I keep my eyes on the players until my partner/partners is/are back in position. Usually by that time a player has brought me the ball, if not, THEN I will go retrieve the ball myself--if it's a rec league game with a running clock then my pace towards the ball and back to the admin spot is, for some reason, very slow ;)

However, I do have a buddy of mine whom I happened to work with last night who refuses to track down any loose balls. He verbally solicits help from the players.

To each is own, but definitely not something that can be penalized.

So true!

#9 When the ball goes out of bounds, it shall be thrown into the field of play by the person first touching it. In case of a dispute, the umpire shall throw it straight into the field. The thrower-in is allowed five seconds; if he holds it longer, it shall go to the opponent. If any side persists in delaying the game, the umpire shall call a foul on that side.

Definitely not?

What if the official says "Please retrieve the ball" and the player refuses. Something in the rules about not complying with an official's directive, isn't there?

(Not that I'd ever do this, I'd just get the ball myself and call three straight cheapies on that player. :D :D :D :D :D )

And we have a winner in "The Oldest Basketball Official in the World" contest.

Lets all give three cheers to EyeZen!! :D

MTD, Sr.

Just b/c i'm intrigued by Satan, lawyers, and Al Pacino.

Ball-- 1) rolls under the bleachers or 2) all the way to the opposite sideline--at no fault of the player standing next to you. You say "Please retrieve the ball" and then...

1) Player re-emerges from under the bleachers with a bloody gash on his forehead.

2) Player decides to sprint across the court and entire gym watches as player puts on the brakes to stop in front of the ball and his right knee crumbles.

I never run after the ball. I ask one of the players to retreive it for me.

Never is a long time.

Ball goes outa bounds and ends up 30'-40' away. Team A requests time and is granted. Both teams head to bench.... ;)

Okay, let me rephrase my answer....I dont retreive the ball during my games. Plus, in the gyms around here, someone will intercept the ball before it rolls out into the parking lot, 40' or 50' feet away!!!!!

Question for blindzebra:

Would refusing to retrieve a loose ball put one in the same category as one who works without a lanyard? :p

Hey BadNews, give me a call at work.

Tracking down a wayward ball.
 

I normally do not have a problem with such. On those occasions when I have had it more than once or twice, I will politely mention it to the home team coach that it is his responsibility to have a game ball ready for play and that I cannot properly see the action on the court if I am chasing loose basketballs all over his gym. That usually gets the message across. On the one time it didn't, I had the scorekeeper annotate an official warning for delay of game in the books. He got the message; although, he wasn't very happy about it.

The officials have one responsibility and one responsibility only: To observe the ten players on the court.

The game officials are not fix nets, or wipe water, sweat, blood, and vomit from the floor. Unless the game official is a medical doctor, registered nurse, or emergency medical technician he should not render medical assistance to an injured player. That means game officials do not go after loose balls.

Therefore, do not worry about (1) and (2) above. The game official was well within his rights to ask for anybody to retrieve the ball.

MTD, Sr.

My argument is not with the request. It's with the expectation that the player MUST retrieve the ball if so requested and with the possibility of a T if the request is not adhered to.

Bleachers? I'm not venturing underneath them nor do I expect a player to make that trip either. Something for game management to handle.

Ball across the court on far sideline? Me: "22, please go get that ball." 22: "No sir, coach says we don't have to chase down balls for refs unless it was our fault" So #22 gets a T for this?

The thrust of my original question, when push comes to shove, who is responsible and what is the penalty, if any? Is it the team responsible for the ball being "loose", or if no team is really responsible for the loose ball, is it the game administation? What if this is a tournament situation and niether team is affliated with game administration?

Our job is observing the players during a dead ball, not retrieving a ball.

Now if you stand there chest puffed out, gut sucked in, biceps flexed, holding your whistle in you hand while you wait for a player to get it...then yeah it's the same category.