[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by proref27
It makes no sense for a Lead or Trail to go all the way to the table on non shooting fouls to report.

It makes a whole lot of sense if you're reporting to young, inexperienced adolescents who might not even be paying enough attention to know which official blew the whistle. The point of going to a "reporting box" is visibility to the table personnel. That's not as big a problem in the NBA b/c you have very professional table personnel. But at the HS and lower NCAA levels, it's better to go to the reporting area and be sure that the table knows who the foul is on. JMO (and I've used both sets of mechanics).

Also, why to you have to use a foul on the arm signal when reporting if the guy got smacked upside his head.

Because the foul is not "smacking upside the head". The foul is "illegal use of hands". Simple as that. And since you're tableside after reporting the foul, if the coach says "Where did he get him?", you can tell him. Not a big deal.

The officials are on the floor more dictating the angles on plays...

You make it sound like HS and NCAA officials are told to stay in one spot and officate from there (which used to be the NBA philosophy in the '70s, I'm pretty sure). NCAA and HS officials also move to get the best angle on plays. There are a still a lot of guys and gals who get stuck on the sideline while in the C position. But I think that is changing.

NBA officials are taught to never be "squared up" with a sideline or baseline.

Never? I was at Ronnie Nunn's Orlando camp last summer and I don't remember that being taught.

They stress "slot with a trail mentality".

This is a great philosophy that Ronnie introduced. I don't think it means never be square to the sideline, but as the play moves to the basket, instead of simply sliding down the sideline, take a step onto the court and get a "Trail's look" at the play. I will agree that this should be adopted in HS and NCAA more than it is now.

They always have two officials on ball side/strong side.

NCAA and HS try to do this as well. But most NCAA instructors don't like the ping-pong-ball effect of the Lead moving across the lane every time the ball swings.

Something that you don't talk about is floor coverages, which I personally feel are better in the NCAA men's system. I don't like having to officiate all the way to the sideline while in the Lead position. Additionally, in NBA coverage, if the ball is in the post on the Lead's side and is passed out to the corner, the Lead shifts his/her view from the post to the corner while the Trail shifts his/her view from the corner to the post, which is right in front of the Lead.

So we have two officials shifting their coverage when in NCAA, nobody has to shift. The Lead simply stays with the post activity (waiting for another entry pass), while the Trail (who already had responsibility outside the arc) picks up on-ball coverage. This makes a ton of sense to me.

I know NBA refs and NCAA women refs swear by their coverage scheme, but I don't like it. Again, JMO.