A couple years ago, I noticed that I'd developed MTS (Multiple Tweet Syndrome) without even realizing it was happening. I was tweet-tweet-tweeting all over the place. It was partly a result of officiating lacrosse, where that is encouraged. But I had to work hard to get rid of it, b/c it had become such a bad habit. I still do it occasionally on a quick travel that takes me by surprise, but for the most part, it's gone from my game.

Now, however, I discover that I have JPS (Just Point Syndrome). I have no idea how it happened, but when I call a foul for an illegal screen, I neglect to put up a fist!

I first noticed this at camp this summer, but I chalked it up to being nervous. But it's still happening. I know we see it from some of the "big-wigs" on TV, but I don't like it and now I've got to get rid of this bad habit too. :mad: One more reason to avoid the bad habits in the first place.

I feel your pain Chuck. Every once in a while, I'll start doing some bad habit that I got rid of long, long ago. No idea what makes it return to haunt me, it just does.

I have to concentrate on slowing down to get rid of it. It's really slowing my path to perfection. :-)

Z

Don't worry Chuck, no one's gonna notice

http://media1.funnyjunk.com/pics/huge_nuts.jpg

Damn, that has GOT to hurt!

Did you ever try to stand on your own balls? :eek:

On second thought, don't answer that. I really don't wanna know.

Not exactly...but I will admit it takes quite a bit of rope to avoid kicking the other thing. :eek:

The good news Chuck, is that you recognize your bad habits on your own...usually it takes an observer/evaluator saying "Hey, why do you..." before I even realize I'm doing things wrong...

I came down with a pretty bad case of JPS at the beginning of last season - my hand didn't go up for anything - foul or violation.

I realized what I was doing right after each call I made. I fixed it mainly by talking to myself - reminding myself to put my arm up on every call. Thankfully, I cured myself pretty quickly.

It also helped that a friend of mine who knows reffing pretty well was there to supervise that night.

Once in a while I'll have a case of JPS. Usually on rebounding and screening fouls, but occasionally on PC fouls when I'm the C. Watching too much D-I men's on TV, I guess. Doesn't really bother me, though.

I do point the other way on fouls going to the other end of the floor. I know you are not supposed to do it. I just cannot stop doing it. I have only had one person tell me to stop doing it. And that person I did not have a lot of respect for as an official. I guess that is something that will have to be beaten out of me.

I still can not stop birddoging--it was drilled into me so much that I am having a hard time stoping. Oh well just another thing to keep working on.

You can still birddog on foul calls. It is just not required anymore.

I was wondering as a relatively new referee, when the ball goes out of bounds, I always stick my hand up first to stop the clock, then point in the direction of the ball. Most referees I work with just point without first raising their hand. Is one method more proper than the other? How many of you just point?

That depends on what level you are working (or your area). In NF and NCAA Men's basketball, you are supposed to raise your hand first. If you are working NCAA Women's, you can point. I am going to assume that you are working mainly NF mechanics, so you need to do what the NF advocates. You are probably not experienced enough to start varying from the proper mechanics. You probably see more veterans just pointing. You are not going to be judged the same.

Peace

Compared to you, I am a grizzled old veteran. However, when I am doing an NFHS game I use NFHS mechanics. I've been around long enough that I'm sure I could get away with "less than perfect" mechanics. Going by the book will never hurt you.

Z

I've caught myself doing this lately. I know in Iowa they mentioned this in a recent memo to officials, pointing out that it's the women's NCAA mechanic, and that the proper NFHS mechanic is to raise the hand to stop the clock. I'm trying to get back to the proper way (I'll never fix it if I don't do any more games).
I've also caught myself using my finger instead of pointing with the whole hand. Bad bad bad.

Isn't it NCCA Womens and NFHS that put the hand up on OOB, and NCAA mens where it's optional to use the stop the clock signal??

I've never seen men's NCAA officials stopping the clock first, either.

You might be right. They did mention that the officials seen on tv using this mechanic are using the technology that stops the clock with the whistle.

If you look in this year's mechanics book (Men's CCA) they clearly state that you have to stop the clock first, and then give the direction. In the past it said it did not matter, but for some reason this year they made it clear this mechanic (just the pointing) was not what they wanted. What you see on TV does not apply, because those officials are not judged by the preciseness of their mechanics. They are judged by their calls. When you see a lot of those guys on national TV, they are very accomplished official. You cannot use them as the model for mechanics in most cases. I was told by one D1 official, "You are not Teddy Higgins. You cannot do what he does." He said that in a very joking way. But I got the point.

Peace

Why do you consider this bad?

I understand the palm & point - it's in the mechanics manual - but does the manual say to point with the whole hand? (Or is this just a local thing?)

CCA might be trying to emphasize it this year, but in D-I games (televised or not) I have yet to see it on a regular basis on either the men's or women's side.

Well this has been the proper Women's mechanic for as long as I remember. It is not "allowed" in the Men's game. But as I stated before, what you see on TV does not always apply to what is in the book. The assignors seem to not really care what their officials do if they are getting calls and rules right.

Peace

Well it is considered bad in my area or state. The picture shows clearly a full palm pointing, not a finger or two pointing. I am sure some areas do not make it a big deal. I know that it does not help you here if you are not using the same mechanics as illustrated by the NF Official's Manual or any variations stated by the IHSA Office.

Peace