Tracking down a wayward ball

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

Originally Posted by BadNewsRef

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.

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.