How many people do their mechanics "by the book?" From what I've seen not many. Changing little things and letting your own personality is OK to me. I think what some are trying to say is communication is key. Whether it is a voice or a preliminary signal, I want my partners to know what I called and I want to know what they call. I couldn't really put a percentage on what I do most. If someone is going to the basket and is fouled I probably will use my voice. It is like everyone in the gym sees contact and knows what the call is. When they don't know what the call is then a prelim can come in handy. I had a college supervisor that wanted verbal communication immediately. His theory is your call has more credibility when everyone knows that you know what you have immediately. He also wanted the number of the offending player called out immediately too.
I was doing a game last night and called a foul on a kid. He asked me what he did and I told him specifically (you hit him on his right arm like this when he went to the hoop). He started to smile and I did too. I asked him "what you didn't think I knew what you did." Maybe he just thought I made the call just because it might have looked bad. It was funny. Not Ha Ha funny but funny anyway.
