Pre Game

[M&M Guy]

Originally Posted by zebraman

If we are all just looking at the ball, we don't need 3 officials on the game. In my experience, that whole "get it right" philosophy is an excuse for ball-watchers to not take care of their areas, trust their partners and referee off-ball.

I agree. But I think we also need to be careful that the theory of "staying in your area" doesn't turn into being lazy and an excuse to not be aware "globally" (as you so elequently put it ).

Originally Posted by zebraman

I can recall many times when partners of mine have strayed out of their primary and secondary areas and blown a whistle in my primary area. Every one of those times it has been a call that I passed on (or there was no call at all and they were dead wrong).

And this is exactly why we need to stay in our areas. In your play, initially it sounded like you saw the foul, and your partner didn't. In your later posts, you're not quite so 100% sure you saw the foul. So, I agree you probably shouldn't have blown the whistle in that instance.

Originally Posted by zebraman

Maybe your experience is different, but I don't recall ever thinking, "thanks, you saved me" to a partner

Actually, I have experienced both sides of that. I have been blocked out (ok, perhaps out of position?...) on a call and had to have a partner come in and get it, and I have had to come in and get a call when my partner was blocked out. But, truthfully, it doesn't happen often. And, it happens more often like you said where the partner is just flat out wrong. I guess I'm just advocating not saying never call outside your area. Just do it way less often, and be 112% sure. (I did that just to see Chuck's head explode.)