Partner calls 48 fouls - I counted them

[jdw3018]

Originally Posted by JRutledge

You are right, the next afternoon, I did not call a foul for the first quarter and a couple of minutes. It was lovely.

Peace

Had a JV game last week where in the first half I spent almost all but the start of the second quarter at C. I was U2 and was C after the tip. The teams played the entire game on the other side of the court. I didn't call a foul (there were 9 fouls in the half). Other than a few possessions after the ball went OB in a way that caused a rotation (which always seemed to be followed by something that sent me back to C) I was just stuck in the slot.

Second half there was a lot more reasons to rotate, I spent most of my time at T/L, and I called 7 fouls.

Weird game.

[Andy]

Originally Posted by grunewar

This is an interesting discussion for me for this reason - On several occasions evaluators have said to me or others - "You/your partner are calling the entire game" or "Do you/your partner realize you made the last six calls or called the last four fouls?" "I need you to go get one." or "I need you to get a call."

While I understand the points made - hey, if it ain't happening in your area tonight, it ain't happening. Any thoughts on the above school of thought of not wanting/giving the perception that one official is maybe stronger and calling the entire game?

Several years ago, when I was fairly new, I was partnered with one of our highly respected officials on a high level Girls V game.

I think I blew my whistle maybe twice in the whole first half, while he was calling things left and right, all legitimate calls.

I'm frustrated at halftime, thinking I'm missing things, but he tells me that everything is OK, there is just not anything going on in my area. He even compliments me on a couple of "no calls".

The lesson I took from that game is that officiating is as much about knowing when not to blow your whistle as when to blow it.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.
Having said, when an official has off-ball coverage in his primary area there will be times when he will have to expand primary area to cover off-ball action (this concept is very important in two-man games but not as important in three-man games), but it should not be at the expense of missing something right in front of him.

My advice, is to let the game come to you. Don't go looking for boogers as we say in baseball. I have had two-man games where I had 10 of the first 12 fouls; it seemed like I was doing everything and my partner did not exist. It happens, and then I have had games where it seemed like nothing was ever going to happen in my area.

MTD, Sr.

AHEM! 2,3 & 4, maybe.

[dsqrddgd909]

[QUOTE=Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.;573173]Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.

QUOTE]

I understand the last two, but typical newbie that I am, don't understand the first one about "stay true to your line"?

[Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.]

[QUOTE=dsqrddgd909;573222]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner.

QUOTE]

I understand the last two, but typical newbie that I am, don't understand the first one about "stay true to your line"?

dsqrddgd909:

Worry about your boundary lines (and the division line if you are the T0 and not your partners; there are only a few rare cases where an official has to blow an out-of-bounds on his partner's line.

Nothing is more aggravating than to sound your whistle for an out-of-bounds on your own line and to hear your partner's whistle and calling the out-of-bounds too, especially if he is pointing the opposite direction you are, .

MTD, Sr.

[dsqrddgd909]

Thanks - when I become an official, I will try to put into practice all of the good advice offered here.

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by Mark T. DeNucci, Sr.

Remember the first three rules of basketball officiating: Stay true to your line; officiate your primary area; and trust your partner. MTD, Sr.

Mark - as it says in another reply above, these are rules two, three and four. As I've stated numerous times, the first rule of officiating is "tuck your whistle in your shirt before you take a leak".