Hell of a game last night, feedback on a OOB call...

[Berkut]

Thanks for all the pointers guys. It's these little tweaks that really make the difference between a good official and an excellent one. I think I am good, but I want to be excellent.

Appreciate the feedback.

Take-away: In the future, maybe don't even signal at all until I confer, that was I don't have to reverse anything, should I decide my initial view was

A) Wrong, give the ball to white, or
B) Still not sure, go to the arrow.

[Vinski]

I’ve run into this as well, and like other have said when transitioning to the new lead don’t forsake all just to beat the fast break. In this situation where the ball is on your side line and you are lead, stay with the play a bit along the side line (10 feet in front of or so, while trying to maintain some sort of angle).

Not only will it help you with OOB, but fouling action as well. Of course, if the dribbler breaks free, then you have to really hustle to beat the break, or button hook if you can’t make it.

[fiasco]

Next time, as you said, blow your whistle only if your partner fails to, since it was his line, and then conference with him. If he has no clue, you really need to go with the AP unless you're absolutely certain who touched it last.

[biggravy]

I want to hit on what I see as the major issue here: Am I missing a major mechanics point? If ball goes oob table side in BC during fast break w/ me on the opposite side of the floor, how on earth is that my line? Is it really? I'm not being smart aleck, I seriously have never read that, heard that, or been taught that. If I am missing something please let me know!

It also brings up my biggest reason for never, ever doing two man again. I am in good enough shape to beat the kids down the floor in two man, but I ABSOLUTELY HATE having to run on the fast break and look back over my shoulder instead of looking where I am running. All our schools here V is 3 man. Except one cheapo school. I go there for a two man game and have this same fast break situation. I am table side ball coming up my line fast and under pressure keeping me right on the sideline instead of on the court. Next thing I know, I am looking at the ceiling. My knee collided with the forehead of a very stout two year old girl and I landed in an awkward pile on the floor. Game management in this place did nothing to keep fans from walking down that sideline in front of the benches. Somehow, we both wound up okay. It could have been a career ender for me. No more two man. O, and the ball went oob on my line. I think it went off of home, but not sure since I am now looking at the ceiling. I give it to V. Home coach goes nuts. I tell him keep your fans out of the way or don't talk to me about who's ball it is.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by biggravy

I want to hit on what I see as the major issue here: Am I missing a major mechanics point? If ball goes oob table side in BC during fast break w/ me on the opposite side of the floor, how on earth is that my line? Is it really? I'm not being smart aleck, I seriously have never read that, heard that, or been taught that. If I am missing something please let me know!

This is something Referee proposed (proposes?) as an alternate mechanic -- give the official the line based on whose primary it is. The argument is that, especially in the front court above the FT line extended, the lead is not even looking there (cause it's not their primary). Interesting, but I've pretty much dismissed that thinking -- how can a trail call a ball that slowly approaches the sideline and may or may not have touched OOB on the other side of the court?

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

Give the official the line based on whose primary it is. The argument is that, especially in the front court above the FT line extended, the lead is not even looking there (cause it's not their primary). Interesting, but I've pretty much dismissed that thinking -- how can a trail call a ball that slowly approaches the sideline and may or may not have touched OOB on the other side of the court?

IAABO mechanics give this as an option.

[IUgrad92]

Originally Posted by Berkut

Thanks for all the pointers guys. It's these little tweaks that really make the difference between a good official and an excellent one. I think I am good, but I want to be excellent.

Appreciate the feedback.

Take-away: In the future, maybe don't even signal at all until I confer, that was I don't have to reverse anything, should I decide my initial view was

A) Wrong, give the ball to white, or
B) Still not sure, go to the arrow.

I agree that 2-person mechanics, each official always has 2 boundary lines. But if you guys do it differently for backcourt, so be it.

From your OP, if you knew beyond doubt the direction you would have signaled it immediately, I'm assuming. Since you hesitated and looked to your partner for help, you have limited yourself to 2 options. 1) He signals the direction and you move on, or 2) he signals to you that he's not sure, and at that point you would signal jump ball and go AP.

Once you look to your partner for help, I think it's in your best interest to NOT make the call because of the hesitation. Going AP is not the end of the world. Just tell the one coach that's still upset that it was one of those bang-bang plays that neither of you saw, and that you're not going to guess. The conversation should end there!

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by IUgrad92

I agree that 2-person mechanics, each official always has 2 boundary lines.

Trail has 3 lines.

[IUgrad92]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Trail has 3 lines.

Agreed, but I don't consider the division line a boundary line, which I specified.

[fiasco]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Trail has 3 lines.

I had a partner once who did 3 lines before the game...does that count?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by fiasco

I had a partner once who did 3 lines before the game...does that count?

$3.50 buys a can of 5 Hour Energy. Cheaper than the lines.

[fiasco]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Trail has 3 lines.

Actually, as trail you have two lines and as lead you have two lines. There shouldn't be a situation where you are actively covering three lines at once. If so, you got problems.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by fiasco

Actually, as trail you have two lines and as lead you have two lines. There shouldn't be a situation where you are actively covering three lines at once. If so, you got problems.

Division line.

[fiasco]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Division line.

Yes, I realize this.

As lead, you have the endline and the sideline closest to you.

As trail, you have the division line and the sideline closest to you. (Technically speaking, you have the endline at the other end of the court, but by the time you get down there, for all intents and purposes, you are new lead.)

[BillyMac]

Originally Posted by fiasco

As lead, you have the endline and the sideline closest to you. As trail, you have the division line and the sideline closest to you. (Technically speaking, you have the endline at the other end of the court, but by the time you get down there, for all intents and purposes, you are new lead.)

You guys that are using NFHS mechanics are lucky. Two-person IAABO mechanics give officials a few options which must be pregamed. For example, the lead may have the sideline only up to the free throw line extended, so the trail has his own sideline and the opposite sideline from the free throw line extended all the way back to the backcourt endline, basically your primary coverage area. My personal opinion is that an out of bounds call should almost be instinctive, and should be called decisively, almost all the time. It's tough to go from a game with partner A on Tuesday night using boundary responsibilities similar to those used by the NFHS, and then use the new IAABO boundary responsibilities on Friday night with partner B. I wish IAABO would go with one, or the other, and forget the options.

The manual is also poorly written. It describes the new IAABO option, but doesn't bother to explain what to do if you choose not to use the option. Also, the new option doesn't work in transition, or during a press/press break situation.