Fun With Out Of Bounds …

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You know when you the ball goes out of bounds. If you need some help as to the proper direction, ask for that help. But the lead has the line down the sideline and that is hardly an issue most of the time.

Agree. IAABO took a close look at the "most of the time" part of JRutledge's statement, and decided to try to make it better, but only substituted one problem for a different problem, like one of those solutions looking for a problem, but with an equally bad, if not worse, solution.

I wasn't a big fan of the "new" IAABO system when it first came out, am still not a big fan, but it must have some degree of validity or well respected officiating organizations like IAABO (never rescinded its decision after decades) and NASO/Referee (see JRutledge's great post)) wouldn't be proponents.

The fact that the NFHS has stuck with its system for at least forty years tells us that it may be the best officials can do with only two guys on the court.

While I am trying to explain why IAABO changed, sometimes grasping at straws for a rationale, I hope that you guys realize that you're preaching to the choir.

I've been a loyal IAABO member for over forty years, and appreciate what they do regarding basketball official education, but I'm not blind to the fact that they do occasionally make mistakes, and this was one of their biggest mistakes ever. Yes, it was broken, but only slightly broken, and it didn't need fixing, especially when the fix may have made things worse.

While it may appear that I'm trying to defend IAABO from slings and arrows, I'm not, I'm merely trying to explain their rationale for the change. And after all, the NFHS does have some warts, just listen to our respected colleague JRutledge:

Originally Posted by JRutledge

Two-person coverage is flawed ...