Officials Suspended over Phantom Basket

[chartrusepengui]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

No, you're not wrong. Like you said, it's nice if they can help us out, but we are responsible for our duties and shouldn't expect that a scorekeeper be our backup.

Thats exactly what I was talking about. Yes we are responsible for our duties and I don't have a problem with the suspension but by the same token - I would expect a scorekeeper to be watching and at least be able to help out in a situation like this. Hey ref - ball never went in the basket - who should I credit it to?

[Gimlet25id]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

The problem is the video equipment has to be available for this specific purpose. And if it was not available within specific parameters, it cannot be used. I doubt seriously that many Division 2 games have this kind of equipment available. I could be wrong, but lower level college is such a mixed bag.

Peace

I'm sure that they must not have had a monitor available or else they would have utilized it, since this would be a monitor play.

I officiate in a DII conference where we have had several games with a courtside monitor present. Most of those games were being recorded for playback @ a later date.

[Gimlet25id]

Originally Posted by JugglingReferee

No, you're not wrong. Like you said, it's nice if they can help us out, but we are responsible for our duties and shouldn't expect that a scorekeeper be our backup.

I agree! It is ultimately our responsibility to know if the ball went in or not. The article said that the, "referee," went to the table and told them to count the basket.

I wonder if the referee was the calling official on this play. If it wasn't I wonder who told the table to count it, "calling official," or "referee?" Just curious to how it all went down.

Its not out of the question to go to the table for help. Personally I've had to do it before. The table is part of our team that night and as much as I want us to be perfect were not. If the table can give information that will help in a ruling then lets get it.

If the officials discussed this play and they couldn't verify that the basket went in then my next stop would be (assuming there isn't a courtside monitor) the scorekeeper, official book, play by play, guest book (if its @ the table.) In that order respectively.

Just about every game now has play by play. If play by play, none of the table, & partners have this as a made basket then I certainly would not have counted it. It would be real hard for me to assume the basket went in when no one else, especially play by play, could verify the made basket.

[Overnbach]

I agree with most of what has been posted. The part I had trouble with was the suggestion to suspend the clock operator and the scorekeeper for not knowing whether the ball went in the basket.

As a high school clock operator, I often have helped officials who are having troubles, although I hesitate to challenge them, as I may be wrong. But I have quietly said that the ball did indeed go in the basktet when the official called a foul and awarded two free throws, or that the ball did not go in when it was called good. I have sounded the horn to say that they are lining up at the wrong basket for a free throw. Or that the ball appeared to go out of bounds off white, you called "blue ball," pointed blue, and now you are about to put it into play for white. I have sounded the horn to stop play when the players begin play after the first of two free throws awarded. (I'm not sure I should do that one.) Most of the time my help has been appreciated. In fact, one of the best officials in our association once said, "You're my hero!" when I kept him from going against the arrow and giving the ball to the wrong team on an alternating possession. (He is good, but he might be given to hyperbole!) I sometimes think I have a good view and I disagree with the official on whether it was a three-point try, but I never argue that one. We have all levels of ability in our association, and some need more help than others. But I am really bothered that three college officials didn't get this one right, without help.