New Men's Mechanic?
 

I've noticed in a few NCAA mens games this season that the Trail is also chopping in the clock when the ball is inbounded on the end line in the frontcourt. This used to be a womens mechanic. Has it now been adopted by the men as well?

Yes, it's been adopted.

They have also adopted keeping the bottom block open, nearest to the basket...another NC2A-W mechanic....now they need to go back to table side reporting!!!!!

Keeping the bottom block open is not a mechanic, it's a rule.

There is a difference, at least in the men's conference that I work for.

In the women's game, the trail chops all throw-ins that the lead administers (all on the end line).

In the men's game, the lead chops all of his own end line throw-ins. The trail only chops when the lead inbounds on the sideline (which is any sideline throw-in below the free-throw line).

Chopping is a mechanic that needs to go away and I only say that because if you get the timer to tell you honestly - they will tell you they watch the ball not the ref.

Z,
Does the Lead really administer throw-ins on the sideline in the NCAAM's game? I thought that the Trail handled all of those throw-ins with a bounce.
I know that the NCAAW has the Lead administer throw-ins on the sideline below the FT line extended as you note.

Also the Trail chopping which I have seen on TV has been when the Lead is administering on the end line.

PS To iRut, I don't work NCAA games. Haven't since I moved West. Therefore, I don't claim to know all the NCAA rules or their mechanics. I just try to more or less keep up, so that if I ever move back East again, I can get back into it. Hence why I asked. Now if you wish to discuss NFHS rules or mechanics OUTSIDE the state of Illinois, I am very confident in my knowledge.

If the throw-in is below the free throw line, the lead can bounce it across to the sideline...

If below FT line on sideline in F/C, lead bounces ball to thrower and counts. Trail chops.

I believe it's recommended only in end-of-half situations. I'll check my CCA manual in the morning.

This is, frankly, one of the dumbest mechanics in the book. In my games, the Lead bounces and then gives up the play to the Trail, in order to officiate the post.

I'm not so sure he was right anyway. The whole purpose is to allow the Trail to be in a better position to officiate. I could be wrong, but I thought the Lead's only responsibility was to get the ball to the inbounder. When this mechanic first came out it wasn't clear, but I thought it was cleared up. Anyway, I agree with what you are saying...because it makes the most sense.

My understanding and the application of this has always been the Trail counts and chops. The Lead just administers the ball to the thrower. I could be wrong, but that is the way we have been doing this for a few years. This mechanic by the way is not new.

Peace

Just had one in the UNC-BYU game. Lead bounced the ball to the sideline thrower and counted. Trail chopped.

I am just telling you what I believe the mechanic book says, not what people actually are doing in some cases. We both know that those two things can be different. ;)

Peace

I'm in the same boat. I'm not completely sure what the mechanic is "by book" either. I just know what the guys in my conference and other conferences around here do.

I am out of town, so I will have to get home to review what the book says. But what we did around here (and I will be working in a new conference this year) was to have the lead bounce the ball on the sideline and the Trail did the counting and the chopping.

Peace

Ok, it is time for me to go back in time about this mechanic. If anybody watched Big 10 basketball in the 1980's and 1990's, one could always tell the officials who had attended Phil Bova's Basketball Officiating Camp. Phil taught this mechanic at his camp even before the NBA adopted it. It just just now the the rest of college basketball is catching up to Phil Bova and what he taught in his camp.

MTD, Sr.

From the '07-'08 CCA Manual (Section 1.6, page 25): "On last-second situations in each half, the TRAIL official will also give the signal to start the clock. That will help the official timer as to when to start the game clock."

So I think I was correct in saying that the new mechanic is not for all throw-ins; merely for end-of-half situations.

First of all, it's just now that MEN'S college basketball is doing this. The Women's officials have been doing it for several years.

Second, I looked the CCA Manual, and I can't find any reference to throw-in procedures for this situation. I also looked in the '05-'06 book (I don't have last year's) and there was no mention of it there, either. So I'm not exactly sure what we're supposed to do.

But, as I said earlier, in my games, the Lead bounces and then looks away. The Trail administers everything else.

Thanks for the clarification. Of course, that is certainly NOT the way that it is being done on the court in the TV games which I've seen.

Reference
 

Page 22 of the CCA men's basketball officiating manual, section 1.3 Inbounding the ball states. "On all throw-ins, the official administering the throw-in will remain focused on the player making the throw-in until the ball has been released to a player on the playing court." There is a mechanigram inserted and it goes on to say. "The lead official will bounce the ball to the player and remain focused on the throw-in until the ball has been released onto the playing court. The trail official will still have the count and chop the start of the clock when the ball is touched by a player on the court. The center official will focus on the off ball coverage and extend coverage until the ball is in play."

So of the two guys who are ballside neither one is supposed to be observing the battles for positioning along the nearest FT lane line whether that be near the block or at the elbow.

What a silly mechanic! The creator of this one ought to have a proctol exam in the hopes of locating his head.

Excellent catch!!! Thank you. And again, I agree with Nevadaref that it is indeed a dumb mechanic. Don't tell anyone, but I ignore it completely in my games.

Honestly, in the college league that I work we have decided to ignore it at the assignor's/coordinator of officials "unofficial" request.

I just got home from being out of town. The reference given in the mechanics book is a bit confusing. I do not know how the lead and the trail are supposed to be focused on the thrower or the Trail is supposed to count and chop without the trail looking at the thrower.

The way we do it or it has been understood how we do it is the Lead bounces the ball and the Trail counts and chops while focusing on thrower. The Lead official concentrates on the post play or things in their area. At least that is how it was taught this summer.

Peace