[QUOTE=chseagle;646323]The big question is then: how many times does the official scorer actually signal the bonus without being asked?

Another question for everyone, do you prefer the player fouls being shown on the scoreboard, or should this just be up to the official book to keep track?

Not my duties to track individuals fouls, So, I will not be concerned if they do or not.

I remember from when I was doing book, even if I was the visitors' scorebook, I'd always signal when bonus was in effect. I still do signal, even though not doing book.

My reasoning for asking about the player fouls on the board, is basically as a second record (as the scoreboard controls my alma mater uses has memory built in to keep track of the player fouls), & also a way for the coach to keep track without having to ask the book all the time.

Maybe I'll try that next time I do a game. Do nothing but the time on the scoreboard & let the book(s) get asked all the time about the score & the fouls.

Especially since, technically, all a timer has to do is keep track/tabs on the time in the game. Nowhere is it listed that the timer has to keep track of the score or fouls.

I was asking about the player fouls on the board, as I've seen it done in the past where the officials have noticed that the board lists a player with 5 fouls before the book says anything. So it can help expedite a game.

I hardly ever pay attention to the bonus on the table. And I always thought the light was pointed toward the bench. Then again, I do not pay attention to that in the first place. That is what the clock is for.

Peace

Rule 2-11-10: Signal in each half when a player commits a common foul beginning with his/her team’s seventh & 10th foul.

Rule 2-11-5: Record the personal & technical fouls called on each player & notify an official immediately when the fifth foul (personal & technical) is charged to any player, the second technical foul is charged to any team member, bench personnel, or directly to the head coach, or the third technical foul is charged to the head coach.

Actually both 2-11-5 & 2-11-10 state that the scorer needs to be in communication with the officials concerning fouls. Though I've seen it where the officials have had to ask the scorer about the foul situation, instead of the scorer letting the officials know of a person's 5th personal, or a team's 7th or 10th foul.

Especially since not all tables have the setup for signaling the bonus. Very true about the scoreboard though about the bonus being lit appropriately.

We're not concerned with tracking individual fouls. Whether or not they are displayed on the scoreboard is irrelevant as it's not official - by rule we have to be notified by the official book when a player DQ's on fouls, then there is a specific procedure that we must follow. A few seconds here or there isn't significant.

We really aren't concerned with tracking team fouls either, but it is useful to know when a team is getting close to the bonus or double bonus situation. That said, we still have to confirm it with the official book.

sseltser wasn't being facetious - with the exception of the time, everything else displayed on the scoreboard, while it may be useful, is not official. When push comes to shove, it's what is in the official book that counts.

Hence why in one of my earlier postings, I was saying that one of the times I'm doing scorebaord/timer, I'll just have the time displayed on the scoreboard & nothing else. This way the scorebook would have to be relied on 100%, instead of the coaches looking at the scoreboard for information.

No you won't.

Until I remove you, of course.

I'm spoiled, I guess. I work pretty much only varsity and juco ball these days, so we always have team fouls on the board. We signal each other at 6 and 9 and we're almost never surprised by a bonus situation.

I don't care about the bonus light on the scoreboard or at the table or at the reporting of the individual fouls on the board as I don't even look there.

I'd pay to see this.....
 

And then of course he'd just move to "crowd control" and provide the coaches, trainer, table, parents, EMT's, ambulance drivers, and the officials "advice" for the rest of the game...... ;)

You're joking, right? I'm asking this before I tell you what I really think of this idea.

Yes I am joking. Although it wouldn't surprise me if no one noticed since we don't get large crowds for C-Squad games.

If I was to do it, it'd be during a C-Squad game.

Good, I can delete that paragraph I wrote about a power trip. ;)

Glad to hear it - in the future you might want to use an emoticon to indicate that though......;)

A visible game clock and scoreboard are mandatory per rule 1-15 and an alternate device must be available in the event of malfunction.

No one said that the information on the scoreboard isn't useful...just that except for the clock, it's technically not official. By rule we have to confirm with the official scorekeeper. Mistooks happen - that's why the rules recommend the timer and scorekeeper be next to each other at the table so they can confer with each other. I take it one step further - if both teams have a book (and they should), I want both books to sit near enough to each other at the table that they can cross check to make sure everyone is on the same page.

While on the subject of the official book, most folks assume the home book is the official book - it usually is, but not necessarily. By rule, the referee is responsible for designating the official book.