Reffing with the experienced guy who calls nothing?

[Pirate]

O.K. guys/gals, I need a little advice. It's my third year of officiating and I've been assigned an upper-level (4-A) varsity contest with an official that is very highly rated within our association. To say the least, I'm very excited.

My problem is that this official is known for "letting 'em play" and I personally don't like to let the game get that physical. At the same time, I don't want to be the guy who is making all the calls. So, my question to all of you is, how do you handle the situation when you are calling a game with another official who has philosophical differences in how the game should be played? Thanks ahead of time for any words of wisdom.

[drinkeii]

I have the same problem, and I do both basketball and soccer. I haven't figured out an answer to this, but I would definitely like to hear some of the more experienced officials' thoughts on this subject. In several years of soccer, I have tended to call a lot of stuff, especially if it affects the players (the advantage/disadvantage thing) - but in basketball, I have found when working with several people in leagues at a local basketball center, that the rules are enforced very inconsistantly. I haven't figured out how to handle it, but would definitely find the advice helpful!

[secondyear]

As a newer official, the advice that I have been given is to "call your game". A thorough pre-game will also help to get all of the officials on the same page of the same book. The players will adjust to what you call and what you don't call.

Good luck!

[Brian Watson]

This is where a solid pregame is everything. Go over as much as possible. Discuss what you are going to let in the paint, and what you are going to call. Being prepared is the best thing you can do. If he is not coving what you want in the pregame take over and cover what you want to. You are a team and if you are not both ready to go, you both look bad.

Oh, and one other thing. If you are basing his rep off of what other people say, forget everything. If this is your first time with him, let it be a fresh slate. If you are worried about what HE is not calling YOU will miss calls and have a bad game yourself. Like it was said before, forget him and call your game.

[williebfree]

I am a newer official as well, in my third season. I have also worked with a wide array of officiating philosophies. I would say that I am one who does not call it as "tight" as others.

I agree a good pre-game should help, but what is said there, in the pre-game, and what is done on the court can vary widely. You will not really know until you get on the court. You may have seen your "partner" perform previously but our partner may have been influenced by the partner of that game or other "distractions". Each game is unique.

Having said all that, I believe there should be some effort to "match" your partners level (consistency); however, you also need to remain true to your own beliefs. Also note Communication in the game during "natural breaks" of the game (Time-outs, end of quarter, etc) is essential as well.

Let's see what the old pros say.....

[secondyear]

"matching" is not always the best way to go (maybe somewhere in between). I've worked with partners that have called everything under the sun - to include sitting all the starters on both teams and being in the bonus before the end of the first quarter and with partners that have called little. Taking the first scenario, are you going to call all the "touch" fouls as your partner does? If so, the teams never get a chance to play. As for the second situation, how much is too much contact? Just call your game.

[williebfree]

Originally posted by williebfree
Having said all that, I believe there should be some[/] effort to "match" your partners level (consistency); however, you also need to remain true to your own beliefs.
Also note Communication in the game during "natural breaks" of the game (Time-outs, end of quarter, etc) is essential as well.

secondyear.

I think we are on the same page, I may have not presented my case most accurately.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by secondyear
As a newer official, the advice that I have been given is to "call your game". A thorough pre-game will also help to get all of the officials on the same page of the same book.
The players will adjust to what you call and what you don't call.

Good luck!

This is generally true but how can the players adjust if
one guy is calling everything and the other is calling
nothing?

[Pirate]

O.K., so far I've got "call your own game" to "let the players adjust" to cover as much as you can in the pre-game.

The pre-game is a great suggestion in theory, but I think all of us know that once the ball goes up, my partner is still gonna let the forearm in the back go while I may ring him up. I have never had that much luck "deciding how the game will be called" in the pre-game.

As for "let the players adjust," I think Dan hit it right on the head. So, unless I get any more responses, I'll stick with the "call my own game" theory. It's really what I had planned on doing in the first place, but I was wondering if any of you had something more specific you would say or communicate to your partner in this difficult situation? Thanks.

[secondyear]

Williebfree - You stated your case well, I just read too quickly! I'm sorry I took your post out of context.

[williebfree]

For Pirate (and others)

A case when "adjustment was nearly impossible" for the players.
---------------
If you have two officials who are not calling violations and fouls with a "fair resemblance" of consistency between them all chaos can break lose.

I recently observed a game were one official was "allowing them to play" and the other had a "tight" whistle. On two opposite ends of the spectrum. Needless to say, BOTH coaches were frustrated and upset; rightfully so.

The situation exploded when at one end the "loose" official (Lead) let a hard foul go and on the return trip the "tight" official (New Lead) made a correct call (Flagrant foul) on a very similar (and retaliatory) play.

The defending team's coach (who happens to also be the home team coach & game management "Lower level game") goes ballistic; which forces the "tight" official to administer a "T". The Coach did settle enough (out of respect for the "Tight" official's professionalism) to allow the game to continue.

Meanwhile, the visiting team's coach has a smirkish grin on his face.

It was not a good thing. And I will NOT knowingly accept games with the "Loose" official.

[Mark Padgett]

This isn't going to work every time, but maybe it can help sometimes. If you absolutely know the other guy calls his game just the opposite of how you call yours and you are convinced you are right, then in your pregame, take the initiative. Before the other guy even says hello, tell him how you are going to call the game. Put the burden on him to think that he is the one who has to make a decision, not you. This may not help you in getting the game called evenly by the two of you, but at least you have put it in his mind that if anyone is going to have to adjust, it will be him.

Then - if you get flak from coaches about the unevenness (sp?) of the game, you can go to your partner and say something like, "What's going on here? I told you in the pregame how this game is going to be called. Get with the program, dude."

Then run.

Oh, yeah. If the other guy is a long time veteran, don't count on moving up too soon, either.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by Pirate
O.K., so far I've got "call your own game" to "let the players adjust" to cover as much as you can in the pre-game.

The pre-game is a great suggestion in theory, but I think all of us know that once the ball goes up, my partner is still gonna let the forearm in the back go while I may ring him up. I have never had that much luck "deciding how the game will be called" in the pre-game.

As for "let the players adjust," I think Dan hit it right on the head. So, unless I get any more responses, I'll stick with the "call my own game" theory. It's really what I had planned on doing in the first place, but I was wondering if any of you had something more specific you would say or communicate to your partner in this difficult situation? Thanks.

Here's some other advise. Since this is your first
varsity game (or maybe just your biggest) and your partner
is a "big dog" maybe you should try to let him set the pace
and tone of the game. Yeah, call your game, but if you're
on your 3rd whistle in the first 2 minutes and he still
has nothing then you might need to let some things go.
Also consider that at this level the play is faster and
more physical and the players are more athletic. I'm sure
you know to hold the whistle and let the play develop.
Keep this in mind going in. Have fun & let us know how it
goes!

[rainmaker]

I have had this kind of problem in rec ball sometimes, and here is what I have found. If you religiously switch on every foul, once you are at lead, you'll be lead for several plays, because you'll call a post foul or a shooting foul, then switch, then be new lead. Start over. In this way, there will be some consistency in the lead, (tight), and some consistency up top (loose). This can't last forever, ofcourse, but it might be long enough to let players settle into a game of loose up top and tight down below. Which isn't a bad way to run a game if it's the only choice besides chaos. I pre-game this by saying to the partner ( who I know is let em play because I've worked with him before), "I would like to switch on every foul, because I'm trying to keep the habit for the season." He may grumble, but if you firmly practice it, he has little choice. Also, if he really hates switching, he might ask the assignor not to work you with him, and that's another kind of solution!!

[JRutledge]

Everything everyone said was pretty much right on. All I can say is, just because you are calling "everything" does not mean that your calls are incorrect. You have to just call your game. I am never an advocate of just calling things just to match your partner. Sometimes you are the only one calling things because you are the only one that action is happening. I have been in 3 person situations, where I did not have 3 calls the entire night. It did not mean that I was just not calling things, nothing happen in my area that warranted any calls. So you also have to understand the game you are officiating too.

Just call your game and let the chips fall where they may. I really do not believe in the language of "tight and loose" calling games. You call what you see and everything should work out from there. Just work together with your partner and call your area. Maybe he is not very good. Just because he has a little more or alot more experience than you, does not mean he is better than you. Some officials are just "Diaper Dandies" (not sure I spelled that correctly), and some veterans are like Tree Rollins. Yeah, he may have experience, but he has done nothing in the league.

Have a Blessed Thanksgiving everyone

Peace