What would you have said?
 

Last night was working with a partner I officate with from time to time. IMO he has whistle that is a little too quick and calls things that I would let pass. This trend was noticed by one coach who mentioned it to me during the game. I agreed with the coach, but didn't respond. Near the end of 4th quarter on a fast break I was lead and the play was about 4 feet from me. There was some contact on the shot but I passed on the foul because I saw no lost advantage on the part of the shooter. To me a foul would be ticky-tack at best. All at once I hear a whistle from the back and T turns to the table and reports the foul. I shot him a "this was my area and my call" look which he clearly did not understand. After the game I mentioned it to him and he seemed oblivious to what I was talking about. I tried to convey that it might be best to let that call go when it is right beside your partner and to make good eye contact during the game. He wasn't hearing me and I let it go before he got defensive. What's the best way to bring this up?

Next time you work with him, make a point of bringing it up in pre-game. Be specific about coverage area and mention the rare occasion it would be appropriate to grab one out of one's area. If he persists, don't work with him again. A guy like that will drag the whole crew down with him eventually.

Ask him to look up the definition of incidental contact in the rule book.

Tell him, in pregame, that your personal focus is to lay off the contact that doesn't create an advantage and ask him to help you.

Seriously, I think you did it right. With some guys there's no helping them. He might be ready in a few years, or he might not.

Is he relatively new?

I think any of us who have worked long enough have worked with a "gunslinger" before. I would recommend trying to engage him about the play. Ask "What did you see on that play that resulted in the foul?" Try and put the play back on him. He may admit that he made a mistake and should have laid off. You would want to listen to the response and reply with something like "I had a great look at that play and from my angle the contact did not impede the shooter." The key is to try and get some meaningful professional dialog. But at the end of the day, there will be officials who are unreceptive and think they do everything right. Those folks tend not to move up because they can't take constructive criticism on their game and as a result, don't get better.

"My area, my play, my call. You've got your own area to watch. So watch it." ;)

At halftime or end of game, I will whip out two-person diagram showing the PCA's.

I have a similar story: Last night was working with a partner I officate with from time to time. IMO he has whistle that is a little too slow and fails to call things that I would. This trend was noticed by one coach who mentioned it to me during the game. I agreed with the coach, but didn't respond. Near the end of 4th quarter on a fast break he was lead and the play was about 4 feet from him. I think he was straightlined or too close because there was a lot of contact on the shot but he passed on the foul. The play opened up for me so I had to whistle and report the foul. I shot him a "you're welcome" look which he clearly did not understand. After the game I mentioned it to him and he seemed oblivious to what I was talking about. I tried to convey that it might be best to work for better angles and to not let the game get out of hand. He wasn't hearing me and I let it go before he got defensive. What's the best way to bring this up?

Good one Bob!!
 

I was thinking the exact same thing. All in your perspective...

I have been contemplating posting an AAU rant because ALL calls are let go because there is no advantage:)

All you can do is talk about stuff in pre-game and go work the game. If the official is calling stuff that is considered wrong, it will come back on them later or their reputation will be affected. All you can do is work your game and hope for the best. I might only ask my partner that called in front of me, "What did you see?" Maybe they saw something you did not and then explain what you saw on that fast break play. I do not agree with Bob about the "being straight lined" issue because I do not consider those things very often on calls. I call what I see based on my angle and what my partner has an opportunity to call. You really cannot teach judgment in the first place. You either have it or you do not. Just work your game and let the chips fall where they may. Eventually if this guy is calling things in other people's areas it will not go over well after time. He will either realize this on his own or he will have to seek why he is not well respected or liked as an official. Now if he asks you what you think of his game (especially if you are the veteran) then be honest about these calls. If he does not ask, then leave it alone. Unless I am missing something, these are not varsity games, so the situation is a learning experience for him and you.

Peace

My suggested retort earlier was meant to be tongue in cheek. Those who have suggested asking, "What did you see?" are more in line with what I do. In my pregame I tell my partners that I'm not territorial, and that if there's an elephant in my area to go get it before it leaves anything on the floor.

The more I have worked three person, the more aware I have become about open and closed looks, and the necessity for the "off" official to referee the play curling away from his partner. For example, a post play right in front of L that curls away from L, T is going to have the best look at that play. In three person the C is going to come and get this. In my two person games, I want the T to come and get this. Even if it's four feet in front of me.

Yep... and my hunch he has no idea about coverage areas and is ball watching almost all game.

In that case, it seems one of the clearest options has been overlooked. Since he seemed oblivious to the messages you were trying to send him, after the game, write down the URL and directions how to get to this board and then tell him, "I know some guys who like to help newer officials -- check this out tomorrow and look especially hard at the thread called, 'What would you have said?'"

It's an old Dear Abby move, God bless her little ol' in-your-face-fadeaway-jumper-nothing-but-net soul. Had a mean crossover dribble, too, as I recall.

Blazing Saddles (1974) ...
 

Whew. I thought that you were going to finish your statement another way.

YouTube - Classic Movie Line #34

That's where I carry my written speech for my coaches/captains meeting. ;)

There's no reason to sound like its all about you. Just say, "hey, we all need to learn to trust our partners. When there's a fast break, we need to let the guy(s) on it make the call, and the other guy(s) clean anything up behind them."

DON'T get into a lecture about "staying out of my area." That's defensive, unproductive, and in many cases, its wrong. Example: a trail moving from backcourt to front court. C is at or around division line. Trail is straight-lined or only at a small angle between ball handler and defender. Dribbler, moving fast, passes the ball off, but runs into the defender for a block charge call someone needs to make. C has the perfect angle though he may be farther away and "out" of the T's area.

My speech on the subject:

As a rule, if you make that call, from there, it makes us look bad, even if you're right. If you make that call, from there and you're wrong, it is truly inexcusable.

So pick your spot carefully, and if you feel you must make that call from there, do so, but be sure that you're right.

I had something this happen last year. There was a fast break and I was new L (2 whistle). Player goes up for a succesful shot with a defender on them but not making contact. I hear a whistle, look up, and see my partner standing at the midcourt line. He reports the foul, we shoot 1, and move on with life.

We talked afterward and I let him know that it wasn't a bad thing that he called the foul (maybe he saw something I didn't and I'm not going to get picky about coverage on a fast break like that), but the optics of calling it from the midcourt stripe perhaps weren't the best. He was very receptive and agreed to try and be more aware of court positioning in the future.

I think how you approach someone about this type of conversation depends on what their attitude is about receiving feedback. If you've got a know-it-all (be it D1 or sub-varsity) they may not be as open as someone who realizes that feedback on this type of situation is valuable and helps you be a better official.

Bob,
Point well taken, however, this isn't an isolated event but a pattern most likely caused by inexperience and lack of knowledge. Are you suggesting to just let the problem perpetuate itself?

This is where I disagree with Bob big time. I think these situations need to be addressed if this is a constant situation. If it happens once I can live with this. But if this happens often, I cannot just let it go. Because we are obviously are not on the same page or your partner is not trusting your judgment. But as I said, sometimes these things are not easily discussed or accepted by all parties. It is very possible that the discussion might get a little contentious or defensive.

Peace

Or at best very uncomfortable because we aren't that good of friends or frequent partners. I just hate to see a less experienced guy make the same mistakes a lot. The AD and I were actaully talking about this a little the other night. He's now a girls HS coach, former men's college coach. and is also a licensed official. He agrees my assessment of the quick whistle and not quite distinguishing "incidental contact" from a foul.

Nothing in the OP indicated it was a constant situation. My only point is for everyone who thinks someone else calls the game too tight, there's someone else who thinks that a game is being called too loose.

(It's like George Carlin's commentary on the idiot and maniac drivers).

It is not about "tight" or "loose" calls when you are calling something in someone's area.

Peace

Most of the time these situations can be talked about during a pre game. Make sure to talk about court coverages, and make sure to tell him that he "MUST TRUST HIS PARTNERS":rolleyes:!!

If you think the guy will get better from the feedback, tell him what you perceive in detail, and let him know that you are trying to help him, not ripping him. It's your opinion, and most others probably share it, so he needs to help himself if he wants to.

If he won't get better from the feedback, don't say anything and get on with life. Hopefully, you'll move upwards, and he won't, but this happens at every level in some form!

I simply ask: What did you see there? And then go from there ...

I will say this, from the perspective of having dialed long distance only to get the wrong number, this is the easiest way to start it. And the best.

My response is to always to answer humbly, recognizing that merely by asking the question, the other official is telling me I may have kicked it.