[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by jebPE
Dan-ref,

My comment regarding somebody getting hurt was a supplement to my contention that the official's job is not to keep the game interesting.

Maybe you'll now tell us what the official's job *is*? I've often wondered just what the hell I was supposed to do out there, maybe you can provide some words of wisdom & guidance.

It occurs to me that when games are called closely and consistently, that players are less likely to play wildly, and their basketball skills become better for it.

Well, first you say it's not the official's job to make the game interesting, then you go on to say a closely called game leads to a better exhibition of basketball by the players...which is another way of saying it makes the game interesting. (Yeah yeah I know you'll tell me it's not about the game getting better it's about the players improving themselves in their overall experience of growth as a student blah blah blah. Bullsh1t to that I say. Player improvement and growth falls squarely on the shoulders of the coaches. I'm just there to make sure the game is played within the spirit of the rules....ooops, seems I let a clue to the first question slip out there.)

Those who've been at it a while understand the nuance involved in advantage/disadvantage, tightening the game up vs letting them play, the human element of players participating in a sporting contest, etc etc. In fact, that is the challenge. Any dope can read & understand the rule book & apply it in a black & white fashion. It takes a special type of dope to do it in a way that makes the game interesting....errrr....allows the players to apply their basketball skills.

No doubt players will get hurt from time to time, but it would seem to me that part of the official's responsibility is to help prevent injuries (which is directly relevant to the original post...suppose the knocked-down ref fell backward and hit his head on the floor...coach being on the floor is not supposed to be part of the game).

The official's duties include the prevention of injury but only as outlined by the rules. After we've made sure players and the court are both properly equipped it's up to the player's conditioning and plain luck to keep all involved safe.

But let's suppose the official did get injured after running into the coach. Explain to me again how a T after the fact prevents this injury?