I'm a Ball Watcher...

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by BktBallRef

You either have the shot or the shooter, not both. Trust your partner(s).

I was under the impression that in 2-person mechanics, that if the three point attempt is in your primary, you are responsible for indicating if it is successful or not. Am I wrong about that?

Thanks folks for the feedback, that is just what I was looking for.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I was under the impression that in 2-person mechanics, that if the three point attempt is in your primary, you are responsible for indicating if it is successful or not. Am I wrong about that?

Yes. Also the trail will mirror the lead's sucessful 3 point goal signal.

[iiicream]

I am an evaluator for our association (my first year doing only evaluations). I see many officials ball watching. The main reason I find for this is that the official doesn't trust his/her partner(s). Also some officials think they have to watch the ball action and not off-ball action. Usually in lower level games there is not much post play or screens happening so the official gets bored and feels they must 'help out' the partner(s). Watching PCA is a discipline we must all have in 2010.

[chseagle]

Shouldn't the only ones watching the ball all the time be the scorer, timer, & shot clock operator?

Of course only when the ball's live or about to become live

[Welpe]

Originally Posted by chseagle

Shouldn't the only ones watching the ball all the time be the scorer, timer, & shot clock operator?

Of course only when the ball's live or about to become live

This has been a good, informative and useful thread that I think will help a lot of us. I'm going to ask that you please do not start taking this thread into the realm of what the table crew, ADs, athletic trainers, concessions stand workers, cheerleaders or any other non-officials should be doing.

Thank you.

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Welpe

I was under the impression that in 2-person mechanics, that if the three point attempt is in your primary, you are responsible for indicating if it is successful or not. Am I wrong about that?

No, you're not wrong. But there are ways to know if the shot was good without looking at the basket.

[Juulie Downs]

One more suggestion to learn watching off-ball. Record college games off TV until there is an off-ball foul call (should be at least one good solid one every game, imo). After the whistle, report, reset, stop the recording device, rewind back to well before the foul. Watch the game again until that whistle. Keep rewinding-replaying until you SEE THE WHOLE PLAY BEFORE THE FOUL and could actually blow the whistle before the officical did.

This is also a great excuse to keep watching bball on TV when the spouse thinks you should be cleaning the gutters, walking the dog or doing the dishes. "I'm studying to advance my career!"