More thoughts on new NF FT mechanic
 

With the new mechanic placing the trail near the benches but with his or her back toward the coach, I can imagine some of the conversations that will now come up.

Coach: "Hey - aren't you going to answer my question?"
Official: "Since my back is to you, I couldn't tell if the question came from you or some moron in the stands. Now that I'm facing you, I still can't tell."

Coach: "How could you make that call at this point in the game?"
Official: (with fingers sticking in ears) "LALALALALALALALALALALALALALALA..."

Coach: "Hey there. HEY there. HEY THERE!!!!!"
Official: (thinking to himself) "Hmmmm, I wonder what I'm having for dinner?"

And, the one I'm sure I'll get:
Coach: "The shooter went over the line. That's a violation!"
Official: "Coach, the shot went in. If I waive it off, we'll go into overtime. Get serious!"

Padgett, love the post! LOL

Seriously, this mechanic may create some goodies for me. As some of you know, I'm completely deaf in one ear, and wear a hearing aid in the other. I can imagine I'll be hearing voices in my head...or was it actually a coach trying to talk to me???

We've been using this mechanic in Texas for years, and I guarantee if the coach has a question for you, you'll know it before you turn your back to the benches.

There's a difference? :confused:

True...I've never had any problems knowing when coach had a question or not.

Damn you Padgett...now I'll never know!!! ;)

I was told that PBOA won't be using this mechanic this year, just an FYI if you are in PDX.

SHEESH! Now I have to decide if we're going to use it for our kids rec league. Hmmmmmm.

You could have the coaches go opposite.

I just wonder how much the number of technicals is going to go up this year.

Can't go up for me. I'm already averaging an infinite number of them. :)

And please, don't tell me infinity is metric. :(

I read somewhere that when they sent the trail opposite, there were more techs called, as coaches were standing yelling across the floor, as opposed to speaking to an official right in front of them. You see, the "Look at me" factor is diminished if the official is right there, so some coaches are neutralized by proximity.

I get the feeling that quite a few associations / organizations are going to ignore this change.

Why? This is the perferct opportunity to display our interpersonal skills.

One should never give up the opportunity to communicate, although, it may not be what one wants to hear.

Good news: infinity is not metric.

Bad news: there's lots of different size infinities. :eek:

Ounce ??? Liquid Volume, Or Dry Weight ???
 

Great news. When I visit Liberia, if I use the word infinity, they'll know what I'm talking about, just as well as they know that there are four pecks in a bushel.

Another reason not to make the change. :rolleyes:

Does anyone know the rationale behind the change? Are they fixing what isn't broke?

My understanding this was to help communication with coaches.

Peace

It sure seems like it sometimes.

For the record, Oregon has decided not to implement this change...and were are almost exclusively a 2-person state....even at the tournaments.

Don't worry, Camron. The way our state is headed, pretty soon 3-person will be legal. :D

I don't know why any state would not want to use this mechanic. It isn't a problem. Out of the coaches technicals I've given over the last few years, I can't recall one off the top of my head that happened because I was there and not opposite the table. In other words -- while I was standing there waiting for or during the free throw(s).

Maybe some states don't like that in the new positioning neither official can see the benches and table.

The mechanic affects more than just how close you are standing to the front court coach.

Trust me, seeing the benches and table at the sub-varsity can be quite helpful. I actually had multiple games where we've had to hand out T's because players would report to the table and not wait till they were beckoned in. I can only think it could get worse if our backs are turned. On the flip side, I can see it being better because we would be right there to give them the stop sign and hold them up and prevent the T's. I have mixed feelings about this new mechanic.

The lead can see the benches and table pretty well. In cases where there are subs, the lead can get a glance over to see if there are any and help out the trail. And there's a view of the benches in case a melee is breaking out. I still don't see what the big deal is. People are making more out of this than there is. *shrug*

Really, a 5' 5" official doing a Varsity game involving 6'5" kids can easily see the bench in this new 2-man mechanic from the lead?

Sure, why not? What exactly do you think needs THAT much attention during a free throw? What's the difference between this scenario and the heat of a game when the trail is tableside and his back is to the benches? I would expect that situation to be much more volatile. Who's watching the benches then?

I think way too much significance is being placed on who's seeing what with this change in mechanics. During a free throw, as lead, I can take as much time as I need before bouncing the ball to the free thrower. If it's a tense situation. I can be very aware of what's going on at the benches.

Does everyone really have that many problems with the benches during free throws?

I agree.

I've gotten MUCH better at communicating with coaches since I am tableside, and not having to try to communicate from 45 feet away. Easier to explain what you saw, and/or the call you made. Easier to keep things under control than shouting across the floor.

The trail is right there if a coach requests a time-out before the free throws are taken.

And I'm 5'7" and have not had a problem seeing the scorer's table (I think that's where the subs are supposed to be) before I bounce the ball to the shooter as Lead.

Being tableside or not has never been an issue for me communicating with coaches. Most coaches really don't give a hoot what I have to say, they just want to say something and feel like you're paying attention. I can do that from a distance with a nod of the head or some other non-verbal just as easily as I can do it standing in front of them with my back to them. By the time I get close to them again they are not even thinking about whatever play was on their mind.

And I've seen plenty of subs come to the table after the Lead has bounced the ball to the thrower (I think that they are allowed to report to the table after the ball has been administered).

Your teams are shooting at the wrong baskets!