So is it official? Have we finally declared a winner of the vaunted position of Mr. Annoying Grammar Guy?

I'm currently only working 8th grade games (2 official) as I'm new to this.

I work very hard not to ball watch and stay focused on my primary areas.

I only ask the question because what I've read on these forums by some posters directly compared to what is stated in the officials manual. Just curious as to what the overall opinion is. I want to do it right.

Well, to some extent, everyone's correct. Does that clear it up for you? :)

It has been proven that when an official calls outside their area, they are wrong way more than half the time. So when you ball-watch, or make a call that is outside your primary area, there's a real good chance you will be wrong.

However, there's an art to watching your area, but being aware of everything else. Has it happened to you yet where you're intent on the players in the lane, blow the whistle to call that 3-second violation on the post player, only to realize the ball just went through the basket on a 3-pt. shot? You were so intent on your area that you were not aware that a shot was in the air, and your count should've ended. You still need to have full-court awareness, while being focused on your primary. So there are a few times where that awareness will allow you see those "oh my god" plays that perhaps your partner went brain-dead on, and let you come in to help. But I also agree with tomegun in that "getting it right" is code for some officials that means "I'm going to watch on-ball and get all those calls my partner misses". "Getting it right" in this case is getting it wrong more times than not.

Start with what is in the manual and pregame the rest.

Sounds like a plan. Thanks :)

I follow Bob's rule of thumb also - with the addition of the non-basketball play idea...IOW, in my pre-game I tell the crew that if anyone sees a non-basketball play anywhere on the court - go get it. I don't care whose primary it's in, if it has no business on the basketball court, take care of it right now.

If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.

My thoughts on this are similar to Bob's. My biggest fear when working with a ball-watcher is that there's going to be a trainwreck of a screen set off ball in his primary and we're not going to have a whistle.
The first step towards not ball-watching for me was training myself not to blow the whistle on those plays. The fact remains that my partner is there for a reason, and if I don't let her officiate her own area, I may as well go solo. If partner wants to pass on that call, let her.

Last year, boys jr. high, team A in transition, I was lead, out front of the play.
A didn't have numbers, so they pulled it out. A1 dribbled out to the 3 pt. line, near the baseline, then picked up his dribble. B1 stepped up to pressure him, and took a swipe at the ball. This is probably 5 or 6 feet from me. No other players were in between, I had a clear view. I had nothing. Partner whistled a foul from near the division line. My philosophy, which I shared with partner between quarters: If you make that call from there and you're right, it makes us look bad, and if you make that call from there and you're wrong, it is bad beyond my comprehension.

I struggled with this question earlier on, and though it is still a work-in-progress, I have learned that it is best to stay in your primary. Words like trust your partner are very important. That goes both ways. If you are looking to move up and get better games, you don't come out of your primary, never.

I say this because it is best to condition and discipline yourself not to do this. Once you are condition, it is easier to pass on it and you don't slip and call something that you shouldn't. Ex: I'm Lead and ball goes OOB on sideline right next to me. Beep, this way before my partner, the trail could react. I felt like an idiot because the sideline belongs to the Trail. I apologize to my partner which by BTW, is something you definitely want to do.

Hopefully, a miss call by your partner that you see, doesn't determine the outcome of a game. With that being said, there are some things you can do short of the contest being over, to help prevent this in the game. At halftime, talk to your partner/s and ask; "what did you see on this play?" Let them know in a very polite way, we need to get air in the whistle on that one. If your partner call one in front of you, tell them in a very nice way that you where passing on it to let them know you saw it, and you don't have to call in my area. Say this over and over at halftime. Trust your partners! Trust your partners! Along that same line, please don't say, stay out of my area! That is offensive and does not help the situation.

Finally, you don't ever want to get in a habit of calling in your partners area because you never know who's watching. You never know! Assignors and evaluators add a lot of value to an official who stays in his primary and doesn't watch the ball all over the court. Also, if your partners are struggling, try to help them out by encouraging them because in order for you to have a successful game, you need them to have a good game.

Hope that helps...