Too good to call lower?

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by ace
Something kinna bothered me last night. A big time DI official showed up wearingh is NCAA Official windbreaker making comments about how "its great to see they put me at a level I can call" then dropping credentials about where he called last night (Big DI school) and all that ohter stuff.... He was assigned to the 7th grade gym, my partner the 8th. While I wanted to work the game with him as he's obviously a somebody, his attitude really turned me off about him. I went itno the 7th grade gym at half time and was dissappointed to see his mechanics.... not going all the way under at lead... counts were "eh who cares" kinna counts...

Ok, I was hesitant to address this, but I guess I will. I have two comments. First, relax about the guy's mechanics. Mechanics are very important for getting noticed. If you call a good game and have great mechanics, you have a HUGE advantage over a guy who calls a good game but has lousy mechanics. So mechanics are important. But once you reach your peak level, your mechanics become much less important. Mechanics (signals) do almost nothing to help you call a good game. Almost nothing. They're good for communicating to your partner and the table. But your signals have no impact on the calls you make.

But how often do you see GREAT officials on TV who have miserable mechanics? A lot. Why is that? B/c the mechanics are not nearly as important at that level. The important thing is your calls. If you get the calls right, then who really cares about which hand you pointed with?

Please understand that I say this as an official who is VERY mechanically sound. I pride myself on my mechanics, and they have helped to get me noticed. I understand that my signals don't really help me call my game, but I still need them to get attention b/c I'm still hoping to move up to higher levels.

Second comment. I am not "too good" to do certain games. However, there are some games that I would just as soon not do, if another competant official is available. As an example, last year I worked a Division 3 HS girls varsity game. (In MA, Division 3 is the division containing the smallest schools.) The halftime score of this VARSITY game was 12-2.

Now in all seriousness, why was I on that game? There were other officials available who could have done that game, who could have done a very good job, and who would have been very proud to have worked a varsity game. Instead, I did it, and it was a ho-hum experience.

Now, once an official has accepted a game, s/he must conduct himself or herself as if that game were the most important game of the night. And I did that. I hustled, I was always in position, I always used my proper signals and HS mechanics. I called a great game. But that game did not need me.

So this year I told my assignor that I would not accept any HS girls games below the Division 1 level. Why? Because I'm too good for them? No. Because I feel that other officials will be better served by working those games than I would be.

I hope that doesn't make me sound arrogant, but I wanted you to see the other side of the picture. If this big-time official came in and did a crummy job, then that's wrong. He should've treated it more seriously. But you also have to understand that it takes much less effort for him to call that game well than it does for a less-experienced official to call that game well.