numbers?
 

hey all, a mate asked me a refereeing question I couldn't answer <gasp>,
What do the numbers on the back of NBA refs mean?

Cheers

It's the total number of players and coaches they have ejected in their pro career. As you can see below, this was probably Joey Crawford's second game.

http://slamonline.com/online/wp-cont...y_ejection.jpg

Oh, I thought it was their stress level or IQ or something unrelated to the actual officiating. :D :p

Hahaha, I remember reading a quote from a NBA coach (think it might have been Pat Riley) that if the numbers added up to over 100 it was an inexperienced crew. Based on that I wonder if it is a seniority thing...

Any serious answers?

They each simply get assigned a # when they get hired. They might be able to pick from what's available.

Clark, James Clark ...
 

NBA coaches need to be extra careful with referees that have a number that starts with a double zero, i.e. 004. They have a license to kill coaches.

That is probably because at the time the experienced refs had most of the low numbers, it is no longer close to being true because the new refs get one of the numbers that are still available (around 40 each year) and unless I'm mistaken they keep that number for their career.

And to OP, it is just their uniform number like any other uniform number, it is just there to make it easier to identify who is who.

Jasper

The get to pick. Scott Foster is 48 because his birthday is April 8th.

Too bad he didn't pick 41. Having an official born on April Fool's Day would be cool. "Coach - you're outta here - APRIL FOOLS!!! :D

Also - does this mean if an official was born on December 31st, they could wear number 1231?

This is somewhat true... You can pick from numbers that are available. Then, when someone retires that number becomes available and another official can pick it if they want -- based on seniority. For example, Monty McCutchen is #13 and before him that was Mike Mathis (if memory serves correctly), so he picked up the number when Mathis retired. However, if you are happy with your number you don't have to change, so there are some veteran officials in the league that have a high number.

I'd like to see the coaches faces if an official came out wearing number 666. They probably wouldn't want to mess with that guy! :eek:

Especially if he has a nice sunburn from a long day at the beach! :D

The numbers on the back of the shirts are the betting lines for the game that night.

Ex. Over/Under. How many travels the superstars will be allowed to get away with.

Or how many mothers Mark Cuban will yell that their son's are punks