Overtime

    TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13TH.

             OVERTIME

     Most folks are happy to have
some overtime. It usually means
extra money. But..not always!
     I spent two overtime periods
sitting on a cold aluminum bench
at the Wyoming Area Stadium
last night. I was there to watch
the Wyoming Area Girl's Soccer
team in a match against the team
from Tunkhannock.
     A soccer game doesn't usually
go into overtime. Two 40-minute
periods are typically long enough
for one team to score more points
than the other. They're certainly
long enough for those of us
sitting in the stands cheering
for our favorite team!
     When regulation play ended in
a 0-0 tie we saw the clock reset to
10 minutes for overtime play. When
that ended without a score another
10 minutes was tacked on in an
attempt to come up with a winner.
     The Oohs, Aahs, and downright
groans coming from spectators
at each near miss attempt to score
could just have easily been coming
from a visit to a Dentist for root canal!
     There were also some very
questionable calls from Officials.
I thought of offering my video as
evidence of the errors. But it
was pretty clear they hadn't
brought their glasses to the game.
I wonder if they got time and a half?
     In any case, after 80 minutes of
regulation play separated by a
half-time break, and 20 minutes
of overtime, the score board showed
the same double zeros displayed
when the game began.
      It will go down in history as a
good game. I will remember it as
a rather long, exciting, and frustrating
night. Although....the French fries
were great!
      Hope the refs had a designated
driver and that all your NEWS is
good!