What would you have done?

Odd Duck · #1 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 18, 2007, 05:01pm

I was at a camp (local) this weekend...bad table crew...horn decided to start working when it felt like it (the auto feature was fine...the button was a tempermental). With about 4 minutes remaining in the 1st half, red fouls white while attempting to get to a rebound (thus it was not a team control foul). My partner reports the foul and ask if it is a bonus situation...book says "Nope, just 6." White inbounds the ball, red steals and scores just as the two at the table start waving their arms. I blow my whistle and we are told the last foul was the 7th...should have shot 1-and-1. OK...would have been nice if they had not made us look bad, but not the worse thing that could have happened. I go the the T and start to explain we have a correctable error, discovered in the alloted time. The basket counts, white will shoot with the lane clear, white ball after the shot(s). Clinician who is standing right there says "No, take off the points and shoot as normal."

I wave him over and say "With all due respect, that is not the correct application of the rules." He insist that he wants it done his way. I think about it for a minute and then tell him, "That gentleman right there is my assignor. Please let him know that you are demanding we ignore the rule in this case and that I was going to do it correctly." He agrees and they talk.

The coach for the red team is, rightfully so, not happy. I am standing at C for the FTs and step over enough to tell the clinician..."The T just has 1 year under his belt and you put him in a no win situation. I think it is only fair that you go calm that coach down becuase if he keeps riding my partner I am going to protect my him and whack that coach."

Clinician handled it well enough and the coach eventually calmed down. I was real close to telling the clinician that I was the referee and we were going to properly enforce the rules. If that meant I got ripped by him afterwards, so be it. What would you have done?

Jurassic Referee · #2 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 18, 2007, 05:37pm

It was his camp. He screwed it up badly and also put you and your crew in a bad situation. I don't know what more you could have done. Just go with the flow. You already showed that you knew how to correctly handle the situation.

Might not be a bad idea though imo to ask your assignor if he knows why the clinician wanted to go that route.

Good job in a tough situation.....

rainmaker · #3 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 18, 2007, 07:13pm

Sheez, what I would do is not go to that camp again!

But besides that, you did great! I like the coded message, "Please go tell my assignor why I"m not enforcing the rule as written." That's amazing! I also like the way you protected your partner. Looks good to me!

Nevadaref · #4 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 18, 2007, 08:22pm

Wonder why certain people are clinicians.

Mark Padgett · #5 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 18, 2007, 08:34pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

Wonder why certain people are clinicians.

Because they are so inclined?

JugglingReferee · #6 (**permalink**) Wed Jul 18, 2007, 10:48pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Odd Duck

If that meant I got ripped by him afterwards, so be it. What would you have done?

I don't know what I would have done as this is a pretty bizarre request. I hope that I would have told the clinician to take a hike. He's not here to rule upon the game. If he wants to show his worth by deliberately setting aside a published rule, then he can do it during a game that he officiates. In my court, we go by the book.

blindzebra · #7 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 19, 2007, 12:59am

Seems to me that since you basically told him to his face that he was wrong, at that point what did you have to lose not screwing the team out of their points?

IMO, you should have stuck to your guns...this isn't a do in Rome sort of issue, it's not a mechanic, it isn't a philosophy on advantage/disadvantage you may not like...it's knowingly disregarding a rule.

For all you know he may have been testing you, to see what you'd do.

bob jenkins · #8 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 19, 2007, 08:27am

If T was a newer official, and it looked to the coach like you were the one who screwed his team, you could consider switching with T to deal with the coach.

Otherwise, good job.

Adam · #9 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 19, 2007, 08:47am

Quote:

Originally Posted by blindzebra

Seems to me that since you basically told him to his face that he was wrong, at that point what did you have to lose not screwing the team out of their points?

IMO, you should have stuck to your guns...this isn't a do in Rome sort of issue, it's not a mechanic, it isn't a philosophy on advantage/disadvantage you may not like...it's knowingly disregarding a rule.

For all you know he may have been testing you, to see what you'd do.

Maybe, but what would the "correct" response be?
1. Ignore him and deal with the rules as written.
2. Take direction from the clinician and submit to his "teaching."

I'd say, based on the fact that he even did this, the odds are better for 2 than for 1.

Adam · #10 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 19, 2007, 08:48am

Did you ask him if you should put time back on the clock, too?

BktBallRef · #11 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 19, 2007, 08:59am

I think you handled it very well, Duck.

CLH · #12 (**permalink**) Thu Jul 19, 2007, 10:43am

Sounds like you handled it well, alot better than I would have. I've been in the situation where a clinician is dead wrong and I've had to prove it. Yeah, they really hate when the 23 year old is right too!

Pretty sure I wouldn't go back to that camp either.

CLH