"On the floor"

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by M&M Guy

Ok, so I'm feelin' a little argumentative:

Are you saying the player can't jump up in the air and pass the ball inbounds?

I've got a friend that is about 12 emotionally, and she always thinks everything needs to be meant literally. I spend a couple or three hours a week with her, usually, and I certainly don't any more of that stuff from you!!

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by rainmaker

Just for the record, when I do say "On the floor" I don't mean where the player was when the foul was committed. I mean where the player will be when the ball is put into play.

Uhmmm...no.

You can argue that "on the floor" is accepted jargon to designate "before the shot".

You can't argue that "on the floor" means we'll be "on the floor" when play resumes.

We are always "on the floor" when play resumes.

For the record...I sometimes say it, not usually. I prefer "NO SHOT!". Or "BEFORE THE SHOT!" But it happens I get lazy & say "on the floor". And when I do the only sh!t I take is from fellow officials.

No biggie.

[SMEngmann]

Originally posted by tomegun
While I understand why you say "stay here" is something minor, I think it's interesting that you mention positioning as something that is important. A small or "minor" step left or right makes all the difference in the world to get a good look. Plus, we can't do the same things now that a current D1 official did before they moved up. Times change, mechanics change and we must change with them. I can't understand someone saying something is minor when you consider all the competition to move up.

Most of the time, there is a reason to do something and a reason not to do something. We are talking about a reason to say the color or a reason to say something other than the color. When someone steps in the center circle before the jump and says the color, while pointing the appropriate way, why don't they say "this way, that way?" What about reporting to the table. It seems like other things are based on communicating the colors the teams are wearing. Why is the use of color on an out of bounds play so easily dismissed when it could be just as easily used the same way as other times in the game?

Finally, "stay here" isn't a color.

[Edited by tomegun on Nov 18th, 2005 at 06:43 AM]

I agree with you a lot more about the "stays here" than I do about "on the floor." "Stays here" is not clearly communicative, but I don't think that it is really harmful. Personally I don't use it and I would encourage others to call the color on OOB plays, it's more of an irritant than a problem.

"On the floor" is communicative, it clearly and definitively indicates that there was no continuous motion, and the foul occured before the shot. It is a good verbal sell in my opinion, after all, the official is also pointing to the floor and the spot as well. The difference between "No shot," "before the shot" and "on the floor" is simply semantics, and I think it is very nitpicky. Simply saying nothing in this situation often is a lack of communication and could lead to a problem in facilitating a speedy resumption of play. IMO an evaluator should encourage communication among the crew and between coaches and officials, not nitpick on semantics. More communication, even slightly imperfect communication is better than none at all.

[Kelvin green]

Originally posted by rainmaker

Just for the record, when I do say "On the floor" I don't mean where the player was when the foul was committed. I mean where the player will be when the ball is put into play.

Just to be a smat a#$. Dont we shoot FTs on the floor?

[M&M Guy]

Originally posted by rainmaker
I've got a friend that is about 12 emotionally, and she always thinks everything needs to be meant literally. I spend a couple or three hours a week with her, usually, and I certainly don't any more of that stuff from you!!

Well, I've been told that I kinda act 12 as well, so you should have plenty of good experience dealing with me.

I guess the point I was trying to make (rather childishly) is the fact I agree that "on the floor" is an inappropriate term to use. It's a shot, or it's "no shot". It's also one of those nit-picky items that may not mean much except to those who critique others. So, ask your assignor or other higher-level officials if they feel it's appropriate. If they don't have a problem, then feel free to use that method of communication. If they feel it's not appropriate, then try to get out of the habit.

[Texas Aggie]

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.

[Rich]

Originally posted by rainmaker
We're not supposed to say either "On the floor" or "No shot". Just fist, "white, 35", prelim, indicate spot for throw-in or indicate shots. I will say "No shot" if the shot is away before I get the fist in the air.

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.

[Rich]

Originally posted by Kelvin green
How about "before the shot"?

When you call a close foul here what is the mechanic? In my neck of the woods many officials will even give the no shot/no score signal as a preliminary to sell it so that everyone knows there is No Shot involved.

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.

[mj]

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]

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by mj
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 critc...me.


[Edited by mj on Nov 20th, 2005 at 12:31 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.

[mj]

Originally posted by Dan_ref

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.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by mj

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:

[Raymond]

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.

[Camron Rust]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

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.