I think it was that way much less than 20 years ago. I started officiating in '93 and we still did it that way. That's only 13 seasons ago.

That was part of the "box/reverse box" system, where if the throw-in was on the wrong side of the basket, you had the Trail rotate across the floor in the middle of play to get back to the "box" positions.

I think it gives the officials a much better view of the entire floor. The trail has an unbstructed view of both benches. Whereas if you switched it the lead would have to look through players to see the benches. The benefit in three man is that you already have a free official standing there.

It doesn't mean it was a bad mechanic, either.

However, it was tied to always "working Cadillac," which WAS a stupid, horrible mechanic, so....

It was also called "working Cadillac" as I referenced in the post right above this. I think it disappeared right around 93-94, but I've killed a lot of brain cells in the last 13 or so years.

Old Timers
 

Rich Fronheiser and Scrapper1:

You guys have great memories. Remember if the ball was inbounded from a sideline, and if we were not in the Cadillac position, we eventually had to rotate or move back into the Cadillac postion, during a live ball, while there was action on the court. To do so meant that we had to have good eye contact with each other, or we could both end up on the same side of the court.

I can remember some of the mechanics from the 70s. Trail handed the ball to the shooter, then backed off, while holding out both arms with one finger on a 1&1, then starting the 10 second count with the finger furthest from the basket.....WAIT! WAIT! I don't want to remember any more!

I have to agree with Rut. We went tableside for two-person in TX last year. I think the change in three-person was a good change. But, IMHO, I think what you gain in access to the coach is more than lost in other areas. Here are the major points: 1) Even though the calling official goes TS he/she still has responsibilities during the admin of the FT. So you really can't talk with the coach while you're over there. 2) In three-person the T (before last FT) and C (on made last FT) can clearly see the table to bring in subs that are waiting. In two-person, the T is always facing away from table and the L has to look through 6 to 8 players (and sometimes their co-official) to see the table. So it is very difficult to see if the table crew is trying to get your attention. 3) Several times in every game the L now has to blow when the coach sends a player to the table during the last FT. Not due to inexperience or lack of concentration on the T's part. It's just that the T is no longer stationed where they can see the table and it happens.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents worth. Good topic...

go opposite so that you can see the free throw shooter/lane activity and whether or not they violate, see substitutions coming so that you can beckon them, signal violations to table, etc....if you stay table side in a 2-man game, this is not really fair to one coach - since you will still have to be low enough to see the free throw shooter and opposite lane activity, you will be right in front of one coach and they will be the only one with access to you for an explanation (the primary reasoning behind T staying table side in 3-man), whereas the other coach will not have the same opportunity....in a 3 man game with T basically at half court and no responsibility for the shooter or lane activity, he/she can converse with either coach as necessary...i think it makes sense as is, although i agree it is difficult thing to do if you go back and forth between 2 & 3-whistle games....