It’s a dark, snowy Tuesday night in Hamden, Connecticut, the kind that last all basketball season in the Northeast. John W. Adams is sitting by himself in the last row at the TD Bank SportsCenter, preparing to take in yet another game in the long stretch of games that make up his life each winter. Over the next five months, the NCAA’s head of men’s basketball officials will traverse the country, going from city to city, small gym to huge arena, to
Quick quiz: Who are the only two referees to work the last five NBA Finals? Dick Bavetta? Sorry, he hasn’t worked a Finals since 2008. Eddie F. Rush? Nope. Since 2007, he’s only gotten the call once. Mike Callahan? You’re getting warmer. He’s worked the last three, as have both Derrick Stafford and Monty McCutchen. Scott Foster? Joey Crawford? Warmer still. Both have worked the last four. If you answered Dan Crawford and Ken Mauer, take a bow. That duo has the longest current