Timeout

[Hawks Coach]

I think I got my answer, although indirectly, to part 2 of my question. to phrase it another way, when faced with a partner who provides to a coach a completely erroneous interpretation of the rules (going against black and white rules/case and general practice), how do you handle it if the coach then asks you about it? I know that you must back your partner on judgment calls, but how about this situation? Avoid answering by saying the call can't be changed? Ignore the question? Answer truthfully and undermine your partner's interp? I am not asking this as if I have the answer, cause I don't!

[Mark Padgett]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach
I think I got my answer, although indirectly, to part 2 of my question. to phrase it another way, when faced with a partner who provides to a coach a completely erroneous interpretation of the rules (going against black and white rules/case and general practice), how do you handle it if the coach then asks you about it? I know that you must back your partner on judgment calls, but how about this situation? Avoid answering by saying the call can't be changed? Ignore the question? Answer truthfully and undermine your partner's interp? I am not asking this as if I have the answer, cause I don't!

There's no really good answer to this, because they all sound like a cop-out. I know some refs who will say something like, "I'll have to ask him about it later (or after the game)."

I never have this problem because my partners know I am always correct on rule interpretations.

[rainmaker]

Originally posted by Mark Padgett

There's no really good answer to this, because they all sound like a cop-out. I know some refs who will say something like, "I'll have to ask him about it later (or after the game)."

I never have this problem because my partners know I am always correct on rule interpretations.

And he never lets his partners forget it!!!

Seriously, what I am learning is that if the coach doesn't specifically ask, you say nothing. What I said once when the coach did specifically ask, and I was 100% sure my partner was wrong, was, "Coach, I don't think we have enough time to go over it right now. I'll get my rule book out after the game, and we can all look at it together." You don't have to worry about the coach taking you up on it -- after the game they have a million other things to think about and will have forgotten anyway. But later that evening, they will remember and possibly get out the book and look for themselves -- if they are rules oriented. If they arent, itdoesnot matter!!