amazing what they don't know sometimes

[just another ref]

Jr. high tourney started today at a local high school. The guy keeping the book has done so there as long as I can remember. He also coached some, I know in jr. high, and I believe even coached varsity girls. Well, at the beginning of the first game, they were lacking an extension cord, so had no power for the possession arrow. No big deal. Every held ball he quickly yelled "blue" or "black." (yes, those were the colors) At halftime the guy said "I changed the arrow in the book," and smiled. I thought he was kidding and started to let it go. No, let's take nothing for granted. I asked, "You didn't really change it in the book, did you?" (wait, let me see) "How are you keeping up? Do you have little arrows drawn or what?" He turned the book around so I could see. He had alternately written the words blue and black in the margin, just like everybody else does it. "It was blue. I changed it to black." I said, "No, you don't change that. If it was blue, it stays blue. The only thing that changes is the direction they are going." He was unconvinced. "No, you can lose a possession when the arrow changes." I assured him that you couldn't. He threw up his hands and said, "You the man," and erased the word black. Well, guess what? By the time the second half started the arrow was working. It pointed toward........black. I stepped up. "Didn't you say it was blue's ball?" He threw up his hands again. "You told me not to change it!" My splainer was used up by now so I simply said "Blue ball," and we proceeded without further incident. How about that?

[bbcoach7]

Wow, that was a facinating story. Good thing you were there.

[Texas Aggie]

"The arrow is relative and subject to change at the half. The teams aren't relative so they don't change."

[RookieDude]

Originally Posted by bbcoach7

Wow, that was a facinating story. Good thing you were there.

Hey Coach...are you trying to be funny?

[grizwald]

I'm a scorekeeper, I was working a middle school age game this weekend. First game of the day, there was no possesion arrow at the table (they went and got one from storage at halftime).

As the refs are streching, I mention that we don't have an arrow, except on the scoreboard and since the only operative scoreboard was partially blocked out by the basket when looking at it from the table. I just mentioned that we probably should come up with an alternate way. Well, Ref A says just keep it in the book. I say fine, the scorekeeper can keep it in the book, but as a double check, I take a quarter out of my pocket. He liked that idea and just told me to use heads for home, tails for vistitors and just flip the coin over each jump ball.

That system works fine in the first half, except a couple of times I initally point to the bench of the team that has the arrow, which of course the refs think I'm pointing to that end of the court, and that is the wrong way for the first half. That caused a small confusion that was quickly handled and no mistakes were ultimetly made.

At half time, Ref B goes to storage and gets a possession arrow. I get back to the table and he asks if I already fliped the coin over during halfime. I looked at him in disbelief for a second, because I though he was joking. Then I said, no I didn't. He then explains that we need to always change that at halftime.

Thankfully, before I got a chance to respond, Ref A (who was sitting right there listening) jumped in and set him straight.

But it shows you that scorekeepers aren't the only ones who get confused by this, some refs do too.

[Junker]

I get to do the scorers table for a JH TRIPLE HEADER (triple header in caps because I'm not expecially happy with the assignment) in the school district I work for. It should be intersting to be on that side of the game. It should also be interesting since one of the officials that works the majority of the games gave me a T in an adult league game last season for what he thought he heard me say. I can't wait to see him run an actual game.

[Mwanr1]

Originally Posted by just another ref

Jr. high tourney started today at a local high school. The guy keeping the book has done so there as long as I can remember. He also coached some, I know in jr. high, and I believe even coached varsity girls. Well, at the beginning of the first game, they were lacking an extension cord, so had no power for the possession arrow. No big deal. Every held ball he quickly yelled "blue" or "black." (yes, those were the colors) At halftime the guy said "I changed the arrow in the book," and smiled. I thought he was kidding and started to let it go. No, let's take nothing for granted. I asked, "You didn't really change it in the book, did you?" (wait, let me see) "How are you keeping up? Do you have little arrows drawn or what?" He turned the book around so I could see. He had alternately written the words blue and black in the margin, just like everybody else does it. "It was blue. I changed it to black." I said, "No, you don't change that. If it was blue, it stays blue. The only thing that changes is the direction they are going." He was unconvinced. "No, you can lose a possession when the arrow changes." I assured him that you couldn't. He threw up his hands and said, "You the man," and erased the word black. Well, guess what? By the time the second half started the arrow was working. It pointed toward........black. I stepped up. "Didn't you say it was blue's ball?" He threw up his hands again. "You told me not to change it!" My splainer was used up by now so I simply said "Blue ball," and we proceeded without further incident. How about that?

Middle School = whole lotta jumpball.......