New FT mechanic
 

Last weekend, I worked three MS "tourney" games with a guy from across the Columbia river in Washington state. They are using the new FT mechanic there for two person games while here in Oregon, we are not. The games were in my state. Neither of us thought about discussing it prior to our first game, so when the first FT occurred, we both went to the table side (him at trail, me at lead). We then realized what had happened and kind of laughed about it. At the first timeout, we discussed it. He told me he would prefer to use the old mechanic for two reasons. First, we were in Oregon and second, he thought the new mechanic sucked.

He said he hated being that close to the benches for that amount of time with no recourse to move. His other reason had to do with working two person mostly at lower level than V games where the clock operators were not necessarily experienced and didn't know to hit the horn at the right time to indicate a sub, so he would always have his back to the subs when they wanted to check in and they would have to yell at him to come in. He said there were quite a few times subs didn't get to come in properly because of this. He said in these cases, his partner at lead couldn't see the subs from where he stood because the players along the lane were in his sight line.

When we were done with all three games, he thanked me for letting him have the opportunity to use the "old" mechanic and said he wished his assn. had never adopted the new one.

Comments?

As it's been said many times earlier, Texas has been going table side in two person for a while now. A couple of points:

1. I actually like being close to the bench areas. It's easier for me to communicate with coaches when the need arises.

2. After you get used to being table side, checking for subs becomes almost instinctual. The only real time there's a problem is on the made last free throw, but a quick glance as you start in transition helps get those last subs that sprint to the table. As far as the lead having trouble seeing subs at the table, I don't really have this issue and I'm pretty short as far as officials go.

I am still trying to adapt to being table-side and don't mind the glance over the shoulder. I think the biggest problem I have (sub-V and Rec) is that the subs ARE NOT at the table when you glance back there and then the table tries to get your attention and the coaches try the steady stream of players from the bench to the table, etc., etc. I know we don't have to let them in the game....but, the parade of subs at the sub-V level sux!

Norcal
 

We're using it.

I'm liking it.

I like that coaches don't have to yell across the floor. They have been ,for the most part, showing the ability to have conversations while I'm tableside. It seems to have cut down on hooting and hollaring when I'm close to them.

The subs issue is just a quick glance and away we go.

All in all I vote to keep it....so far.:)

How Close is Too Close?
 

Some might feel uncomfortable being "that close to the benches", but it might not be the fault of the mechanic, but of the implimentation of it.
Actually, if the trail on a free throw was in a position to observe both the free thrower's feet and the two upper lane spaces opposite the lane, he wouldn't necessarily be "that close to the benches" after all.
Most of the guys I've heard complaining about this are way out by the sideline, far to far away from being able to view what they need to observe as trail during a free throw.
Maybe we could call on Billy Mac would put a dot on the rocketship diagram to illustrate this proper position. Unless the diagram is inaccurate in its proportions, the trail wouldn't be "that close to the benches" afterall.
Anybody else sense this?

I don't mind it. I personally haven't had any problems with coaches talking to me after calling a foul on his/her team. The only time I had a problem with a coach was while I was walking to the table to report the foul.

I've gotten in the habit of glancing at the table at every potential sub opportunity, so it's no big deal to me to look behind me at the table when I'm in T.

That's just me though...

We're using it.

I have had no negative bench/coach issues with being that close. In fact, I had a rather positive one just last night as a coach was able to get something off his mind while he had my ear.

The subs issue hasn't been that much of an issue. You get used to looking. The L helps out.

What I don't like about it is that it feels like we go lengthy stretches of time without switching. Perhaps it's because the same team tends to run the same plays, which lead to the same fouls called by the same official which keeps him in the same spot. I've started to pre-game that if we haven't switched for two fouls in a row, we're going to switch regardless of the mechanic.

And I Get 10% ...
 

Now you're in trouble Freddy. Just changing uppercase letters to lower case letters, and making two words into one word, does not excuse you from copyright infringement. Back In The Saddle's legal people will be contacting your people on Monday morning. Back In The Saddle gave his people a four day weekend to celebrate Festivus.

"The Rocket Ship Diagram" © 2009, Back In The Saddle
The use of the phrase, "The Rocket Ship Diagram", without the express written consent of Back In The Saddle is strictly prohibited.

What are you talking about? It's not Festivus!! :D

To-May-To . . . To-Mah-To
 

I didn't say "Kleenex", I said "tissue". I didn't say "Bayer", I said "aspirin". I didn't say "Budweiser", I said "beer." I didn't say "Rocket Ship Diagram", I said "rocketship diagram."
Admittedly, I shouldn't have preceeded it with the definite pronoun "the". Besides, I don't know how to do the font with the little "c" in a circle.
How 'bout just put a dot on any old rocketshipdiagram you can cut and paste?

Happy Festivus ...
 

It certainly is. What else is celebrated on December 23?

Happy Festivus

To celebrate the holiday season, a donation has been made in your name to the Human Fund.

Festivus For The Rest Of Us

http://thm-a03.yimg.com/image/3b14cfc832063afe

My bad, Billy... I thought it had already passed!! Oops

I'm feeling particularly festive tonight, so I'll cut you in for 25% just this once. ;)

And this is a "positive" why? :confused: Plus, you're assuming that coaches have minds. ;)

It was a positive because he was able to express his concern quietly, calmly, while it was still a lizard. It never had a chance to grow into a dragon.

But you got me on the "coaches have minds" thing :D

I thought initially that the tableside mechanic might be trouble, but it really hasn't been. In my experience so far, coaches are asking questions more and being more civil rather than chirping across the court. I think they feel like they have to be more reasonable if you're standing closer to them. That may just be me though.

I do agree though with whoever said that you shouldn't be standing right on the sideline. During FTs as Trail, I'm about half way between the sideline and the near side of the lane.

If I had my preference, I'd do this mechanic. I liked table side in 3 person, too, though. I think it's asinine, however, that they move opposite in 3 person just as they go tableside in 2. Really?

IAABO isn't doing the table side 2, however, so now it all matches again.

Who is "they?" FED still has the calling official go tableside in 3-person mechanics.

Oh, maybe that's another IAABO change, then. Interesting. We're going opposite in 3-person now.

I still do not like the 2-whistle mechanic. It's not because of the trail but the lead. On a FT, I actually backed out of the lane opposite table in a 3-whistle game last night. :eek:

I had a run of about 3 2-whistle games and I guess it rubbed off. My partners had a good laugh and I was embarrassed.

For years, I have gone tableside as lead on a FT whether it is 2-whistle or 3-whistle. Now they change it on me. I want it changed back!

I think this is less noticeable than a Trail who is used to 2-whistle reporting a foul and then running across the court, only to wave to C and turn around. :eek:

2/3 man guys
 

When you're working both systems, I think it's easier to use the old method in 2-man... the lead is much more accustomed to staying table-side.

Here in Nebraska, we've been given permission to use either mechanic in 2-man, our association is reverting to the old method...

Do the coaches act any differently in the 2nd half when you are no longer standing reasonably close to them after you call fouls on their defense?

The biggest problem I see is that officials accustomed to 3-person will tend to hang out near the division line DURING free throws in 2-man meaning that the lead ends up with all seven players on the lane line and the shooter.

I still MUCH prefer the old mechanic -- I much prefer to be facing the scorer's table for subs, communicating number of shots, etc. The coaches still have a chance to, uh, ask for clarification as soon as I report the foul.

Among other things, the trail was much more likely to be able to help out on free throws in the old mechanic.

Actually yes, I have noticed on occasion that they get more chirpy when you get further away from them in the second half. I had to give a coach the stop sign the other day in this situation.

Nothing scientific, just a general observation about the new mechanic.

I've only worked one 2-man game this year. I had the opposite. In the first half I had to deal with a chirpy coach. In the 2nd half I didn't hear any comments from that coach.

We've been using this mechanic for a couple of years
 

I don't like it. I understand the reasoning. 1.) It gets the trail use to going table side like they will in three man. 2.) Better communication with the coaches.

My responses....

1.) Although the trail is using the same mechanic in two man as in three, the lead administering the free throw is not. He is now backing out opposite table. In three man he would be going table side. So we change the mechanic to help the trail but we now have the lead doing something different. We help one while hurting the other in my opinion.

2.) Standing by the coaches isn't necessarily going to improve communication. It just places you closer to the coach. Now they don't have to yell.