Why mechanics would have mattered.....

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by truerookie

Yes it is recommended, but that does not mean it is required that the non-calling official go over.

Mr. Rutledge, clear this statement up for me please. When I look in the officials manual on page 37 section 232 On a disqualification the officials will use the following procedure:

1. the non-calling official shall notify the coach and request the timer to begin the 30 second replacement interval, and then notify the the disqualififed player.

Am I misinterpreting this?

First of all any mechanic that the NF puts out is always a recommendation. There are things in that book your state or local association can decide to do on its own.

Secondly, this was a "recommendation" that was changed a few years back. That basically means that they might prefer you to do that, but in the real world this would be absurd to always apply in every situation. There are situations where the calling official might have called been the "good guy" in the game according to the coach and you do not want to send the non-calling officials that just passed on two fouls (in the coach's opinion). What we do around here is basically we take the 5 fouls to the coach if we made the call (in 3 man) because we are already going table side after all calls. Then if there is a problem or the calling official feels uncomfortable, then they will switch with the non-calling official. If the non-calling official also sees that the coach is using the 30 seconds to rag on the calling official, then the non-calling official can go over and "get them" out of there. Either way it goes, it is a "recommendation." I would never say to anyone you must do this because that is what the mechanics book says. You need to be open for the possibility that something can still go wrong with the official that did not make the call. Most veterans around here can handle that situation and it is better because they actually made the call. Last night I had to go get my partner because the coach used that opportunity to rag on my partner, but when I got over there, I had no idea what was called and it was clear an even more frustrated coach might have gone off on me. You have to be able to be flexible with this mechanic.

Peace