...

Uniondale Legend. Eternal Hooper, making a difference in his life, and others.    Shaq don’t even remember when we played against each other 10 years ago. In this pod, we discuss his early life playing basketball, his tenacious work ethic that made him a beast at it, his pursuit of greatness, his experience playing basketball in high school and college, hooping all over the place and everywhere in...

Newly-Minted Master of Ceremonies at Crunchtime Basketball.   One year and a pandemic ago, we could only but visualize what Summer Basketball in New York would be like. The time is now, and everything that we worked for came to fruition. We chop it up with Wavy, after a long night on the mic about spectating all these games that came out, and showing up and showing out for Long Island. Ryan Walker...

Certified Basketball Official. In Memory of his brother, the one with the jump shot - Prince.    It’s been the best of times. It’s been the worst of times. I’ve been through both with Boss. Fresh off the death of his brother, we use The Rant as a catharsis, to catch up on our lives, our reffing, and the future. All that and more, my conversation with Boss, now. 

As we revisit the bright acolyte, we celebrate this young man, riding around, reffing, and getting it. In this pod, we discuss how he hit my line, expressed he wanted all the smoke, getting all the reps he could get, since the flood gates of basketball officiating opened up; learning all he can -  all while finishing out his college years in playing.  All that and more, Corey Powell, part 2, the r...

Varsity Football Assistant Coach at St. John the Baptist, and part owner of LegendsU. Blake eats, sleeps, and breathes Football. In this pod, we discuss his humble beginnings in Brentwood, NY, his love of sports, his twists and turns playing in college, to coaching Football, and reffing Flag Football. Along with my co-host Sean McCann, our conversation with Blake, now. 

Board 119 Certified Basketball Official. Looking Upward and Onward - 2021, and Beyond.   The pandemic has brought perspective in his life; enter Eddie Schook.  He discusses his upcoming and upbringing in Middle Village in Queens, NY, his experience playing sports, how he got into officiating, and how he feels about refereeing after gaining perspective.  All that and more, my conversation with Eddi...

We pull up to Great Neck, NY to speak to one Mike Smolens. In this pod, we discuss his love for sports early on, his versatility in playing a multitude of sports including Baseball, Soccer, and Tennis, how he got into umpiring at an early age, and how he got into his main passion in officiating now, Basketball. All that and more, my conversation with Mike, now.

Back in April 2021, Sean and I reluctantly started communicating, and ultimately working together. His story is incredible. In this pod, we discuss his early life playing Basketball, his love of sports, his deep love of Flag Football, his start in making the League LI Legends, and what the future holds. All that and more, my conversation with Sean, now.

A Bonus! From the guys that brought you Referee Rant and Long Island Legends, the premier Flag Football league on Long Island, we present to you: Poppin’ Flags - the new podcast where we cover all things Flag Football. We talk to people in or around the league, and those that truly love the game and want to grow it like us. Today’s guest, Sean McCann, owner of LI Legends Flag Football League, and...