Fishing in Partner's T-Pond?
 

Boys varsity. Pretty physical game. I'm trail opposite table. My partner calls a foul on a shot right in front of him. B1, presumably upset b/c he thought it was a clean blocked shot, picks up the ball and throws it backwards over his shoulder, up and over the basket. They were about 4 feet outside the paint. (So it was more than just a casual flip.)

My first thought is, Geez that's a technical. I didn't know if my partner saw the kid do it. But then I notice my partner say something to B1 as he goes to report the common foul.

So at this point I figure he saw it and passed on it. I asked him at the next break and he said, Yeah he saw it but he just wanted to talk to the kid.

But it got me wondering: Should I have checked right away to see if my partner saw it? If I had called it right away, or just as my partner went to talk to the kid, does that make my partner look bad?

I guess the general question is: Do we have "ponds" or PCA's for something like this? If it happens in my partner's area and he sees it, is it his all the way?

Strictly speaking, no.

But I try to never go over or through a partner to grab a technical foul unless I'm certain he didn't see it. Doesn't look good for the crew when you do something like that.

Adjust this, if necessary, if working with a really inexperienced partner who may not be equipped to handle a situation.

You handled this well. Wait to see and what your partner does. After he's talking to the kid I'm not coming in with a T.

You have two options here:

1) Call it instantly so you're not frustrating your partner while he's dealing with it.

2) Do what you did.

I'm going with 2 the vast majority of the time.

I was working a JuCo game with a veteran crew chief who didn't know me.

I was 'C' opposite the table when I called a foul on a defender who illegally contacted the dribbler in the midst knocking the ball away. The defender, while facing me, jumps up in response but lands and then goes into a smile as I'm telling him to "take it easy". Before I could start my way towards the table to report my foul the CC comes in to the T the kid up.

It was totally unnecessary. The kid had an immediate reaction but then instantly calmed down and was not saying or doing anything disrespectful, and I had addressed him. The CC had no idea what was going on between the player and myself. His rationale once we were in the locker room is that "we can't let players do that to us". :rolleyes:

You could have predicted that response, couldn't you?

Oh the flip side, I was standing opposite table as my partner was reporting, two feet from him the coach is giving him an earful and yells "that's terrible"I pause and think, he must hear that guy. A few seconds later the coach walks away and no T. After the game, I asked my partner if he heard the coach for green after the foul, "no, what did he say?" After we discuss, he says "I lost most of my hearing hunting." In my pre-game I now ask if anyone has short term memory issues or problems hearing, I just assume they can't see.

You should've said, "Thanks, Dad.".

"You're welcome." I've got your back.

What's ironic about your story is that the 3rd member of the crew in my game was completely deaf. The CC perturbed me in the pre-game by not sitting still and looking at our deaf partner so he could read his lips.

Maybe there's more to the story, but "That's terrible" is probably NOT a T, and it certainly isn't one I get to protect my partner.

But in my book "you're terrible" is a T

Most officials use your book.

I may or may not T for that. I may just say "You are entitled to your opinion" and then turn my back to him....for the rest of the game.

I've called a T for it once. Coach was complaining how bad one of my partners was. After I told him no more he goes, "You're terrible too!!" I really didn't have a choice at that point.

"T-ponds", i like that. interesting subject for sure!

this is tough, as everyone has a different threshold on what they T and what they don't.

in the OP's case, i believe you did it correctly. trust in your partners goes this far as well. trust that when he saw the action that he did the right thing by talking to the kid about his action and that next time any such action will be a T.

slapping the wall or slamming the ball on the floor could quickly fall into this category. knee-jerk frustration reactions that aren't meant to be unsporting towards officials, but everyone from the opposing team wants to be a T.

sometimes you can give them the inch, and still not let them take the mile....

Yep, if it's borderline, I like to remind them (quietly) that if they're making us make a decision on something like that, they won't always like the choice we (the officials) make.

Sometimes, the more heady players just need to see we were watching and they understand they got lucky.