Avoiding the Appearance of Bias

[Mark Padgett]

As we both know, there are some "unwritten rules" in some associations. Usually these are passed on by some "veteran" officials and are things they think an official should do if they want to move up. These include some of the things you mentioned, like not calling a bunch of fouls in a row against the same team or player even if they are the right calls, not calling a foul late in the game unless reconstructive surgery is involved, not calling an over and back if the defensive player hit the ball off the offensive player to cause it to go into the backcourt, waiting to see if a shot goes in before blowing the whistle for a foul and then only calling it if the shot misses, not calling 3 seconds if the player in the lane "isn't involved in the play" (I'm still trying to figure out this one), calling fouls when there was a reach with no contact, etc.

This means you have to make a decision. If it is more important for you to "go along" with this nonsense just to move up, then go ahead and do that. However, if you feel it is more important to call games according to the rules regardless of what "veterans" tell you, then do that and realize that in your association, you may not move up.

Someday, all officials will call games consistently from start to finish and they will call them according to the rules. Someday, all officials will work to change a rule with which they disagree, instead of modifying it to their own taste. Someday, officials will move up the ladder based on their ability, not on politics.

And someday - pigs will fly.