To reach or not reach

[tomegun]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I may only have 22 years in this game...

Does everyone realize that the amount of training, local games, etc. can make 5 years the equivalent to 20? Raise your hand it you've ever known an official who thought they deserved assignments because of how long they have been on the board regardless of their skill level. Yep, I thought everyone would raise their hand on that one.

Rich, nothing against you because I don't know you. I just wanted to point that out.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by tomegun

Does everyone realize that the amount of training, local games, etc. can make 5 years the equivalent to 20? Raise your hand it you've ever known an official who thought they deserved assignments because of how long they have been on the board regardless of their skill level. Yep, I thought everyone would raise their hand on that one.

Rich, nothing against you because I don't know you. I just wanted to point that out.

I've seen this work both ways, too. Guys who have 4 years of experience go to a couple of camps and think they're God's gift to officiating. Then something happens on the court and pants are full of poop. I know from my experience in this and a few other sports when to grab a call and when to acknowledge that I may see it, but not *see* it. Reaching across the paint from C at the far post is an example that comes immediately to mind. Unless I am looking through and see something off the wall, I trust my partners saw the play and chose to call nothing.

I only threw the number out to counter-bloviate MTD's post. I'd be more than happy to put my game up against any other little-ole HS official, though. Or are confidence and ego the same thing?

[Mark Padgett]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I only threw the number out to counter-bloviate MTD's post.

I bloviated on a counter once. But then I had to clean it up. YUK!

[tomegun]

Bloviate: to speak or write verbosely and windily. To bloviate means "to speak pompously and excessively" or "to expound ridiculously".

Thank you for using that word. I would have said, "I only threw the number out to counter the hot air MTD was blowing in his post."

Rich, you are 100% correct. Years don't necessarily indicate how good an official is. When I type something on this forum I often think about a young official reading it. Young(er) officials shouldn't think there is a magical amount of time served to get better games. Every official should attempt to give the assigner no other choice but to give them games. I've moved to several new associations and pissed a lot of people off because they thought I should be treated like a rookie official and they had X amount of years with the association. I don't feel for them one bit because every official has the opportunity to improve and make the assigner's job easier.