Michigan State v Purdue

[Raymond]

My tete-a-tete, if I blow my whistle on an unusual play, is telling my partners what I called and how we adjudicate from there.

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[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

My tete-a-tete, if I blow my whistle on an unusual play, is telling my partners what I called and how we adjudicate from there.

... and if your partner makes a call on an unusual play and kicks it, as in the original post, is his whistle, his call, and his adjudication enough of a tête-à-tête?

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... and if your partner makes the call, and kicks it, as in the original post, is his whistle, his call, and his adjudication enough of a tête-à-tête?

If they tell me something wrong during their communication and...

a) I'm not the crew chief, I will make sure I communicate the proper adjudication/ruling. What the crew does from that point is not my call.

b) I'm the crew chief, we will adjudicate the play properly.

I have kicked a rule once in my career, that was this season in my first game back after a 23 1/2 month lay-off due to knee surgery and COVID. It involved the shot clock and one partner felt I was getting it wrong but didn't want to hold up the game. I reviewed the rule at halftime and informed both coaches and the table that I had messed up.

But my main point is that if you blow your whistle you should be laying out the succeeding steps to your partners, not asking "what do we do next". If you are getting something wrong, then someone should speak up quickly and concisely.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Raymond

If you are getting something wrong, then someone should speak up quickly and concisely.

Agree 100%. Everybody appreciates good partners.

Decades ago I spotted my first-time partner (top-notch, late-round-tournament-level official) kicking an out of bounds call on his line on a ball that came from my primary. I was 100% certain. No whistle from me, I simply put up my stop-sign hand, took several quick steps toward him for a tête-à-tête, and quietly said, "Did you get a good look at that?". He replied, "Yes", and I immediately backed off with no further comment. I have absolutely no problem with that part, maybe he did get a much better look than me. But at halftime he told me to never "question" any of "his" out of bounds calls ever again (in direct conflict to the accepted procedure (asking for help or offering help) that we're supposed use to handle such situations in our local area) in a tone that sent chills down my spine. Keep in mind that I didn't come running in with whistle blasting, pointing, and over-turning his call, like Mighty Mouse saving the day. Worked with him several times after that. Never offered him help again, even if he needed it. Forty-plus years, dozens (that's conservative) of times I offered help to partners, only partner to have ever said anything even close to that to me.

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Agree 100%. Everybody appreciates good partners.

Decades ago I spotted my first-time partner (top-notch, late-round-tournament-level official) kicking an out of bounds call on his line on a ball that came from my primary. I was 100% certain. No whistle from me, I simply put up my stop-sign hand, took several quick steps toward him for a tête-à-tête, and quietly said, "Did you get a good look at that?". He replied, "Yes", and I immediately backed off with no further comment. I have absolutely no problem with that part, maybe he did get a much better look than me. But at halftime he told me to never "question" any of "his" out of bounds calls ever again (in direct conflict to the accepted procedure (asking for help or offering help) that we're supposed use to handle such situations in our local area) in a tone that sent chills down my spine. Keep in mind that I didn't come running in with whistle blasting, pointing, and over-turning his call, like Mighty Mouse saving the day. Worked with him several times after that. Never offered him help again, even if he needed it. Forty-plus years, dozens (that's conservative) of times I offered help to partners, only partner to have ever said anything even close to that to me.

He's just a dick. But an OOB call is still a judgment call, not a rules issue. I'm going to voice (well, not anymore, LOL) my thoughts when a rules issue comes up.

I once worked a D1 game with a veteran Final Four official who was going to administer a Technical Foul penalty incorrectly. I informed him of the proper adjudication and he told me "I don't care, I want to do it this way" (he didn't say it in a mean or demeaning way). I had done my part.

I guess b/c I didn't start officiating until I was 37 and had already been in the military 19 years, I've never felt intimidated by another official, no matter what their reputation or status.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

... in a tone that sent chills down my spine ...

Originally Posted by Raymond

... intimidated by another official, no matter what their reputation or status.

Bingo.

His comments (especially his tone) to me as a newly appointed full time varsity (previously working a "split schedule", both varsity and subvarsity) official certainly didn't give me any confidence moving forward into the second half of the game, my next game, and my games the rest of the season.

Took me a while, and asking questions from colleague friends (never mentioned his name), but I eventually figured out that it was he who did something wrong, not me.

Decades later and it made such an impression on me that I remember it like it was last week.

Now, where are my car keys?