[DownTownTonyBrown]

I can't believe that I read over 4 pages of this garbage.

I personally know people that brag about their test scores as if it somehow made them a better official than others. In my opinion they are braggarts and not good officials. I have never run into anyone that thinks rules knowledge or a good test score is the ONLY criteria for being classified as a good official. Their discussions may very well ignore people skills because they are personally weak on these qualities but I have never had anyone say rules knowledge/test scores were the prime criterion for being a great official.

I think the point that needs to be made under this topic (People Skills.... remember? Back before this discussion left the world of basketball, we were discussing people skills)
is...

Rules knowledge is rather easy to acquire. However, practical application of the rules involves people skills. People skills, if you don't have them from your own natural character or from the way you were brought up by your parents, are not so easy to acquire as is rules knowledge. Development of people skills requires very conscious, continuous effort.

We all need to be working on our people skills because they are what make us successful in all facets of life. They are obviously of ultimate importance on the basketball court when dealing with emotionally charged 'people.'

As a couple of the primary contributors to this discussion thread are fond of saying when they close...

PEACE