[RoyGardner]

After an "on-field" discussion that shouldn't have happened a few years ago (similar to what is described here) I started handling this a little differently. I take the incoming replacement ball, which avoids someone else spotting the ball, and look it over carefully. If for ANY reason I feel that we shouldn't change the ball (use the "new" incoming ball), I simply throw the ball back with a "this ball's not legal, we'll play with the one we have".

If we have wet conditions and the in-play ball really should be replaced then I'll spot the incoming ball (provided it's not a under inflated "kicking" ball) and play on, but we rarely will allow any team to kick a different ball than they've been playing with. That's pretty clearly counter to the rules.

By taking the ball and then using the "this ball's not legal" response we avoid any crew debate during the game.

In MA, where we rarely work in crews, we all at one time or another are working with fellow officials that we do not know. Usually when we get into one of these types of situations there is a "way out" that will avoid an unpleasant discussion on the field during the game. We can always discuss it after in the postgame.

And finally, I like the 24-hour rule. Ask yourself how I could have avoided the problem (another form of "preventive officiating") and come up with some ideas of what to do the "next time". Try rethinking if 1 incident like this where you had to work with "the jerk" is worth giving up the game. Just challenge yourself to come up with a way to handle this the next time and get back out there.