Blarge

[bigwhistle]

Originally posted by BktBallRef
Rut cited several issues that can address prevention. I think he left out the most important. RAISE YOUR FIST! Too many officials go directly to the block signal or the charge signal. If both officials would raise their fist, they would pause, make eye contact as Rut said, and someone would drop.
Two weeks ago, I had this play in a 15&U AAU Girls game, Women's NCAA rules. I'm center and the play was clearly in my area, outisde the paint. The lead blows and gives this huge block signal. I go up with a fist and give him a strong "YOU DUMBA$$!" look!

I took the call and went with the charge. I don't know what in the hell he saw! Fortunately, the fouling team was up 30 and it wasn't a problem. But we had a long debriefing after the game.

Tony,

I don't agree with the way that you handled this situation. The facial expression you gave your partner, not that he didn't deserve it , showed everybody that there was a problem within the crew, which tends to destroy the continuity that is trying to be built. This leads to later opportunities for coaches to attempt to divide and conquer. We have all heard the comments "He's killing us! You need to help him out!" If they see that the crew is not happy with each other, they will try to get an advantage claiming incompetence of the partner, hoping that the ego stroke will get them a call.

The blarge is not addressed in any mechanics manual that I know of. That being said, this is my manner of workig through one. It is discussed in pregame, as Rut suggested should happen.

In a 3 person crew, if both officials give a signal at the spot, they will come together and then the official whose primary had the play will take the call.

If one official signals and the other only had a closed fist, let the official who made the signal have the call. Nobody else knows that the official with only a closed fist had a different call. So this is not a true blarge.

In my pregame, we go over that the outside official needs to not make any signal other than the closed fist immediately. The reason for this is that for many years the Lead has had the call automatically if it was coming to him. Therefore, there is a tendency among too many officials to immediately come out selling the crash without considering that it was not his primary and that the outside partner may have a different call. In an ideal game, there would be 2 fists, eye contact, and then the signal from the official who had primary responsibility for the call.

In a 2 person crew, if a blarge occurs, I yield to the person which the play is coming to.

Once again, these are not in any manual, as the subject is not talked about. Communication is vital, and a breakdown of communication is why blarges happen.

And yes, I have been involved in a blarge before.