The Toughest Calls in Basketball

[CoachP]

Originally Posted by lmeadski

Also, which calls do you see refs struggling to get right?

The over the back and the reach come to mind.

Seriously, as a coach, I struggle with preparing the kids to adapt to the way the next crew calls a game as compared to the previous crew. We know we have to, but it doesn't make it easy.

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by CoachP

Seriously, as a coach, I struggle with preparing the kids to adapt to the way the next crew calls a game as compared to the previous crew. We know we have to, but it doesn't make it easy.

Don't you think that it's really only going to take you and your players a few minutes into a game though to find out what to expect from that day's crew?

That's been my observation over the years. Most experienced, competent coaches and their players figure out pretty quickly what they can do and not do in any particular game. Again, jmo but I think that the biggest problem isn't the crew's competency. It's whether they're consistent or not in their play calling. You can adjust to poor officiating also if they're poor consistently.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by CoachP

The over the back and the reach come to mind.

You forgot the "whatchmacallit".

[Adam]

Originally Posted by Mark Padgett

You forgot the "whatchmacallit".

Or "something." As in, "You've got to call something."

[CoachP]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Don't you think that it's really only going to take you and your players a few minutes into a game though to find out what to expect from that day's crew?

Yeah....sometimes that's all it takes, and admittedly, those are a tough few minutes for me.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Or "something." As in, "You've got to call something."

"I did coach. I called a no-call. Didn't you hear me?"

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by Old School

I think the toughest call to make in basketball is the right call. When you know something just happened but because you where in transistion, got straight-lined, or somebody just stepped in front of you. You can't guess, either you saw the disadvantage or you got a no-call. Sometimes a no-call is the best call. Sometimes there can be contact on the play and it's not a foul. Sometimes the player can step out of bounds, but because you didn't see it, you got no call, even if the entire gym saw it. Getting the right call is not as easy as you think.

Old School:

Let me let you in on a little secret. If you did not see it you cannot call it.

MTD, Sr.

[lmeadski]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

It's whether they're consistent or not in their play calling.

You've hit the nail on the head JR. Consistently, whether good or bad, can be dealt with. Its the inconsistent calling that drives everyone, fans...players...coaches...and refs, crazy.

[rockyroad]

Originally Posted by CoachP

Seriously, as a coach, I struggle with preparing the kids to adapt to the way the next crew calls a game as compared to the previous crew. We know we have to, but it doesn't make it easy.

I know this is going to come across as "snotty", so please understand up front that I honestly do not mean it that way - this is a serious comment on your point above...having said that, here goes:

How about you teach your players to do things right in the first place and then you won't have to worry about how a crew calls a game? Teach them to play defense, set their screens, get rebounding position, etc, the way the rules dictate - then you won't have to worry about it during the game...and teach them to play correctly no matter what the other team or officials are doing or calling...that way there is no "preparing" for a next crew - just play the game.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

I know this is going to come across as "snotty", so please understand up front that I honestly do not mean it that way - this is a serious comment on your point above...having said that, here goes:

How about you teach your players to do things right in the first place and then you won't have to worry about how a crew calls a game? Teach them to play defense, set their screens, get rebounding position, etc, the way the rules dictate - then you won't have to worry about it during the game...and teach them to play correctly no matter what the other team or officials are doing or calling...that way there is no "preparing" for a next crew - just play the game.

Rocky, that was my first thought, too. However, I'm sure there's a variance on how much contact is allowed before a foul is called between officials. We may not always see it because the vast majority of games we see are the ones we're working. It's great to teach your kids to play defense without fouling, and to play through contact, but….

If the officials are allowing a bit more contact, and a team doesn't adjust defensively, they're putting themselves at a disadvantage by not pushing the limits of what's being allowed during that game.

[Old School]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Well, it is tough to make the right call when you don't know the right rules.

And there are so many rules

[Mark Dexter]

Originally Posted by rockyroad

How about you teach your players to do things right in the first place and then you won't have to worry about how a crew calls a game? Teach them to play defense, set their screens, get rebounding position, etc, the way the rules dictate - then you won't have to worry about it during the game...and teach them to play correctly no matter what the other team or officials are doing or calling...that way there is no "preparing" for a next crew - just play the game.

I have to agree with Coach P a bit here.

Unfortunately, though, individuality in officiating is part of the game. The best players/teams learn to adapt. I remember calling an 8th grade girls' game with a partner my age who was also very used to reffing college IM games and watching NCAA D-I games. We both were on the same page and passed on a lot of minor bumps where no advantage was gained, but the coaches might be used to a foul being called. One team picked up on this and played more assertively. The other team just whined about it for the entire game. I'll let you guess which team won (and which team had a bench technical against one of its coaches).

I'm pretty sure that baseball umps have a saying to the effect of 'you might not like my strike zone, but I'm the one behind the plate today.'

[Adam]

It's almost enough to make your head spin, huh?

[Old School]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

Rocky, that was my first thought, too. However, I'm sure there's a variance on how much contact is allowed before a foul is called between officials. We may not always see it because the vast majority of games we see are the ones we're working. It's great to teach your kids to play defense without fouling, and to play through contact, but….

If the officials are allowing a bit more contact, and a team doesn't adjust defensively, they're putting themselves at a disadvantage by not pushing the limits of what's being allowed during that game.

I'm not quite sure where you're going with that. Rocky is right, just teach your kids how to play the game right, period. The rest will take care of itself. Worrying about the officials style and tendencies will get you beat everytime. Worry about what the other teams does, that's who you prepare for. I think you can guarantee your team that the officials in the game will call a foul when a foul occurs, but in the event you don't hear a whistle, you don't stop playing.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Old School

I'm not quite sure where you're going with that. Rocky is right, just teach your kids how to play the game right, period. The rest will take care of itself. Worrying about the officials style and tendencies will get you beat everytime. Worry about what the other teams does, that's who you prepare for. I think you can guarantee your team that the officials in the game will call a foul when a foul occurs, but in the event you don't hear a whistle, you don't stop playing.

I've got to give you credit, OS. That was a pretty good comment. Hey - 1 out of 887 isn't bad!