Quote:
Originally posted by Camron Rust
I'm not talking about a non-basketball play such as a punch. I was talking about a swat at the ball but accidently but forcefully making contact with the face. (Several other more typical examples could be made but this one was simply to illustrate the obviousness of the contact.)
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How/why can you see all of this take place in your partner(s) primary? Can you explain to me how you can see all the intricacies of plays like this while focusing on your primary? Also, do most of these plays you see happen in the same area as the ball or off ball?
Quote:
Originally posted by Camron Rust
I agree that we shouldn't be looking to call something in front of our partners and should indeed plan not to. But, when we do see something that is more than marginal that everyone in the gym but our partner saw and we are 110% sure about it and 110% sure they they blew it, it is our job to call it.
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No, it is not our job to look in our partner's area, know all the details of the play and call it if they don't. That is called ball watching and while an official may get away with it for an entire career it can also end a career. It is a system whether two-person or three-person that has been and is still developing to provide the best court coverage possible. It is not a system in which all officials look at the same play all the time and decide if it is a foul/violation or not. Our goal should be the perfect game. While we (all officials at all levels) may or may not ever reach this goal our best effort (highest percentage of correct calls) can only be obtained by being mechanically correct.
Quote:
Originally posted by Camron Rust
They hire us to refereee the entire game for them, not just 1/2 (1/3) of a game. We work together as a crew and sometimes we pick up for each other. To not make a call that we know is the right call just because it was in front our partner is not doing the best job for the game.
There's no such thing as "it's not my call" if you see it. However, there is such a thing as "I wasn't looking there" or "I couldn't tell from here, my partner was in a much better spot." Coaches appreciate the honesty.
I've missed calls that partners have picked up. My response was "Thanks". Sometimes I was looking at something else or even just simply had a brain fart.
However, I don't like someone blowing in my area just because he's got a faster whistle than me. I worked with a guy last year who I could swear was doing it on purpose to make it look like he had to cover my area and that I was missing the calls. He beat me to the wistle too many times to count on stuff right in front of me and I wasn't that slow with it. With that and other comments throughout the game, it was clear it was his ego he was working on rather than the game.
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You are right, they hire us (two or three people) to officiate the entire game. If you and your buddy were hired to move a stack of boxes (that can be easily moved by one person) would you watch him move a box then your buddy watch you move a box or would you both move different boxes at the same time knowing that your buddy is moving boxes on the other side of the stack. Well, in most cases we have players in our primary to officiate. The first competitive matchup means officiating the two opponents closest to you, most of the time, in your primary. Officiating the defense is something more than just a catchy saying. Knowing the defenders in your area before the ball is swung to the player they are guarding helps focus and judge the play. I also had a college supervisor that wanted a whistle followed immediately by something like "black 32." The thinking is, if you know what you have instantly it lends credibility to the fact that you had the play all the way. This is very difficult while using your peripheral vision to watch your primary rather than using it to watch your secondary. If we are talking about a defined primary and not a dual/overlapping coverage area there are so many reasons for us not to see something in our partner's primary and so little a reason for us to see something in our partner's primary. So should we put a scientifically proven theory to practice or sit back enjoy the game and bleed into other areas? I think we should talk about and train to officiate in a manner that will get the highest percentage of correct calls.
This is just my opinion based on my experince and what I have heard/seen over the years.
[Edited by tomegun on Jun 10th, 2004 at 07:21 AM]