It's a tough situation to be in, especially if you are working with a veteran official who is perceived by others to be better than you. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and get the game over with, knowing that you have done the best you can. However, I generally don't have a problem telling my partner at halftime that I am fully capable of covering my area and would appreciate it if he would let me do it. Or, you could take the passive aggressive approach and start taking calls that take place five feet away from him in his area.
