[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

BITS - in any of the language you've read, have you come across anything comparable to: estimate, approximate, something, best guess, etc.?

Yes. "An official's count". An official's count is not only comparable to "estimate, approximate, something, best guess," it is an approximation, it is an estimate, and it is a best guess. And, as has been pointed out, while the information gathered from an official's count it isn't exact, it is definite.

Here's the definite information, relative to the time involved I possess from this situation:
* The whistle clearly came before the horn
* The granting of the time out came before the whistle
* The official immediately looked to the clock after blowing the whistle
* The official observed 0.0 on the clock
* There was more than 0.0 when the whistle sounded
* It takes some amount of time to turn and tilt your head to look at the clock
* The amount of time required to turn and tilt one's head is definitely less than the time required for a player to catch and shoot.
* We have some other official information about how long it takes to catch and shoot.

Would you argue the definiteness of any of that information? I don't need an exact amount, though if I have it I can use it. I need "definite information relative to the time involved." And I feel that I have enough definite information to put time back on the clock. It may not be exact, but like the good old five second count, it's exact enough.