Shhhhhh.....I'm having fun.

We now resume our regular programming.

I've always wondered why Common Sense can tell you that "the early bird gets the worm", but can't tell you that "the early worm gets eaten".

Welcome back to Standard Time everyone, I enjoyed getting my hour of sleep back.

Good question. Along the same lines - why do we park on the driveway and drive on the parkway?

J-Rut -- I totally agree -- is this the board #6 way?

this sounds like the first step down the path of immortality.

Agreed, but this part makes it sound like the rest of bench personnel MUST stand.
That is not what it is actually saying, but I see how someone could take it that way.
I recall reading somewhere that the official is supposed to direct the players to stand if they go sit down during a 30-second time-out. They need to comply immediately. If they refuse, they are subject to a team technical foul.

me thinks this is in regard to those 5 that were on the court when the timeout happened -- THEY HAVE TO REMAIN ON THE COURT -- they cannot sit.

other then them standing i dont care if the other players sit, stand, get water, go to take a pi$$. On a 30second timeout there is only a limitation for the active 5 to remain on the court -- if the coach subs one out and he sits then that is fine. I don't think this has ever been an issue in any of my games and I cannot recall anyone ever mentioning a 30second timout nightmare like this

Yeah, those five are the PLAYERS. See the definition provided in 4-34-1.


If you understood the definiton of a player you wouldn't have written this. There are no "other players." There are only those five. The rest are properly called team members.

i would love to hear how you talk to coaches -

you: coach your team member got a T for swearing
coach: which player got a T?
you: none of your players got a T -- it was that team member on the end of the bench
coach: which player's number?
you: coach its not a player its a team member
coach: ummmm.....

please to damn technical here -- if i had a link to the death of common sense article i would paste it here

Actually, deecee, I call them "bench personnel." ;)

Lou: You the coach of this team?
Bud: I certainly am.
Lou: You got team members on this team?
Bud: Certainly!
Lou: Is dat one of your team members right there?
Bud: Why, yes he is.
Lou: Well, then, what's that player's number?
Bud: Which player?
Lou: Dat one, right there!
Bud: He's not a player.
Lou: Look, he's on the team, right?
Bud: Naturally.
Lou: So he's a player for your team, right?
Bud: No! It's halftime!
Lou: But he's a member of the team!!
Bud: Now you've got it.
Lou: I don't even know what I'm talking about!

Of course we're (well, I'm) not going to be that specific in most interactions with coaches. But, on an official's forum, it behooves us to us the proper vocabulary, especially when it makes a difference in the rule interpretation.

Bob, I agree. When discussing the rules in an online forum diction is important. That is the point that I was trying to make to young deecee.
His response as well as that of Chuck's was certainly amusing! :)

Now just to mess with his head a bit more I will note that, a team member sitting at the end of the bench can be charged with a Player Technical Foul even though he is not a player! :D

i reitre -- you can watch the ceremony on espn4 tonight.

Conflicting Citations
 

I've finally come across some additonal written citations, besides the three pertinent rules that I've already posted from the 2006-07 Rule Book, to support whether of not bench personnel are allowed to stand during a thirty-second time-out, or if only the five players are allowed to stand up. Unfortunately, they are conflicting citations:

2004-05 Simplified and Illustrated Rules, page 41: Shows an illustration of a thirty-second time out with only the five players and head coach standing. Bench personnel are shown sitting on the bench in this illustration.

2001-02 Rule Book, Comments on the 2001-02 Rules Revisions, page 72: Requirement To Stand During A Thirty-Second Time-Out (5-12-5): "Additional discussion reflected concerns about whether or not substitutes should be permitted to join the conference with coach(es) and players. Because of instructions that may be given, the interpretation has been that team substitutes should be able to participate in the time-out meeting."

In my opinion, the Comments on the Rules Revisions in the Rule Book, "trumps" the Simplified and Illustrated Rules. Unless I hear otherwise from my board interpreter, I'm lettting the bench personnel stand during the thirty-second time-out.

It doesn't need to trump it. The S & I shows a situation, not the only legal situation. It makes no mention that those players that are sitting are required to do so...nor does the picture imply that they must.