What to Do?

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

As a coach, I am certainly going to have the official "consult" with HIS partners during a break.

How are you going to do that if he doesn't want to consult with his partners? And in my experience, very few of these guys will want to(unfortunately).

As a coach, if this call was made in your favor at a critical time, would you still immediately petition one of this guy's partners to go in and see if the call could be changed before the ball was put back in play? Just wondering from a coach's perspective.....

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

How are you going to do that if he doesn't want to consult with his partners? And in my experience, very few of these guys will want to(unfortunately).

As a coach, if this call was made in your favor at a critical time, would you still immediately petition one of this guy's partners to go in and see if the call could be changed before the ball was put back in play? Just wondering from a coach's perspective.....

JR,
I can only REQUEST that he consult his partner. You are correct, if he doesn't want to, there is NOTHING that I can do as a coach -- at that moment.

The philosophical question you ask is an intriguing one. As a coach, my job is to coach my team. As part of that job, I will ask officials for clarifications on several items, request that an official keep an eye on certain aspects of the way our opponent is playing, etc.

In an actual game situation that you describe, I would/will certainly point out the error to the official should the call be made against my team. I would/will likely not point out the error to the official during the game should the call be made in my team's favor -- I will leave that up to my opposing counterpart to know that rule. At the same time, I will point out the error to the official after the game. I will also CONFIRM the error if a partner would identify the error and look to me for confirmation.

During games, I really try hard not to say much to the officials during the course of a game -- choosing to focus on coaching my players. I will frequently confirm officials' calls during a game when one of my player's does not feel they have done anything wrong or is unsure as to what they may have done by saying, "that was a foul/violation, you did (fill in the blank)."

I know that in most cases, the opposing coach is not going to be doing anything that will aid my team, but will typically be arguing in his/her team's favor. Therefore, I would be putting my team at a disadvantage by pointing items out on both sides of the ball. My agreement with the vast majority of the officials' calls is already doing far more than the typical opposing coach does.

Upon some additional reflection, I can tell you that in a soccer game, I did point out a major gaffe made by the referee in a close game in which our player had illegally scored on a Penalty Kick -- he put the ball in the net after it had deflected off of the cross bar and touched no other player. Nevadaref and several other soccer referees would know that this double-touch is illegal. I did point out this error to the center referee thus wiping out our goal.

A very interesting and fair question to ask.

[Jurassic Referee]

And a very interesting and honest response.

Thank you.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

Have her backup to her spot before she takes the ball from this official

[Splute]

Over my short career I have only encountered these incorrect calls by experienced officials. It seems they have failed to stay current on the rules and case plays. During the game I tell them at the time they make the ruling the correct rule and let them decide to stay with their call or change. After the game I email them the correct ruling in a very supportive and cordial manner. Most reply with a thank you, because they want to get the call correct. Others do not respond at all. Either way, they now know the rule and I bet they will call it correct next time. Furthermore, although they kicked that rule, I find that their game management and coach management skills are awesome. Their ability on the floor is solid; they just didnt stay current on rules.

[CMHCoachNRef]

Originally Posted by Splute

Over my short career I have only encountered these incorrect calls by experienced officials. It seems they have failed to stay current on the rules and case plays. During the game I tell them at the time they make the ruling the correct rule and let them decide to stay with their call or change. After the game I email them the correct ruling in a very supportive and cordial manner. Most reply with a thank you, because they want to get the call correct. Others do not respond at all. Either way, they now know the rule and I bet they will call it correct next time. Furthermore, although they kicked that rule, I find that their game management and coach management skills are awesome. Their ability on the floor is solid; they just didnt stay current on rules.

In SOME cases, I agree with you. For those folks, it is an education issue. In Ohio, a Class 1 official NEVER NEEDS TO TAKE A TEST!!! The same applies to Class 2s and Class 3s unless they want to upgrade. At the same time, we ALL need to keep up with Rules Changes, Cases and Interps. If you aren't willing to put forth the effort to accomplish this task, it is time to hang them up.

In OTHER cases, the officials have decided how they are going to call the game and they have NO INTEREST in keeping up from an education perspective. I don't care how good their game management/coach management skills may be in the cases of these officials (NOTE: BIG difference between this group and the prior group), they need to step aside.

In some areas of the country, there may be a shortage of basketball officials (as is our case with soccer officials). But, in Central Ohio, we have more officials than we have games. For those officials not interesteed in putting forth the effort to stay up with the rules, PLEASE step aside and give way to the newer officials who ARE willing to put forth the effort.

[archangel]

Originally Posted by CMHCoachNRef

If you aren't willing to put forth the effort to accomplish this task, it is time to hang them up.

In OTHER cases, the officials have decided how they are going to call the game and they have NO INTEREST in keeping up from an education perspective...they need to step aside.

For those officials not interested in putting forth the effort to stay up with the rules, PLEASE step aside and give way to the newer officials who ARE willing to put forth the effort.

I dont disagree, but why belabor the point?
Its naive to think that one would say "Im hanging it up because I dont want to get better". Everyone has their own motivations on what they choose to do or not do. People are promoted or demoted, by others with the authority, rarely by personal choice.
By asking "Please" on this site, I'm curious who you think you're speaking to? Dont you think any official who visits this site probably desires to learn/become better?
I'm guessing, and dont need an answer, that your venting is based in a personal frustration...

[26 Year Gap]

There are some people who are only in it for the money. They complain loudest and longest if receipt of game fees are delayed. They often boast about how many games they do. Sounds like the OP is looking at an association who is not well trained perhaps or has some in the first mentioned category doing JV games. In any event, it may be something for the coach and or AD to handle by contacting the association.