Whistling the "T"
 

The "Goaltending a Free Throw" thread got me thinking this . . . again.

When the clock is stopped and you find it necessary to call a "T", do you whistle and tap or just go to the table and report the "T"?

Hint: what's the proper procedure for calling any foul?

1. The clock may be stopped, but the ball is live.

2. The only time I would not use all the proscribed mechanics is when it might unnecessarily inflame the situation. I really can't, however, imagine such a circumstance.

Depends on the nature of the T.

For example, there is no need to make any significant display for an administrative T....you're standing at the table and are told there is no #24 in the book (but #24 is in the game). Just tell the coaches/scorers that #24 is not in the book and it a T is being issued...low key...and move on. You don't need to convince anyone....it is obvious...and everyone that needs to know has been informed. Even if you signal it, the crowd will have no idea what the problem is until/unless the announcers tell them.

If you have an unsportsmanlike situation, you better whistle it, signal it and deal with it before you go report.

In this case (GT on a FT) I think you have to do what the calling official did....maybe not as emphatically, but still whistled/signaled. It is sufficiently unusual and involving on-the-floor actions such that it must be made clear that the GT was a T. However, I'm not sure what they needed to talk about before signalling the T....unless one of them wasn't sure of the rule.

Cameron makes a great point.

Peace

I agree with all of this. Which means (I think) that we are not required to blow the whistle when we call a T. We do blow the whistle to stop the clock and to cause a live ball to become dead. So if both of these have already happened (stopped clock and dead ball) it is just our judgement if a whistle will help clarify things.

The thing about the goal tending a FT video that got me thinking was, one of the refs blue a whistle when the GT happened. The ball became dead when the violation occured, the whistle acknowledged the violation and the clock was not running. About 3-5 seconds later the ref "tweets and taps". I am thinking a nice visual "tap" would have been enough and then go report.

That being said, how would you handle the pre-game dunk? Whistle & signal as it occurs or simply head to coach & the table?

You do not need to get everyone's attention. The game is not live and all you need to do is inform the appropriate parties which include the table and the head coach (and your partners of course).

Peace

The ball was not dead when the goaltending occured during the FT. The ball becomes live when the free thrower is administered the ball.

There is nothing wrong with hitting the whistle again like the official in that video did.

The goaltending (violation) caused the ball to be dead. 6-7-9.

Yes, I know that. I thought you were saying the ball was already dead when the GT occured, which it was not.

As per the OP, what probably should have happened was that when the official initially blew his whistle and raised his hand, he should have signaled the T right at that time. However, this sort of thing happens so rarely it probably caught him of guard and he needed a second to digest what just happened.

I've edited my previous post to better reflect what I meant. At least we agree.:)

And...when making the T sign, make sure it's both hands flat and open. I saw an official once make the bottom part of the sign with a fist and the middle finger sticking out directed at the coach. Coach took offense at the sign (even though he knew he earned the T) and reported the official to the officials' association. That particular official never got to work at that school again.

Thanks JRut!

I know what you mean, but just for our newbies sake, the ball becomes live on FTs when it's at the shooters dispossal. It's at their dispossal when it is caught by the shooter.
So give the headless chicken a TO if it's requested prior to the catch.

Not that I plan on practicing this, but... NIIIICE!