What was i thinking??
 

Last Friday I had a game between two well coached good girls teams. 2 team has won the state tournament 2 out of the past 3 years, the other has gone deep into the play offs the past few years. Both teams figure to again go deep into the play offs.

1 minute into the game, I am trail, ball stolen up top I run down and get a good angle. Defense gets to her spot, and stops, arms straight up. offensive girl does a nice jump stop, jumps to the side of the defender, brushing her right side...defender steps back maybe 5 inches.

*TWEET*....i think to myself......oh crap...

it's not a charge, and it isn't a block.....I was lost. Seemed like it took forever, but for some reason I call a block. Coach wasn't happy. I walk up to him and tell him, Coach, i blew it. There was no foul, I am sorry.

He says, Okay, and doesn't say another word about it the rest of the night.

Honesty is the best policy, but when it happens one minute in... you have to be on your A game for the rest of the night.

I guess it's better to get it out the way early, than to make it a gamer :eek:

Good time for an IW.

Snaq,

My partner and i talked about that after the game. we figured it probably would have been the best course of action to call an IW. Tell both coaches i had my head up my butt and go to the arrow. The ball had been shot so there was no longer team possession when I blew the whistle.

I think i shocked myself with the fact that I blew my whistle.

Did the shot miss? Either way, I think eating an IW there would have been less messy than eating a bad foul call.

Live and learn, my friend.

Wait a sec...so you told the coach there was no foul...and reported a foul anyway???? This whole time I assumed you had gone with an IW after you told the coach...That just isn't right:

(to coach): Coach, I blew it...there was no foul. Sorry.
(turns to table): Red two-three. Block. 2 shots.

Ouch...

You're lucky you got a sympathetic coach. I would think most of them would chew you out the rest of the night...

I'm pretty sure he reported the foul first, then later told the coach it was a mistake.

But you're right, I'd rather tell a coach I screwed up and didn't see a foul that he did than tell him I didn't see a foul but called one anyway. I probably would have admitted to him I'd like to have the call back, not sure how much more info I would have offered.

That might even be funnier:

(to table): Red two-three. Block. 2 shots.
(turns to coach): Coach, I blew it...there was no foul. Sorry.

It is funny now, but at the time I was not happy with myself. I blew it. Plain and simple. the coach was just fine when I told him I blew the call. I guess I"ll learn from this and next time go with an IW.

I'm assuming more time elapsed, but I could be wrong. :)

IW Question
 

Does an IW cause the ball to become dead immediately? In the OP, if the IW came after A1 started the motion for a try, and the ball went in, can you count the basket and just give the ball to B?

Or, is the ball dead immediately, and you have to go to AP since neither team had control at the time of the whistle?

The ball is dead immediately, unless a try is already in the air. Habitual motion does not apply.

So, if the try had been released, and the shot is made, POI (which you always go to on an IW) would be the endline throwin for B.

If the try had been released and the shot missed, you go to the arrow.

If the try had not been released, you give the ball back to A.

We've all had an IW at a really inconvenient time. Just tell them what it is and keep going. That's the best way.

Had something similar... and partner had a plan.
 

I'm at a school where I've never officiated before. They have 18" solid color around the court indicating out-of-bounds. The problem is there is a visual explosion of intersecting and parallel lines near the endlines. They have court lines from the perpendicular court and some other stuff as well. I was having a hard time getting comfortable with it.

Anyways, about 3 minutes in I'm lead, Blue team passes ball to a player just below free throw extended on my side. I slide out (he's near sideline) and then he drives right. I have a great look at both players, peripherally I clearly see him step on the line, blow the whistle, and I knew right away I had made a mistake.

I went with IW, ball to Team Blue on the endline. Coach of the JV team was in the stands, says the same thing had happened in the previous game (small consolation). Later at a break, my partner says his approach is go with out-of-bounds (even though the 'wrong' line is 18" on to the court) and then quickly get something going the other way (make up call). I nod, and say that I get it. His reasoning is that by admitting your mistake there you have given both teams ammunition to question every call from then on.

I say, fess up, get it as right as you can and proceed from there.

Your partner's in la la land.

IW, POI. Mistakes happen, and this one is easily corrected.

Exactly. If someone who matters is sitting in the stands or standing along that line when you do it, you're screwed.
More importantly, you've just knowingly screwed a team out of a possession. That's bad officiating, IMO.

:(

I believe that your partner's way loses respect and credibility. You actually gain both of those from admitting the mistake and showing the teams that you desire to get the calls right rather than just sticking to your call no matter what.

Also, the moment that he mentions purposely having a "make-up call" to me is the day that he ceases to be my partner. That is nothing more than outright cheating. Missed calls happen. If one happens and doesn't get corrected, purposely missing another one doesn't make it right. That just makes the officials look like they've now missed TWO calls. That behavior is what gives the teams ammunition to question you the rest of the game.

Of course...
 

... I agree with you.

I didn't even catch the make up call part. I assumed that by "get something going the other way," he meant get the ball in play quickly.

Unreal.

Agreed. Certainly this won't be the first time the home team has seen such a call (the IW, that is). And, the visitors will recognize it for what it is as well, if they have any sense.

I've had an IW this year -- I thought a HC was asking for a timeout, he was calling for a play that sounded like "time out". I shrugged, called it an IW, the coaches shrugged, and I put the ball back into play.

Now, the officiating part:

Slow down. You anticipated a foul/call. As the level of play gets higher, you will do this and the player with the ball will do something remarkable and you will be standing there like you did.

Anticipate the play, let the fouls happen and then report them.

+1

When I was working my second season of varsity basketball back in the early 90s, I was working 2-person with a crusty vet who was buds with the assignor.

We were in a dark gym and I had a long 3 where I really had to stay with the shooter. Ball bounced up, brushed a strap (I didn't see it) and I signaled a 3.

I had an idea I kicked something, but wasn't quite sure what. Next time down the floor, the ball went out of bounds on the team with the ball and I signaled and my partner immediately came in and overruled me even though the ball clearly wasn't tipped. I mean, so clearly, I was confused at this and looked at him and said, "No, it clearly went off blue." He blew his whistle and told me to do what he told me. I shrugged and put the ball in play -- I was still new to varsity ball.

In the locker room he dressed me down and told me of the virtues of the makeup call. I told him to please let me know when he wanted me to cheat for the other team and I'd be glad to ignore him. He scratched me as a partner and I was thrilled.

I still can't figure out from the post whether the partner actually said this, or whether the OP misinterpreted "get it going the other way" as a make-up call.

I disagree with the partner's sentiment on this particular play - this is an easy IW. That said, there are plenty of times when "get it going the other way" (as in, get the ball in play and the game moving) is excellent advice...

Agreed, that's why I thought it's what he meant on first read.