[JRutledge]

First of all you cannot worry about what others do and what philosophies they hold. All you can do is worry about what you do.

I can tell you that it is very important to know as much about the teams, the circumstances surround the game and the stars as possible. It will help you stay on top of trouble situations and appropriately officiate the game.

If you know both teams like to press all game long, then you can talk to your partners in the pre-game how you are going to cover this and what mechanics you will use.

When you know who the star is, it helps you know what this player is going to do with the ball and sometimes on defense. This will also help you get an idea what the opponents might do to stop them.

I learned to do this very early in my career and it has helped me tremendously when I officiate many years later. All this does it put you in the right frame of mind so that you are not caught completely off guard. I do not see the harm in this.

Peace