Team Control Loose Ball Fouls

[Nevadaref]

1. This is a rule which differs depending upon the level of play. NBA defines loose ball fouls and has specific rules for them. The NCAAM handled team control fouls the same as NFHS a few years ago, but then ran into a problem—the big dawgs working the tournament games couldn’t manage to get this rule correct. I posted several instances of it on this forum and gathered some of the video clips which got posted and sent them to Art Hyland. He had to be embarrassed as a rule change was made that off-season and FTs are now attempted for fouls such as the OP describes.

2. Hence, this is a problem for people. They actually have to READ and study the NFHS book instead of going by what they see others do on TV games. Over the years, I’ve found that that isn’t easy for people. Most learn better by watching and emulating. Thinking for oneself is sort of a lost skill in today’s society.

3. How to handle partners who are incorrect: I’ve taken this position before on this forum. You can provide information, but then you need to allow the calling official to live or die with his decision. If someone wishes to be stubborn, you can’t do anything. At the HS level, I’ve reached the point where I don’t even bother to get involved. The game fee is insignificant, there aren’t any ramifications in my area (shortage of officials/lack of observers/leadership doesn’t take steps to address) and there are too many poorly trained officials that it just makes my head hurt. I’ve concluded that upsetting a partner or the effort that it takes to persuade someone to do something differently just isn’t worth the small correction in game administration. If the leaders of the assn and the assignors cared, they would review videos and not put those people on the games. Of course, that doesn’t happen.

At the college level, I’ll ask a partner if he wants the heat from the supervisor or if he would prefer to shift it to me. I give him an out, then it’s up
To him if he wants to take it. Since the $ is better and losing a couple of assignments starts to have an impact, people seem to be more willing to listen and have a desire to not screw up, resulting in negative consequences.

In the end, you can’t study the rules for these people. They need to get into the books on their own and do their preparation work. Sadly, not everyone takes that task seriously.