Time Out

[Back In The Saddle]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Let's say it's a close game, and you use this procedure, and as Team A is inbouding the ball, Coach B starts screaming that he called time out. Do you still think it's an acceptable way to handle it?

Thinking about it, it seems reasonable that you could go to Coach B at the next available opportunity and say "Coach, your first timeout request was invalid, since it came while Team A had the ball. By rule, it was an inadvertent whistle. And since you didn't call timeout while the ball was dead after I blew the whistle, I didn't grant you a timeout."

You would be within the rules to do this, but is it good game management, seeing as though Coach B is likely to blow his stack?

No. Notice I said "that situation". Meaning in the specific instance you cited, what you did worked. From a game management point of view. And worked is good. However, it was incorrect and directly contradicts the case play that has been quoted.

Don't get hung on up whether or not you "granted" the time out. It's not really a relevant argument. A time out was requested. You blew your whistle, the ball is now dead. A time out request by either team during a dead ball must be granted. The coach still wants the time out. And now he's entitled to it. You're just going to have to eat this one.