31.   Mashburn said it would be impossible for two regular officials to work games, much less two rookie refs.

32.   NFL refs are part-time employees, working one game a week.

33.   None of the pitchers was scheduled to participate on Tuesday night, including the closer Alfonseca, who had worked three games in a row.

34.   Official Rich Ballesteros, who was supposed to work the game, was suspended for mistakenly ejecting USC coach Henry Bibby last week.

35.   Obviously, Jake was coming out of retirement to work the game of the millennium.

36.   On the sixth try, the game worked, which led us to the inaccurate assumption that it might work again.

37.   Once I worked a game with a Morse operator.

38.   Replacement umpires worked all exhibition games and have worked the games since the season began Tuesday night.

39.   She left that job to return to broadcasting, working NBA games for Turner Sports.

40.   Some big-time college conferences have recommended their officials do not work NFL games.