[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

To agree with your earlier point, that's where using our experience, game management skills, judgement, local "culture", common sense, and looking at each situation case by case allows us to react to the situation, maybe ignoring and letting the clock run out, or maybe "bumping up" the situation as a question to be answered by a higher authority. I don't believe that a technical foul in that game based on a single official's belief that it's illegal or unsporting is the way to go here. But I don't question his wanting some outside input into a situation that he believes is questionable in terms of the "standing" rule as written, or as an unsporting act. If the situation keeps bothering him over many years, his best bet is to discuss it with his assigner, an assigner who can then bump it upstairs if he wishes, or if not, tell the official to take a hike.

We have all in our career been told the ways of the road. Or the ins and outs of this business. His asking is not an issue at all. The issue is if he goes out on his own doing something and has no support for that action or no one other than him bringing it to his attention to do something. It can bother him just like things bothered us coming up, but the last thing I want him or any official to do is to penalize something that no one is going to support him on because he read a line in the rulebook. Those lines mean something and have precedent and calling a T, near the end of the game might not be a good career move. It is perfectly fine to ask, but understand why we are saying what we are saying about why that might not work out that well if you pull that trigger. It is up to anyone after that to realize what is the best thing to do.

Peace