[M&M Guy]

I think the purpose of this mechanic is communication - at some point a coach or asst. is going to stick their head out of the huddle and ask where the ball is going to be put in play, and having an official stand at the spot of the throw-in communicates that information easier. Also, late in the game when the officials are getting together to discuss their end-of-game strategy, leaving the ball at the spot of the throw-in also communicates that info to the teams.

In NCAA-W, the mechanic for the last couple of years was to put the ball down on the floor at the spot of the throw-in, even if the official was standing next to it. I thought the same thing Jeff did - someone would trip over it, steal it, or kick it away, but that never happened to me, or to anyone else I know. The reason given for changing the mechanic back this year to the official holding the ball at the spot was because the rules committee didn't like the "unprofessional" way the officials were picking up the ball after the TO. Some officials would pound on it and bounce it up, others would put their foot under it and kick it up; these methods are not as "professional" looking as simply bending over and picking it up.