Today I worked three travel games with a 15 year official. Early in game one, he blew his whistle and reported to the table "illegal screen." During the next timeout I asked him if the screening player had caused contact. He said, Yes, she moved into the other player. I said, That's good becuase I thought he was calling it just because the girl was moving on defense (no contact). He said, Well, it still would have been the same call even without any contact. I said, No, there MUST be contact in order to have an (illegal scteen) foul (push or block usually). He was adament that I was wrong. I reminded him that our interpreter reviewed it at the last meeting, there MUST be contact to draw a foul. Then he tells me that the interpreter said there does NOT have to be contact, it is still a foul. Yeah, right.
I dropped the subject immediately and it never came up again in the three games, but I hope he eventually figures it out (not likely).

Earlier, before this play, one of the coaches was chirping a little about the "illegal screens" the other team was committing. I said, Coach, there must be contact to have a foul. Just moving along is not a foul. So, I was hoping there would be no more "illegal screens" that day. How can someone not know this for 15 years? Where does everyone get this (moving without contact) "illegal screen" illusion from? Am I misunderstanding this concept? Thanks.

You know.
Yer good.
mick

Nope, no more than usual. ;)

Are you saying that I usually misunderstand concepts?

Tony,
Explain your joke.
(Man, I hate it when I hafta do that!)
mick

He's having fun with you. I have found that a significant number of "experienced" officials dissapoint me in one of two ways. First they develop a very negative attitude about the players, coaches and fans or they do not keep up on rules, mechanics and the game. I have had to move a lot with my job and find that one of the most important things for me is to identify a few officials in each area when I have moved in, that exemplify what I want to become (mentors). There are four of them here that I feel I can trust whatever they say and how they ref. Those officials that are so called "expereinced" but not even close to what I want, I just try to work through it, state what I believe is right and file it somewhere obscure. That is one reason I like this site and study the responses here. So just ignore this guy and do not be like him when you have 15 years.

Forget about it, he's kidding.

Just be glad it's Tony giving you a hard time, and not Padgett or Dan :D

Forget about it, he's kidding.
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Forget about it, he's kidding.
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OOPS! This is early in the morning for me.
I know he was kidding. I was kidding back.
Not to worry about me in my 15th year (or my 7th).