thoughts on upspoken rules

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by thedewed

I always called a rebound tip out where an outside player hit the inside player's hand, and the inside player's hand was on the ball trying to control it, as simply out on the outside player.

Many years ago, before every grandmother in the bleachers had a cell phone that could videotape an entire game, I would rather call a close out of bounds call off the outside player (even though the ball last touched the inside player) instead of calling an "over the back" on outside player, and give the ball to the inside player's team for a throwin. Here, in my little corner of Connecticut, we all did it that way, that's the way it was done back then, pure and simple. Coaches never complained. Players almost never complained.

Today, with videotape of games showing up all over the internet, I call it exactly as I see it. Illegal advantage contact from the outside player is a pushing foul. Or, if the ball goes out off the inside player, I give the ball to the outside player's team for a throwin.

I don't need any early morning phone calls from my assignment commissioner, "Good morning BillyMac. I have a few questions about a call that you made last night. A coach just emailed me a videotape that shows ...".

Or worse, to have the video show up on the Forum, "Hey BillyMac, is that you with the black belt screwing up that easy call?".