Multiple foul?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

If coach asks for a multiple foul? Are you serious? Billy, in all your 27 years of not calling this, have you ever had a coach ask why?

Of course, I'm not serious, I'm just pushing the envelope.

I am, however, curious. Curious about why at least one member of our Forum has "seen what technically qualifies as a multiple foul several times, even several times in one game", yet these multiple fouls are seldom, if ever, called. I bet there are probably other Forum members who can say the same thing.

If ever questioned by a coach, and, so far, I never have, I would tell the coach that the fouls did not happen at the same time. That's how I rationalize it the few times that I may have seen something that looks like a possible multiple foul and not called it. Why haven't I called it? Probably because I don't want to appear to be an overly officious official.

This past season, I called a "punching the ball" violation, and had to deal with questions from my colleagues about being an overly officious official. I once called a double foul in the first period of a game, and was told, at halftime, by my higher ranked partner to never call such an "odd" foul when working with him again, a point both of us still disagree on. I don't think anybody wants to appear like they're showing off by calling odd fouls and violations. Some say that the best officiated games are the ones where you don't notice the officials. Call a multiple foul, and you will get noticed. I guarantee it.

Anybody else want to offer an opinion as to why these very rare multiple fouls probably do occur, but are seldom, if ever called?