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Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee
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?
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As a "younger" official who has worked 5yrs of HS and 3yrs of college ball, I don't disagree with you as to the value and necessity of incorporating "newer" officials. That rationale plays a large part in every assignors decision to select game officials (partner less experience w/ more experience). I'm all for opportunities to gain more experience....I also know that coaches want the BEST officials working the game (how many "young" officials have waved off a foul - i.e. Steve Javie - during a playoff game becuase he realized it was a bad call?).
Since the NBA has a regimented evaluation process, it is possible to evaluate and rank all the officials based on their performance during the regular season. Here's an idea: assign the top officials to the playoffs based on their regular season performance - not based on past experience or prior season performance. If Dick Bavetta rates as one of the top 9 (or whatever number you decide) officials, then use him in the Finals - if not, he sits at home to watch like you and me. Don't just assign him because he's worked the Finals the last 10yrs in a row.
(BTW, I understand the NBA officials receive $50k to work the Finals - regardless of how many games you work in the series - must be nice!)
Because the HS and College levels do not have observers at every game to rate and eventually rank the officials like the NBA, it is hard to quantify who the best officials are.
Simply put, the philosophy: "best available official" should apply in the post-season regardless of level. The regular season is when officials should be getting the experience. As a former D1 asst. coach, I would never want someone "learning on the job" during the playoffs.