The league
 

So I took my little one to Nuggets game last night & much to my surprise most of the foul calls were double & sometimes even triple whistles.

Not that we care about the NBA ‘round here, but I just thought that was very interesting.
Have any of you noticed the doubles/triples this pre-season?
Do you all think this could be a new way to call fouls which helps prevent officials from attempting to decide the outcome of games?

I'll tell you what, doubles/triples are very convincing... it's hard to argue calls when the whole crew has it. The only calls that got boos & T's were the solos.

Were they just echoing their partners, or were there really three sets of eyes on the ball?

The whistles were most definately in unison, Digital Surround Sound HD if you will...

I have only experienced 3-person in camp, but I am told double whistles are common and expected; then one official takes the call. Perhaps that is the case?

I overstand that fact, but last night it looked as if the double/triple whistle was the new standard. As a matter of fact, it was very uncommon when we did get a solo whistle.

This is nothing new, it is not uncommon for double (and occasionally triple) whistles at the NBA level. They want officials to be aggressive, and these whistles were likely in the paint where obvious fouls are. Double whistles are a good thing (often shadowed as a bad thing), there's more believablility when more than one person has a foul on a play.

Actually, in 3-man, there is only a small area of overlap in coverage, so double whistles in the paint may occur, but not much anywhere else - unless you have a ball-watcher. Even regarding the paint, in your pre-game you will talk about what C, T, and L have. For example, you might discuss and agree that L never call rebounding fouls (aka "over the back" - I hate even using that term).

In 3-man you are taught to "trust your partners" and to let them live or die in their own areas. Now, if an elephant presents itself and there is no call....

I thought "overstanding" was for blockheads, not a smart guy like you. :D

http://homegrownmusic.net/images/star.jpg

The NBA has been moving towards wanting more double whistles. For instance they don't want you as a T not blowing a foul because you see it and believe the L will have it. If it is obvious they want you to blow on it from T, cause if you don't they will ask you why you didn't have a foul on the play, and that will get you in more trouble than anything.

They also have a concept called "team officiating". I know it sounds like you've heard it before but it is different. "Team officiating" in its best conceptual use is, for example, when a post player spins toward the slot and away from the Lead. This play then becomes the slots play. Everybody knows that one, but this entails everywhere on the floor. If you can "sneak a peek" and have a clear look through from your position then you have an obligation to the team (officials) to make the call if your partner doesn't. This emphasizes an aggressive play caller.

I don't make a point to go fishing or reaching for calls out of my area, but don't we have an obligation as officials to call the fouls/violations that we see on the floor...I may be scanning the floor and catch something that my partner might not be in the best position to see and call....

Thoughts....

You might want to get the big tub of popcorn for this one! :D

I almost has a double-whistle a coupla weeks ago.

The ball bounced near my endline, and I was waiting for it to hit something, when my partner blew her whistle from deep trail. So, I held up.

I asked, "Whatcha got?". She said, "It's out-of-bounds!"

I was delighted she caught that one for me. :)

Certainly don't want to wear blinders but don't want to "scan the floor" either. You have enough going on off-ball in your stated area. All officials have an obligation to call a foul that they see. See mechanic section 2.3.2.A.9 page 25. You just have to be aware of what your primary coverage area is and what is not your PCA. If a foul occurs outside your PCA (except non-basketball plays such as flagrant fouls which should be called immediately regardless of area), hold your whistle for a sec and let your partner have first shot. Then blow it if there is no call and it is obvious violation/foul. Your pregame should go over this tricky situation. You don't want to call a travel 40 feet away when it's in front of the Lead :eek:

In the pro summer league I was at the last two summers, I commented to myself this year that there were quite a few double whistles.

Did yourself agree :cool: ?