King for a day

[Rich]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Coaches should not be allowed to request timeouts during live ball situations. Over the past several years there have been a few points of emphasis regarding coaches calling timeouts during live ball situations, but this hasn’t made the enforcement of this rule any easier. A common situation is where a player is trapped along a boundary, often in a corner, is about to turnover the ball, or is about to be caught in a held ball situation, or is about to commit a five second violation, and the coach requests a timeout to maintain possession of the ball. As officials, we’re watching for fouls, traveling, boundary lines, counting five seconds, etc., a very difficult situation to begin with, and now we hear, usually from behind us, “time out”. We have to make sure that the request came from the head coach, not an assistant coach, or from a parent sitting behind the team bench, and check to make sure that the ball is being held, or dribbled, by a player from that head coach’s team, before we grant the request. Either go back to the old rule only allowing players holding, or dribbling, the ball to request a timeout, or only allow coaches to request timeouts during dead ball situations, including during the dead ball period immediately after a made basket.

I think a big part of the problem is situational awareness. We had one situation last night where a coach was right in front of the L going down the floor asking for a timeout at a logical time and the L didn't notice it. I caught it first from the C opposite the table -- I was looking for it. You can't always know when someone is going to request a timeout, but you should have an idea. Good official, too, just didn't hear the coach. I was looking across for it.

I'm on the opposite side here. I'd hate to know a coach wanted a timeout and have to wait until he/she got the player's attention in order to grant it. I remember those days. Now is better.

Eliminate all live ball timeouts? I'd go for that.

We have 16-minute halves as an option in non-conference games this season. No incentive for the coaches, really. It costs them 2 free 60-second timeouts. If we'd given them each an extra 30-second timeout or required a "media timeout" in each half at the first dead ball under 8 minutes, we'd see more teams try it out, I think. I'd like this -- 2 less last second shot possibilities and two less AP situations.