You keep track of timeouts how?

[SCalScoreKeeper]

As a scorekeeper entering his 10th year I still have a hard time with the fact that the kid was keeping track of timeouts in his head.

Question for those of you who work on the floor: When you come over tableside at the end of each quarter to check the book wouldn't you notice no timeouts recorded and say something right there that the kid needs to be recording timeouts?

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

As a scorekeeper entering his 10th year I still have a hard time with the fact that the kid was keeping track of timeouts in his head.

Question for those of you who work on the floor: When you come over tableside at the end of each quarter to check the book wouldn't you notice no timeouts recorded and say something right there that the kid needs to be recording timeouts?

I do not check the book at every quarter, that is what the table people are for. If they have a problem they should tell us, but they have a job to do and I do not micromanage them in their job.

Peace

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

Question for those of you who work on the floor: When you come over tableside at the end of each quarter to check the book wouldn't you notice no timeouts recorded and say something right there that the kid needs to be recording timeouts?

I don't physically check the book, I go over and verbally ask the scorers if everything is good and they typically say yes and give me a thumbs up. I know where to sign my name in the book and that's about it.

[Nevadaref]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

As a scorekeeper entering his 10th year I still have a hard time with the fact that the kid was keeping track of timeouts in his head.

Question for those of you who work on the floor: When you come over tableside at the end of each quarter to check the book wouldn't you notice no timeouts recorded and say something right there that the kid needs to be recording timeouts?

By rule the R verifies the SCORE at the end of each half. Nothing else is checked. Not fouls, not time-outs, not who has played, etc.

How do I verify the score? I ask the people keeping the books at the table if what they have matches what is up on the scoreboard before I depart for halftime and I do the same somewhere in the last two minutes during a close ball game.

[Nevadaref]

In the end, all of this comes down to everyone doing their jobs and in a perfect world doing them without error.
The problem is that errors do occur and as an official, particularly if one is the R, it is important to know how to proceed when an error occurs.

This is something which separates officials from each other. How they proceed in unclear or problem situations. Your top guys handle them well and to the satisfaction of others. Lesser officials will not worry too much about it or point the finger at someone else.
I try to have someone on the crew with definite knowledge. If I can obtain that knowledge and fix the situation, I will. My best defense to such problems is to be prepared.

[JRutledge]

I equate this to any other knowledge of the game. You might have general knowledge, but what are you going to say if one of the participants do not believe you or buy your knowledge? I know I can look at different books and figure out a mistake, just like we do with any other kind of mistake. But if it is all in my head that is a harder sell IMO to others. It is not about blaming, teams school at the very least keep track of their own timeout situations (at least they do here). Heck they better keep track of their fouls and other important information. But if you the officiating crew is the main line of defense, I think that could cause more problems. We already get accused of having an agenda and now I have to not go by the people that are paid to also do a job.

Peace

[OKREF]

Originally Posted by SCalScoreKeeper

As a scorekeeper entering his 10th year I still have a hard time with the fact that the kid was keeping track of timeouts in his head.

Question for those of you who work on the floor: When you come over tableside at the end of each quarter to check the book wouldn't you notice no timeouts recorded and say something right there that the kid needs to be recording timeouts?

I don't know anybody who does this. Simply ask, Is the score right?

[JWP]

I try to check if the official book, the visiting book, and the scoreboard all matches at the end of the quarters and at halftime. If there has been a lot of fouls during the first half, I will also have the books compare fouls to make sure everybody is on the same page as well. I have never checked on timeouts.

But on this issue of book and time keepers, I work with a lot of young, rookie officials (they like to team them up with the Old Man) and while they may be well versed on critical elements of the game such as proper headband colors, they don't have a clue about taking a few minutes prior to the game and checking with the table.

This is critical at the lower levels, where often, the scorekeepers and timers are not well trained ... or trained at all. Most rookie timers have no idea regarding the concept of "chopping" time. Twice I have had guys turn off the clock after every made basket.

Last week, somebody asked if it was proper to designated the visiting book as official. If the home book doesn't seem competent and the visiting book obviously is, I just ask if anybody minds if we switch. Never had an issue.

I also don't have a problem tossing somebody at the table if they are not doing their jobs. I figure if the kids are giving their best efforts, the officials are giving their best efforts, than the table can give their best efforts, too.