Like somebody above said, do you call 3 seconds as soon as you hit 3 on your count? Do you call every single tiny travel when no advantage was gained.

I just think it's a ticky tack thing to call and the wrong way to start a game. It's nothing more than being too deep into the rule book.

So, if we call the backcourt violation, in question, which team gets the possession arrow?

In my experience, "ticky tack" is an excuse typically used by officials who either don't know the rules or are too scared to do their job and enforce them.

So you're saying I should officiate based on what rules I think the coaches and fans know? Yikes.

Since a BC violation is always preceded by team control, the arrow is properly set toward black's basket the instant white gains control.

I'll refer you to what Camron said because he said it better than I could have.

Wow!!!! Way to put words in my mouth. I didn't say anything even close to that.

What I really said was, I'm not going to go 100% letter of the law in the rule book and call that 1 second into the game. The fans and coaches won't know any better so I don't see anybody getting too upset about that. Fellow officials included. Now, if you want to interpret that as me letting the coaches and fans determine what I call, that's your right. You can be ignorant if you choose.

If you also want to take that as me being too scared and not knowing the rules, that is also your right. I'm willing to bet I know the rules just as well as you do. I'm just not calling something 1 second into the game that has ZERO effect on the game.

Some people on this board take themselves too seriously. They also think you need to call the game to the letter of law or, rules of NFHS, at all times without allowing for personal judgment and what the intent of the rule is. I will put you into that category, since you like to put words in my mouth.

Are you incapable of speaking for yourself? You like to put words in other peoples' mouths. Please let us know your stance on calling 3 seconds as soon as you hit 3.

I was not responding to you. :)

This is exactly what you said. Since when do we care if coaches know what is and isn't a violation? I couldn't care less how "upset" fans and coaches get when I make a call.

A lot of violations (including easy backcourt calls) don't really have an effect on the game. Are you going to ignore all those too? Are you going to ignore a dribbler's heel touching the sideline when there are no players defending him?

And, my stance on 3 seconds is simple. I call it when in my judgment a player is gaining an advantage. Why? Because that's the intent of the rule. Advantage/disadvantage/effect on the game has NOTHING to do with backcourt violations.

I'm not saying I would make this call. But it wouldn't be because I actively chose to ignore it. It would be because I missed it. And I wouldn't lose sleep over it, nor would my assigner. Nor would my assigner be upset if I did call it.

In some (but not all) ways, I think it comes down to this assumption. I *think* you are saying that if you call it, black coach will think "we got away with a cheap violation call" and white coach will think "what a ticky-tack way to start the game."

To the extent that's true, I would challenge it. I think if you call it, black will think "that's an official who knows the rules and what to call" and white will think the same thing. If you don't call it, white will think "we got away with one" and black will what to know "why wasn't that called?" -- and I don't think there's a good answer to that.

And, if you won't call it in the first second, when will you call it? Suppose it happens during a throw-in in the last minute of a tie game (and white / black bat the ball around for a few seconds and then white leaps from the FC, grabs the ball and lands in the BC)?

An extra possession has zero impact on the game?

That is exactly what I said, great job of cutting and pasting. What I did NOT say is that coaches and the crowd knowing the rules or not has any effect on what I call. I was simply implying that I don't think anybody will jump all over you no matter which way you decide to go on that play. I don't care who gets mad and it has no bearing on my calls. Your reading comprehension is atrocious!

I am on record as saying as that is ticky tack and I'm not calling it 1 second into the game. It has NO effect on the game at all. No matter who makes the call one way or the other, I would support it. Guys that want to go letter of the law in regards to the rules book, that's fine. Guys that no call it and play on is also fine with me.

To answer your other questions in one all encompassing answer...........yes. I will ignore things when circumstances allow for it. I don't call travels that aren't super obvious in blow out games. If somebody on a team that is behind by 50 barely touches a line and I might be the only one that saw it, I don't call it. I don't call carries late in a blow out game and it's been the only time it's happened (there are lessons to be taught if the player constantly does it and you need to teach them). Those are a few examples of things I won't call. I suppose some on this board won't like it. That's fine. ALL of the guys that I work with are the same way and treat the above circumstances like I do.

I agree with you Bob, but that's exactly the opposite of my point. My point was that I don't think any coaches would notice it or know the rule, nor would they make a big deal out of you not calling it.

I don't want to blow the whistle 1 second into the game for a play that half of this board thinks is a violation and half thinks it's not or not worthy of calling. Why not play on? An obvious, egregious backcourt violation is worth calling. I just don't feel that calling this serves anybody well and me not calling it has ZERO to do with what the coaches or crowd thinks. For most of us, the crowd and coaches disagree with 50% or more of our calls on a nightly basis. If we cared about what they think we wouldn't call anything.

I understand your point about late in the game. If it's obvious and an easy call, I will call it. If it happens quickly like in this video, I'm not going to call it until I process it and I'm sure of what I saw. I would guess that a lot of us are going to miss it. Maybe not. The guy that processes it quickly and makes the call is doing a great job. Some guys might just process it slower and miss it or just not know the rules. It's hard to say until you are in that situation.

Really? I was waiting for somebody to say that. I suppose if the whole game plays out to a 1 point game, then I suppose somebody could complain "what if we had gotten just one more possession........"? Then yes, it would have some effect.

What if that same game is a 50 point blowout? Does the missed extra possession mean anything?

That question and assumption can go both ways.

Possessions are valuable and in a 1 point game that possession could have influenced part of the outcome. Now I get your point of view, but it you have an obvious violation, it should be called. I would never advocate a "technical" violation to be just called if you cannot tell how obvious it is.

Peace

Yes really. Sure if it is a 50 point game no harm but if a close game it is important. That isn't really for the officials to decide. It is one thing to miss it. It is another thing to ignore it.