Making a call out of your area

[David B]

I agree that we need to watch our areas, but I also agree that if its an obvious call then it needs to be made.

Game Tuesday night and I'm trailing in a press situation. I'm blocked suddenly by two players and miss a double dribble at midcourt.

C makes the call, good call and we play on.

There was no way I could see the play even though I was 15-20 feet from the play.

So, I agree if its obvious it needs to be called.

I think many times this causes problems especially in the higher ranks because so many of the officials are worried about what it looks like to the coaches/fans etc,

Sure we have responsibilities, but we also have to call the game.

I notice more and more from our college officials that they tend to let things go rather than call out of their primary.

Sometimes that is good, but sometimes it results in a missed call. As a former coach, I want the right call made, and I don't care about who makes it.

Thanks
David

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by nine01c
I had one yesterday. Lower level varsity game, I had never met my partner. About two minutes into the game partner gets down to endline area on a fast break, stampede style, cluster of players. As Trail I was approaching the division line and I see big center do the Flintstone Run (3-4 steps) before going in for (made) lay-up. Tweet! (me).I wipe out basket, give travel call (see look of anger/horror/insult? on partner's face). Next dead ball, partner was in my face stating, "Most partners would eat you alive for making that call in their area."

Here's your reply:

"Most partners that I've worked with would have made the call so I wouldn't have to."

You can be damn sure that this is exactly what I would have said to her. It pisses me off to hear about officials with egos this big. What the hell happened to getting it right? What the hell happened to working as a team?

[Rita C]

The sex of the partner was never mentioned. It was the player that was the she.

Rita

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Rita C
The sex of the partner was never mentioned. It was the player that was the she.

Rita

Rita,

I was referring to the female partner in nine01c's game that lamblasted him for calling traveling in her area.

Stay with us dear.

TH

[just another ref]

When you make a call out of your primary and the coach says:
"That wasn't your call." or "You gotta let him make that call." you know you made a good call and he almost got away with something.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

Rita,

I was referring to the female partner in nine01c's game that lamblasted him for calling traveling in her area.

Stay with us dear.

TH

Rita -- don't mind Tony too much. He seems to be a little testy tonight. Also, I hope you'll stay around and keep posting. You could be the 4th (!) woman who is posting regularly on this board, and that's definitely a big improvement in the general atmosphere. nine01c, and oatmealqueen, don't you agree?

[BktBallRef]

Oh, I'm not testy with Rita. I think she asks good questions. She just lost track of us for a post or two. In football, we have to tell our umpire the same thing sometimes, especially during a blowout. "Stay with us, Mac."

[just another ref]

Originally posted by nine01c
I had one yesterday. Lower level varsity game, I had never met my partner. About two minutes into the game partner gets down to endline area on a fast break, stampede style, cluster of players. As Trail I was approaching the division line and I see big center do the Flintstone Run (3-4 steps) before going in for (made) lay-up. Tweet! (me).I wipe out basket, give travel call (see look of anger/horror/insult? on partner's face). Next dead ball, partner was in my face stating, "Most partners would eat you alive for making that call in their area." I said, "I saw the travel and thought you were screened out." Reply was, "No, she didn't travel and don't EVER call in my area again." She DID travel, No, she DIDN'T, so I dropped the subject. (Oh my God, this is going to be a long game)

To be honest, I rarely call my partner's area as I have learned to watch my OWN area and not be a ball follower.However, contrary to my lecture, about 99% of refs I work with will pre-game to "Call anything obvious they may miss in their area if I see it, this is NOT an ego contest." Anyway, this average ref who has the illusion of being superb made several mechanics mistakes (confused on switching) and tried to boss me around, directing me to have "good time management" (hurry up is more like it) probably because the whole thing had become an embarassment (mostly caused by these militant actions). I remained calm and was not intimidated (but was glad when it was over).

Is this the post in question? How do you tell the sex of the partner? (Please don't say look under their arm)

[BktBallRef]

Actually, Bart referred the nine01c's partner as "she" in his reply. That's where I got it from. But you right, it doesn't say it in the post.

So, Rita, forgive me please, before Juulie chastises me again. It was an honest mistake, on my part at least.

I'm not sure about Bart.

[just another ref]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
Actually, Bart referred the nine01c's partner as "she" in his reply. That's where I got it from. But you right, it doesn't say it in the post.

Isn't nine01c a she? I could be wrong.

[Rita C]

You are forgiven (even for the "dear"). LOL

I ref girls basketball so I picked up on the "she" referring to the player.

Rita

[Bart Tyson]

Originally posted by BktBallRef

Here's your reply:

"Most partners that I've worked with would have made the call so I wouldn't have to."

You can be damn sure that this is exactly what I would have said to her. It pisses me off to hear about officials with egos this big. What the hell happened to getting it right? What the hell happened to working as a team?

My fault about the sex of the partner, sorry. Most of my partners will get the obvious. So, here is my point; 1) this travel call was obvious to an official at half court, when the official on top of the play says it was obvious it was not travel. HHHmmmm who do you think got it right? 2) Far more bad calls are made from officials who call out of their area. HHmmm I wonder why we go to camps and are told to first find the competitive matchup in your area. Yes I know you can reach out if you don't have a matchup in your area, but I will add, many of the bad calls out of primary are not the result of no matchups in their area. Sooo the "get it right" concept, when it comes to calling out of your area is NOT my first choice. I will trust my partner that they "GOT IT RIGHT". Most coaches and supervisors can live with a missed call, but have a hard time with the phantom call.

[nine01c]

Just for clarification:

I, Nine01c, AM a female (but I can change...if I have to)
just kidding. I have officiated basketball for seven years and baseball for nine. I purposely did not disclose the gender of my partner in that game. It was a female. I have reffed 53 games this season, and 2 have been with a female partner. I have NEVER had a partner, male or female, be on such an ego-power trip as that lady was.

I should have been forewarned. Before the game I mentioned that I had worked only one game with another female this year. I said who she was and that she did a great job for a three year ref (I thought she was excellent). Then she put in her two cents about how she had to "explain a few things to her" and that her mechanics were weak and she was too timid, etc. I thought none of that stuff was true, but she probably scared the poor kid to death.

My original point was concern about this partner's "communication skills" and HOW she deals with people (like me). If I screwed up and should NOT have made the travel call, I can admit it and live with it, and learn from it. Hey, maybe I messed up, but it's NOT the end of the world (or HER career). Regarding gender, I think of us ALL as officials, not "male" officials and "female" officials.

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by Bart Tyson
My fault about the sex of the partner, sorry. Most of my partners will get the obvious. So, here is my point; 1) this travel call was obvious to an official at half court, when the official on top of the play says it was obvious it was not travel. HHHmmmm who do you think got it right?

My guess is tht the official who made the call got it right.

As nine01c stated, the L was probably blocked out, and the T has a wider view of the play. Most coaches I know hate it when a call isn't made because the official says, "It's not in my area," just as much or more than they hate a missed call.

[RookieDude]

Regarding calling out of your area...

I know a certain Veteran Official that was at the WA state B tournament in Spokane last year that got "marked down" for making a call out of his area. (2 person crew)

The observer said it was probably the right call but it didn't look good. Remember, these observers are usually Veteran Officials and Coaches...so they are human, they really can have varying degrees of opinions.

BTW, this Veteran Official, that was marked down, ended up being ranked 3rd... (Alternate for the Championship Game)..and the partner whom he called in his area ended up being ranked last, 16th.
My point is, it might have been the right call...but somebody didn't like the call, and that somebody had a position of power.

RD