Confusion w/Coach Requesting TO

[Freddy]

Happened in our area, though I wasn't there. Serves as a response to a previous post asking, "What one rule would you like to see changed..."

I wasn't there, so the intricaties are stated for illustration purposes only.

Team A behind by two. A speedy A1, outside her the three point arc with possession. A coach requests "Time Out!" Trail consumes the time it takes to confirm it is the coach making the request. By the time he grants the timeout A1 was in the key making a layup which went in at the whistle. Trail grants the timeout, based on when the request being made by coach A.

TO to be administered at sideline, based on above scenerio -- crowd, coach (having drawn up an endline inbounds play) go nuts when TO not administered on the baseline.

In a perfect world, my rule change would be: only player in contol of the ball may request a timeout.

Idealistic, but with, I think, good rationale.

Similar sitch's put me in a pickle this year.

Agree?

M.P. -- You may respond in the language of the classics, if you wish.