Quote:
Originally Posted by Rich
We do it, but if it's missed it doesn't relieve the team of having the responsibility of keeping track. Like Rut, I wouldn't lose much sleep.
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Agree that it's also on the team/coaches, especially in a high school varsity game.
Rich wouldn't lose
much sleep over kicking this rule that resulted in a disaster at the end of a game.
Neither would I. Some, but not much.
My worst call of the season, and it wasn't even my call. Late in a game my partner (a highly regarded state tournament official) kicks a rule regarding a double free throw violation and how to penalize the violation. I wasn't aware of his call, because I was keeping my eye on my own primary, but I could tell from his voice and body language that he was only 95% certain of the call, especially in his dealing with two questions from the coach. After the game, discussing the call, we discovered that he kicked the rule, costing the losing team (in an overtime game) a free throw, maybe two free throws, and the arrow, near the end of regulation. I should have approached him with a "What did you have?" which would have saved us from kicking the rule. Instead, I just let him make his call, make his explanation to the coach, and I just put the ball in play as if he knew 100% what he was doing. The losing coach politely approached us in the locker room after the game with a question and we had to admit that we kicked the call. Lose sleep? No. But I could have been a better partner.
Retrospective, and some feelings of remorse, guilt, conscience, or responsibility (I couldn't come up with the right word, so I used four, but these words are too strong so take them down a notch to get my meaning) after kicking a call are good things for officials. It's makes us better officials and demonstrates that we care about doing our jobs well, in the past, in the present, and in the future.