Has anyone ever worked with a partner that grandstands?
This weekend at a Varsity Boys game, I’m going over pre-game with my partner. He was a more experienced Official then I and he made it clear he was in charge. He was going down the list about how we where going to officiate this game. I thinking to myself “wow this guy is a real professional, I can’t wait to see him work”. Once the ball was tipped and the game was started it became clear he wanted to be part of the show. He would double blow his whistle for every call, He would blow his whistle on every inbounds. He was holding long conversation with the coaches while play is going on. Waving to fans, running out to hard to sell simple out of bounds calls. At one point he was the lead in the A position having a conversation with the AD while play is going on under the basket. This guy was a something else.

You can actually take something from this. A great person who you should not emulate.

There's a coach who comes on this board once in a while who has a signature line that says,

"If you can't be a good example, you'll just have to be a horrible warning."

I had a partner this weekend that was almost the opposite. He is a nice enough guy and truely loves the game. He came up to me during a time out in the first half and said "I just can't get into these games anymore, don't make so many calls and don't hurry the subs on and off the court. That way I wont have to run so much and the time will keep ticking."

My reply after I picked my jaw off the floor was something like These kids are pouring their hearts out to play ball, the job I want to put on the floor is my very best and not form any habits I will regret later.

He didn't like that but didn't say anymore to me either.

My worst experience (this year partner wise) was the lazy bum that sold the coach's (without my knowledge) before the start of the second half to agree to a Mercy Rule - and our area doesn't have one.

After I fussed at the table a few times about them NOT stopping the clock I was finally informed what was up. Yes it was a 20+ plus game but the kids, fans and this official were giving it their best.

I don’t think the guy I was working with was a bad official. If you talk to him he knew his stuff, and I did not have an issue with his calls. I just did not like his act. I thought he was auditioning for the NBA or something.

Make sure your area interpreter knows about this "lazy bum." Did he have a rec ball patch?

Everything you described sounds like this official might officiate some college ball or Pro-Am ball as well. I am not sure I would worry about it or even get upset. Not all officials you work with are going to have perfect HS mechanics or want to have perfect HS mechanic. Some guy’s dreams are bigger than HS. I used to get upset or be bothered by those kinds of things and I quickly got over it. I want an official that is going to get calls right, not have perfect mechanics. I have learned that is not a battle worth fighting. I would not report anything to the assignor because the assignor probably already knows what he/she is getting with him on their games.

Peace

If you watch NBA refs, you'll notice that they have very little "act". Their mechanics are very uniform and they don't go thru a lot hystrionics for 99% of their calls. You may see a big "wave-off" on an offensive foul, but that's about it. You don't see guys emphatically bang home the bucket or get excited by a block/charge call. And NBA refs almost NEVER interact with the fans. I've only seen it once (the Jimmy Buffet incident), although it was much more common in the "old days" (read Earl Strom's book for details).

I'm embaressed for asking :P but what happened?`I've never heard of this (or I've heard it but under another name)
Could somebody please fill me in, or just post down a link (yeah I made a quick google search but didn't find anything relevant)

I believe it was a Knicks/Heat game and Jimmy Buffet (the singer) was seated courtside and got into it with a ref. The ref had him removed from his seat. I believe he got to stay at the game but was several sections away from courtside.

Come to think of it you are right. I have not seen NBA officials showboating. I always looked at a well officiated game as a game where no one notices the officials. But there was no question this guy wanted to be noticed. And he was.

amen!

On the contrae - NBA officials interact alot with the fans, you just never see it on TV. Go to a game live in person and they talk with people on the sidelines all the time. Heck - I watched Ron Garretson take a picture with 3 kids during a TV timeout.

Could you tell me the difference in mechanics for a blocking foul between FED and NCAA? :confused:

Whereintheheck did you get that idea? :confused:

The block signal on the NCAA chart- #20- is <b>exactly</b> the same as the block signal- #31- on the NFHS chart. They are completely identical.

Who says that "chopping" symbol is acceptable in college?

Chuck's point was that there is <b>no</b> difference in the <b>approved</b> mechanic between the NCAA and NFHS rulesets. Chuck is completely right. The blocking signals in both rulebooks are <b>exactly</b> the same. The NCAA block symbol, as shown in their rule book, is <b>not</b> "fists chopping the waist".

Who says that "chopping" symbol is acceptable in college?

[/B][/QUOTE]

My college assignor.... [/B][/QUOTE]It may be acceptable to your college assignor but that's got nuthin' to do with the statements above. If your college assignor tells you to use non-NCAA approved mechanics, so be it. If he tells you to stand on your head while making the signal, so be it. You'd best listen to him. That still doesn't change the <b>fact</b> that the proper NCAA block signal, as shown in their rulebook, is <b>not</b> the signal/mechanic your assignor is telling you to use.

There is <b>no</b> difference in block mechanics between NCAA and NFHS rules if an official is using the <b>proper</b> and <b>right</b> mechanic for each ruleset, as shown in their respective books. They are completely identical. That was Chuck's point.

The mechanics are the same but many use an un-approved mechanic. As it is in the book, the block and over-and-back signals are my least favorite to use. I just think they are both weak signals. I'm guilty of using the bad mechanic at the spot, but when I report to the table I use the proper block mechanic. This is one of my weaknesses because it is wrong, like others have said.

Roundball, many things aren't done correctly in a college game on TV. That doesn't mean we aren't supposed to do it right. They walk and talk, in men's games, all the time and that isn't correct (I don't know about the ...SEC).

Weakness? Oh, come on. I've never seen a top official on TV or in person do anything else but bang the hips at the spot on a block. 2 or 3 times, even.

Putting the hands on the hips looks weak and I can't believe anyone at the varsity level would do that at the spot of the foul, especially when selling a block/charge call.

What don't you like about the over-and-back mechanic?

It may be acceptable to your college assignor but that's got nuthin' to do with the statements above. If your college assignor tells you to use non-NCAA approved mechanics, so be it. If he tells you to stand on your head while making the signal, so be it. You'd best listen to him. That still doesn't change the <b>fact</b> that the proper NCAA block signal, as shown in their rulebook, is <b>not</b> the signal/mechanic your assignor is telling you to use.

There is <b>no</b> difference in block mechanics between NCAA and NFHS rules if an official is using the <b>proper</b> and <b>right</b> mechanic for each ruleset, as shown in their respective books. They are completely identical. That was Chuck's point.
[/B][/QUOTE]

JR...next time you watch a college game...count the number of times that the mechanic is done properly....that is my point ! [/B][/QUOTE]That might be your point now, but it wasn't the point being discussed above. Your answer above said that it was a <b>difference</b> in mechanics. That answer is wrong. It is <b>not</b> a difference in mechanics. It is officials using their <b>own</b> mechanics instead of NCAA <b>approved</b> mechanics. No big deal- except Chuck's statement was right.

I don't think the block or over-and-back mechanic look strong. IMO, there is no snap or strength to the over-and-back. It reminds me of the indication you would give someone if you are 50/50 about something.

I would say it is a weakness because it isn't correct. This is an area where I yield to my desire to show strength instead of the proper mechanic. Trust me, I make it quick when I do it the right way at the table.

Weakness? Oh, come on. I've never seen a top official on TV or in person do anything else but bang the hips at the spot on a block. 2 or 3 times, even.

Putting the hands on the hips looks weak and I can't believe anyone at the varsity level would do that at the spot of the foul, especially when selling a block/charge call. [/B][/QUOTE]Rich, imo who really cares? Unless your particular assignor/evaluator wants all of his people to do it uniformly, then I agree with you. It just ain't a big deal imo one way or t'other if you wanna bang your hips. My only point was that it isn't <b>the</b> approved mechanic in either NCAA or FED. That also sureashell doesn't also necessarily make it a <b>wrong</b> mechanic though.

I agree that the block signal looks a little weak. I wouldn't mind a bit if they changed it to the NBA signal. But until they do. . .

...you'll just bang your hips when you know there isn't someone watching? :)

You gotta bang a block at the spot!! Report it as it should be though...imo


[Edited by mj on Jan 11th, 2006 at 01:12 PM]

Chuck, the NBA signal is the same as everyone else.
http://www.nba.com/analysis/00421027.html

block signal
 

I just wanted to say (in regards to the original topic of this thread)...... I MAKE THE BLOCK SIGNAL LOOK GOOOOOOD! hahaha... joking.