Your Signal Peeves?

[Freddy]

A Consensus of Non-Fed Signal Pet Peeves
Universal (or nearly so) to Everyone’s Area, Region, Planet, and Universe

1. Upward circling finger when free throw fails to hit the rim
2. Blocking foul signal that looks like the chicken dance
3. Over-the-back signal that looks like Superman flying
4. Timeout signal using a T motion
5. Brushing of palms together to indicate a clean blocked shot
6. Reporting numbers to table with two hands
7. No stop/start clock with raised open hand
8. Directional point angled toward the sky
9. Choppy, short visible counts
10. Double personal foul signal to report a full timeout
11. Thirty second timeout signal pointing thumbs to shoulders with pinkies out
12. Hammering the fists on hips for a blocking foul
13. Travel signal for a throw-in designated spot violation
14. Lazy little fist bump to start the clock
15. Running hand up and down the line to indicate out-of-bounds violation
16. Safe signal to communicate no foul
17. Commonly indicating with two fingers that the goal is for two points, not three
18. Pointing “on the floor” to indicate the player has not started his shooting motion
19. Inbounding and covering side of mouth like coughing when blowing whistle
20. Frankenstein Creeping Death/Zombie signal for “over the back”

[Mark Padgett]

You forgot one.

21. Partner not using any signal at all and allowing game to go into overtime.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Hammering the fists on hips for a blocking foul.

Guilty. I'm so ashamed. I ran out of gas. I had a flat tire. I didn't have enough money for cab fare. My tux didn't come back from the cleaners. An old friend came in from out of town. Someone stole my car. There was an earthquake. A terrible flood. Locusts. It wasn't my fault, I swear to God. (Apologies to "Joliet Jake", A/K/A, John Belushi)

Do I have to turn in my patch?

[fullor30]

Holiday tournies are special in the Chicago area with many great venues and teams. I reffed in a few so far and watched a few. The other day at a morning game the crew looked like they were in the elephants graveyard, where old, tired bulls go to die. Pet peeve of the day was no mechanics, beckoning of subs consisted of a tired, small finger wave to bring them in as if it was an annoyance to him that he had to do it. They were totally bored, I've seen better interest at a third grade park district game.

Day after Christmas so maybe the all had too much turkey.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fullor30

Holiday tournies are special in the Chicago area with many great venues and teams. I reffed in a few so far and watched a few. The other day at a morning game the crew looked like they were in the elephants graveyard, where old, tired bulls go to die. Pet peeve of the day was no mechanics, beckoning of subs consisted of a tired, small finger wave to bring them in as if it was an annoyance to him that he had to do it. They were totally bored, I've seem better interest at a third grade park district game.

Day after Christmas so maybe the all had too much turkey.

I used to license in Illinois and come down and work some holiday games. We'd always do a morning game at one venue and an afternoon/evening game on the way home. I'll admit, it's hard to get the motor going for a 10AM game. But I know the crews you're talking about -- guys that you'd really worry about if one of the three officials went down with an injury.

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Freddy

A Consensus of Non-Fed Signal Pet Peeves
Universal (or nearly so) to Everyone’s Area, Region, Planet, and Universe

1. Upward circling finger when free throw fails to hit the rim
2. Blocking foul signal that looks like the chicken dance
3. Over-the-back signal that looks like Superman flying
4. Timeout signal using a T motion
5. Brushing of palms together to indicate a clean blocked shot
6. Reporting numbers to table with two hands
7. No stop/start clock with raised open hand
8. Directional point angled toward the sky
9. Choppy, short visible counts
10. Double personal foul signal to report a full timeout
11. Thirty second timeout signal pointing thumbs to shoulders with pinkies out
12. Hammering the fists on hips for a blocking foul
13. Travel signal for a throw-in designated spot violation
14. Lazy little fist bump to start the clock
15. Running hand up and down the line to indicate out-of-bounds violation
16. Safe signal to communicate no foul
17. Commonly indicating with two fingers that the goal is for two points, not three
18. Pointing “on the floor” to indicate the player has not started his shooting motion
19. Inbounding and covering side of mouth like coughing when blowing whistle
20. Frankenstein Creeping Death/Zombie/Count Dracula signal for “over the back”

which is made worse if the words "Over the back" are used while reporting.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Freddy

17. Commonly indicating with two fingers that the goal is for two points, not three

I once worked with a guy who would give the goal counts signal after virtually every goal.

[ripcord51]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I once worked with a guy who would give the goal counts signal after virtually every goal.

I worked with that same guy and what bugged me even more was when he signaled the two it was as if he was celebrating with the player acting like he was part of the accomplishment stopping short of high fiving the player at the same time signaling two over to the table.

[ripcord51]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I once worked with a guy who would give the goal counts signal after virtually every goal.

I think why every new ref to the game thinks this is so important is because if you watch a Hollywood movie about basketball that includes a basketball official they do this constantly. And act like it is their most important responsibility. See Billy Crystal in Forget Paris or Space Jam.

[chseagle]

I actually saw an official signal a shot-clock violation by patting both his head & stomach at the same time

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by ripcord51

A Hollywood movie about basketball that includes a basketball official.

Watched a "Numb3rs" episode, on CBS, Friday night, that made me want to puke all over the television. Home team is wearing red. Visitors are wearing light blue. Players on both teams are wearing white undershirts. Official calls a technical foul on the "CalSci" coach, but doesn't award free throws. "CalSci" coach wears a whistle during the game. Producers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on each episode. Why can't they spend a few bucks on a real official to check out the basketball scenes? I should send them my resume.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by BillyMac

Watched a "Numb3rs" episode, on CBS, Friday night, that made me want to puke all over the television. Home team is wearing red. Visitors are wearing light blue. Players on both teams are wearing white undershirts. Official calls a technical foul on the "CalSci" coach, but doesn't award free throws. "CalSci" coach wears a whistle during the game. Producers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on each episode. Why can't they spend a few bucks on a real official to check out the basketball scenes? I should send them my resume.

There's so much to love about Numb3rs as a show; but their basketball scenes are not among them.

There are far more things wrong with it than just what you mention. They bring Jordan Farmar from the Lakers to help stop their losing streak; and nothing is ever mentioned about potential sanctions. The gym itself is far too small for a college gym; hardly any bleachers at all. I'm assuming they were filming in a practice gym at some UC school.

As much as I love the show, they may as well have put David Krumholtz on water skis.

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

As much as I love the show, they may as well have put David Krumholtz on water skis.

To jump the shark?

[zebraman]

What is up with the mechanic I see on TV all the time (NCAA Men's games) where the lead official points the other direction after the defensive team gains control of a rebound. Is this a 3rd grade game where we need to remind the players which direction they are going?

[26 Year Gap]

Originally Posted by Cobra

I once worked with a guy who would give the goal counts signal after virtually every goal.

That USED to be the mechanic. When I officiated in the 70s you always signaled the number of points to the table. One of the things I had to UNlearn when I got back into officiating after a number of years off.