Giving the fumble signal

[amusedofficial]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Isignalling a tip on a potential BC violation.
?

Whoa. Say, under NF rules, A has PC in front court. Ball passed, B1 tips to backcourt. Do you signal? Isn't it BC violation if caught in backcourt on fly but not if caught after bounce? What if U1 has been calling tips but R and U2 have not? Does one team get an advantage by being warned of tip? If you signal tip for backcourt, why not signal tip for OOB?

Deviation from approved mechanics is a prescription for disaster. By definition, using non-approved mechanics during play leads to inconsistency. There is absolutely nothing to gain, in terms of calling game, by signaling a no-call.

[Old_School]

Originally Posted by amusedofficial

Whoa. Say, under NF rules, A has PC in front court. Ball passed, B1 tips to backcourt. Do you signal? Isn't it BC violation if caught in backcourt on fly but not if caught after bounce? What if U1 has been calling tips but R and U2 have not? Does one team get an advantage by being warned of tip? If you signal tip for backcourt, why not signal tip for OOB?

Deviation from approved mechanics is a prescription for disaster. By definition, using non-approved mechanics during play leads to inconsistency. There is absolutely nothing to gain, in terms of calling game, by signaling a no-call.

Nonsense.

You're not signalling a no-call. You're signalling who touched the ball last in the front court. There's nothing the matter with conveying that information to your partner(s) to ensure that the proper and appropriate call is subsequently made.

And yes, you can also signal the same information for out of bounds calls, both as the calling official and to assist the calling official.

It's just another tool that competent, experienced officials use when deemed necessary.

The competence of an official is measured by the accuracy of their calls. Mechanics are supposed to aid that accuracy, not hinder it.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by amusedofficial

Whoa. Say, under NF rules, A has PC in front court. Ball passed, B1 tips to backcourt. Do you signal? Isn't it BC violation if caught in backcourt on fly but not if caught after bounce? What if U1 has been calling tips but R and U2 have not? Does one team get an advantage by being warned of tip? If you signal tip for backcourt, why not signal tip for OOB?

Yes, I signal if I'c C (or L in 2-person) and the tip was in my area. It lets my partner know NOT to blow the whistle for the violation, since there wasn't one. If he sees something else that makes it a violation (e.g., A1 catching the ball on the fly, if we "believe" the interp), then he can still blow the whistle.

[Indianaref]

About a month or so ago, I believe it was a Big Ten game where the trail official signaled a tip into the backcourt, no call, then the center official tableside (Jim Burr) busts in and calls a back court violation. Jim Burr gives angry coach quick explanation. That had to be an interesting post game talk.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by amusedofficial

Whoa. Say, under NF rules, A has PC in front court. Ball passed, B1 tips to backcourt. Do you signal? Isn't it BC violation if caught in backcourt on fly but not if caught after bounce? What if U1 has been calling tips but R and U2 have not? Does one team get an advantage by being warned of tip? If you signal tip for backcourt, why not signal tip for OOB?

Deviation from approved mechanics is a prescription for disaster. By definition, using non-approved mechanics during play leads to inconsistency. There is absolutely nothing to gain, in terms of calling game, by signaling a no-call.

Since I don't believe that interpretation, there's really no danger here.

And in general, I'd say "Lighten up, Francis." A quick signal to alert a partner doesn't equate with the end of the world.