There are some small things I've worked hard on the past few years -- one is pointing and authoritatively calling out a color on an OOB play (of course I'd lose points in many places for not stopping the clock first before pointing, but that's OK :) ). I've not done that well ever since attending a women's college camp a few seasons ago.

Another is getting people to stop saying "on the floor." I find it a bad phrase as the shooting motion can begin while the player in control is "on the floor." Just as Chuck said.

Same for us. Fist, no shot signal, point to OOB spot. But only when it's one that needs to be sold.

If in doubt, I treat it as a shooting foul.

I catch myself saying "on the floor" at times too.

Another bad habit I am working hard at is signaling the out of bounds with the correct arm so you don't cross it over your body or turn your back.

One other one I have every now and then is saying "off blue, white". Too much thinking out loud on this one.


IMO these things are somewhat nit-picky from my worst critic...me.

[Edited by mj on Nov 20th, 2005 at 02:49 PM]

FWIW "off blue white" is not nitpicking. Makes you sound indecisive. Coach blue will be pissed, coach white will think he got a freebie.

Let me rephrase a little, there is a distinct pause in between me saying the colors. There is no indecision whatsoever.

I didn't say you are indecisive.

I said you sound indecisive.

When you say "off blue.....white" everyone else hears "BLUE!!!! errr....no, not really...I think I should have said WHITE!!!!"

Anyway, as I said it's for what it's worth. Maybe it's not worth much to you. :shrug:

perusing an old thread...
 

I noticed no one does their non-shooting fouls exactly like I do, which is instead of "on the floor", I'll say 'No' or 'no shot' followed by 'baseline' & point, 'sideline' & point, '1 & 1', or 'double bonus'. Seems to work for me.

I don't recall if I ever chimed in on this thread but I do it pretty much the way you do.

Sometimes I'll skip saying "sideline" or "baseline/endline" if it is obvious to everyone...bodies on the floor in the paint, foul at halfcourt sideline, etc.

Of course, I only verbalize the "No shot" if there was any remote possibility that the player was shooting or about to start a shot.

When I first started, I said "on the floor" to notate that the ball would be put into play by a throw in after a foul in addition to declaring that the foul occured before a shot (at the spot of the call). That was corrected at my first camp.

Now, I use the terms "before the shot" to notate the foul occured before the shooter was in the act of shooting and "out of bounds" to notate a throw in after a foul (rather than a free throw). After that, I have never been instructed at a camp that saying either of these things are incorrect.

When you think about it, "on the floor" doesn't really make much sense, since everything is on the floor. However, I don't think the use of these terms, by itself, is going to keep anyone out of state HS playoffs or off college staffs. But you need to adjust what you are doing to people you want to impress.

I attended an IAABO camp this summer.

IAABO's feeling was that too many unapproved signals were creeping into the game at all levels. They insisted on us using only proper mechanics and approved signals.

We were told not say such things as "on the floor" or "before the shot" and never ever put up one or two fingers immediately after blowing your whistle.
It was: be poised, under control and businesslike.

And no need to "sell" calls by doing such things as hopping across the court while "signaling" the block foul call.

It was: whistle (immediately spit out the whistle),fist straight up and high, color, number, prelim foul signal, tell partner who is shooting and how many or where ball is coming in from....hustle to reporting area, stop, gather your thoughs and report.

You do realize that IAABO mechanics are <b>not</b> approved mechanics though, right? Iirc, IAABO uses some of their own mechanics that are completely different than the ones found in the NFHS Officials Manual. It's fine to use those IAABO mechanics <b>if</b> IAABO is the governing body in your state. For states where IAABO isn't the governing body, which is most states, IAABO mechanics and interpretations are neither valid or approved.

The only approved mechanics and signals are the ones issued by the NFHS. Individual state bodies may choose to use different mechanics, but those mechanics are only valid and approved for that state.

IAABO is a rules-interpretive body, not a rules-making body. The same holds true for mechanics and signals also, unless a particular state governing body also votes to adopt IAABO-recommended mechanics. Just wanted to clear that up.

For example. . .?

Those darn thoughs, it's like sweeping water!

2 whistle-- positioning for TO's and also coverage of the lead's sideline above the FT line, as per your post in this thread:

http://forum.officiating.com/showthr...AABO+mechanics

OK?

I don't think there's a difference in the coverage of the Lead's sideline. (Unless the FED is not telling the Trail to make the OOB call on the Lead's sideline above the FT line.) I don't remember that one. The only one that's different is the positioning for TO's. And that's not "completely different". It's just the old FED way, instead of the new (dumber) FED way.