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Originally Posted by jeffpea
In the NBA, they grade the officials over the course of the season - have the best available officials working the game (not sitting at home).
I realize officials can't work every game or every day - but they certainly should be working the most games possible.
In any case, what is so wrong with expressing the desire to have the absolute best officials working the games in rounds 1, 2, and 3. Once you reach the Finals - the top 7 or 8 guys should work (rotate 'em a little).
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Jeff, like it or not, or agree with it or not, there's another factor in play here also. NBA officials are unionized, as are officials in all major sports- ex. baseball, football, hockey. The unions do have input into playoff assignments, staffing, wages, etc. I sureasheck could be wrong, but I doubt very much if the NBA could just unilaterally tell it's officials that 9 people are gonna work and the rest are gonna sit.
Also, from a training aspect, doing it that way doesn't make any sense either imo. When one of your top 9 officials retires, you have to replace him with an official that has
no experience on playoff games. The whole idea of breaking people into playoff games is to get them the experience and have them ready to take over when they are needed. I think that the same idea
is being used now in high school and college games too. You want your up-and-coming officials to stay up-and-coming. Telling 'em to take a hike at playoff time isn't helping anybody imo.
Besides, what better time is there to get a new official blooded than to get him out there in a playoff game with two experienced officials that are gonna have his back?