Tale of a Drafted Clock Operator.....

[archangel]

Originally Posted by SethPDX

Most baseball umpires, unfortunately, do not even read the scoring rule in the back of the rulebook and could care less how to keep score.

Examples please, on what you think is unfortunate. I also do baseball, and when I ask the scorekeeper what the score is, and they say 6-3, what else do I need to know?

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by Nevadaref

That's why I refuse to make any call that a coach is clamoring about.

I have just officially adopted this policy as of tonight. Oh my heavens. Had my local HS JV coach again tonight, on the road this time. This guy spends more time begging for calls than he does coaching his team. His single most oft requested call?

Three seconds.

He was at it all game long. With 3.8 seconds left in the game, one of his kids asked me to watch the three seconds. The other team was still in the backcourt running out the clock. I'm not making this up. 3.8 seconds left, and he's got his players begging for three second calls.

I WILL NOT EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, NO MATTER HOW OUTRAGEOUS, EVER EVER EVER CALL THREE SECONDS IN ANY GAME HE IS COACHING. PERIOD.

Unless one of his kid goes camping.

[Chess Ref]

Originally Posted by Back In The Saddle

I have just officially adopted this policy as of tonight. Oh my heavens. Had my local HS JV coach again tonight, on the road this time. This guy spends more time begging for calls than he does coaching his team. His single most oft requested call?

Three seconds.

He was at it all game long. With 3.8 seconds left in the game, one of his kids asked me to watch the three seconds. The other team was still in the backcourt running out the clock. I'm not making this up. 3.8 seconds left, and he's got his players begging for three second calls.

I WILL NOT EVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, NO MATTER HOW OUTRAGEOUS, EVER EVER EVER CALL THREE SECONDS IN ANY GAME HE IS COACHING. PERIOD.

Unless one of his kid goes camping.

I had the "thats a hand check pleader". The coach kept calling it a "PDF" this year. Everytime she said thats a PDF this year I got all glowey inside. It made me happy.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Chess Ref

I had the "thats a hand check pleader". The coach kept calling it a "PDF" this year. Everytime she said thats a PDF this year I got all glowey inside. It made me happy.

PDF? Portable Document Format? Pretty Darn Funny? Public Display of Feet?

[Raymond]

I kept the book for softball when I was 12 until my senior year in HS. I did the book and/or clock (sometimes both) for military basketball games (Travis AFB) my senior in HS up to the point I joined the military 6 months after graduation.

Probably why now I interact a lot with the table crew during my games. Probably why I'm also quick to recognize mistakes made by the table.

[Scrapper1]

Originally Posted by mbyron

PDF? Portable Document Format? Pretty Darn Funny? Public Display of Feet?

Poor Dan_ref's Follicles?

[grunewar]

Well, I did the clock again for another Fresh/JV game last night. Certainly a different perspective for sure.

Biggest issue(s) I had was the buzzer stuck at the of the first quarter and wouldn't go off.....and only 2 1/2 of the four clocks in the gym worked the first game. Really confusing for the players as the one clock time kept "sticking" a few seconds behind. Rectified between games with new board.

Refs were from a different league than mine and I was able to observe. Listened to the coaches chirp a bit. Sometimes it's actually funny to listen to. Of course they never think we call enough....or is that too much? Couple of "iffy" calls (IMO). One was a hard foul on a layup that the L called intentional - Hard foull, absolutely. Intentional, not so much.

Most interesting and "discussed call" was a long-distance TO. Ball is under A's basket. L is right there. T is starting transition(?) as the ball is "loose" and being wrestled with. T is along B's bench in the backcourt while ball was being wrestled with under A's basket. (T moved early during transition?). B coach calling for TO. Ball is loose? By the time T granted B coach the TO, A had the ball and was actually shooting a short jumper. A coach went nuts, players were frustrated, and fans got really loud. TO granted w/ some on-floor discussion w/ A coach. Ball given to B after TO..... Game was a blowout.

Key POE for me was reporting. The U did some long distance reporting and it was difficult for the me/books to see hand and arm signals clearly and hear report. A few times we had to hit the buzzer and ask him to clarify. (Note to new refs - report clearly and in plain view to be seen by table).

BOTTOM LINE - I think I got a permanent gig and a good seat for my son's Fresh and the JV games and I may even be figuring the clock out as I did much better! Now, if I can only remember to switch that darn AP arrow.....

[Raymond]

Originally Posted by grunewar

... One was a hard foul on a layup that the L called intentional - Hard foull, absolutely. Intentional, not so much.
...

Excessive contact can also qualify as an Intentional Foul.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by grunewar

Now, if I can only remember to switch that darn AP arrow.....

Whenever there's an AP throw-in situation, put your hand on the arrow. Leave it there until the throw-in ends and then switch the arrow. Even if there's a TO, keep your hand on the arrow. (I admit that's probably not practical advice during half time. )