Quote:
Originally Posted by JRutledge
Again, this is silly ... however it works for you ...
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It's only silly until in the final seconds of a heated game, due to partners confusing notification responsibilities (maybe too busy after getting together to discuss their floor roles in the final seconds, or having a chat with the table crew, or moving back to original positions); or due to a distracted assistant coach not communicating with his head coach properly; followed by a head coach requesting and being granted an excessive timeout that costs him the game, and blaming it on the officials based on his rulebook knowledge of notification responsibilities ("I was never notified"); that it no longer can be considered silly.
Do almost all head coaches already know before "official" notification that they have used all their allotted timeouts? Sure, and it's on a lot of scoreboards.
Can officials be almost certain that assistant coaches, once notified, will be responsible and followup and notify the head coach? Sure.
Does almost mean 100%? No.
How often will a screw-up in notification by an official (not done by the book), or a distracted assistant coach, lead to a disastrous ending to a game? Seldom, if ever, but I don't what to be in that once in a million (maybe a brazilian (old joke)) disastrous game.
Put in simpler terms ...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raymond
When a team has used its last time-out, one of our duties is to notify the head coach. What other duty during a time-out trumps notifying the coach?
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Really? How difficult is this to achieve? We successfully do way more difficult things dozens of times in a game.
Final seconds of a heated game? Take your time. When the ball is dead we must be alive. Cross all the T's, dot all the I's, and safely get out of Dodge (sorry about the mixed metaphor).
JRutledge absolutely doesn't need this advice, his experience, outstanding reputation and resume speaks for itself, but young'uns making their way up the ladder should heed my advice.
To paraphrase a former president: JRutledge could blow a big call in the middle of Fifth Avenue and he would still be an outstanding official.
How many state finals has JRutledge worked? Several. How many state finals has BillyMac worked? None. State tournament games? Also none. Just an experienced, reliable, competent, skilled, qualified, journeyman official.
Final timeout notification? Work as hard as you can to do it by the book. Whatever it takes. Why not?
Just don't go digging into team huddles. I think that we can all agree on that.