was that travelling?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by bainsey

On the contrary, I've been using that line during pre-games for a few years now, and I have fewer problems when using it.

The message isn't, "complain about anything you like." The message is, "I'm willing to listen, but you have to keep your cool." No-one has abused it yet.

What else do you say in your pregames?

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

What else do you say in your pregames?

We'll play the black line all around. Blue don't talk to white, white don't talk to blue. Keep the hands off, we'll be watching close for hand checks....

That's how I start anyway. I just keep going until the captains and coaches fall asleep and I can slip out of the gym unnoticed with my game check.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

We'll play the black line all around. Blue don't talk to white, white don't talk to blue. Keep the hands off, we'll be watching close for hand checks....

That's how I start anyway. I just keep going until the captains and coaches fall asleep and I can slip out of the gym unnoticed with my game check.

Smiley? Blue text? Give us somethin' here Rich...don't expect everyone to grasp your context.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by mbyron

Smiley? Blue text? Give us somethin' here Rich...

I think Rich is counting on all of us knowing he doesn't back pedal on the basketball court.

[ABC Coach]

According to all the posts I've read, I called the play correctly. The guy gathered the ball with his right foot down. He then stepped onto his left foot which would normally have been his plant for a jump towards the hoop. Then while the defensive player came flying by, the shooter pulled his right foot up to meet his left and just stood there while the defender passed.

Someone asked how I handled the guy...well, this guy was a jerk from the start. I had warned him early in the game to stop complaining. About 10 minutes after that, he flipped out over some call that didn't go his team's way and was in my face about it. I gave him a tech for that one. This whole traveling business happened about 2 quarters later...towards the end of the game. He was flaring his arms and shouting at me loud enough for the entire gym to clearly hear his nonsense. I couldn't let it slide, so I teched him again and that was it.

Gentlemen, bear in mind that for the past 15 years, this league has NEVER had a certified ref...for that matter I don't know if there's ever been an officially trained ref watching over these games. The players are used to complaining over the calls for 2 or 3 minutes every time they don't like what was called. It will take some time to undo that mentality.

Thanks for all the advice.

[Adam]

ABC, sounds like a good chance for a zero tolerance policy on complaints. How old are these players? It sounds like they're adults.

Start handing out Ts and it'll stop. Might start with a letter to all teams explaining the newly stepped up enforcement.

[Lotto]

Originally Posted by ABC Coach

According to all the posts I've read, I called the play correctly.

If I understand your narrative, you didn't quite call the play correctly, but you were close. Let me take your scenario, remove the parts that don't matter, and comment:

The guy gathered the ball with his right foot down. He then stepped onto his left foot ...

OK, so now the right foot is the pivot foot.

...the shooter pulled his right foot up

Still legal...the pivot foot is lifted.

to meet his left and just stood there

As soon as the right foot touches the court again, we have a travel.

while the defender passed.

And here's the small error---you don't wait for the defender to pass. This is a travel as soon as the right foot retouches the floor.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

What else do you say in your pregames?

The usual...properly and legally equipped...sportsmanship...noting anything funky about the gym. Why?

[Adam]

Originally Posted by bainsey

The usual...properly and legally equipped...sportsmanship...noting anything funky about the gym. Why?

I'm always curious about peoples' pregames. I assume by funky, you're talking about side baskets or overhanging balconies and such. I don't recall ever even mentioning those in pregames, as I've found (at least around here) the players aren't listening and the coaches want to get back to the bench.

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I'm always curious about peoples' pregames. I assume by funky, you're talking about side baskets or overhanging balconies and such. I don't recall ever even mentioning those in pregames, as I've found (at least around here) the players aren't listening and the coaches want to get back to the bench.

Seems like this topic was discussed at length a month or two ago. Important topic, nonetheless.

[bainsey]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

I assume by funky, you're talking about side baskets or overhanging balconies and such.

Right. Those don't come up often, but if you're dealing with an older and smaller gym where overhangs are close, they need to be pointed out. Come to think of it, there's a brand new (built last year) gym where the side baskets don't retract! (A little oversight.) There's also a local middle school gym where one set of bleachers literally end flush with the sideline. You have to improvise throw-ins a little there.

Other than that, it's the usual: Is everyone properly and legally equipped? Can I expect good sporting behavior from everyone here? I don't do speaking captains, but I always end it with the aforementioned, "Head coaches, and players on the floor, question anything you like, as long as you're civil about it. Let's have fun!"

[Adam]

I guess I don't bother with the gym stuff because, while it may be my first time in this gym, all the players have likely played in gyms with overhangs and side baskets that don't retract. They all know those things are out of bounds.

I don't do speaking captains either, although I found quite a few of the refs around here do. I don't even ask the captains to show me their numbers.

"Introduce yourselves. You know who your hotheads are, so take care of them for us. Have a good game."

[Jurassic Referee]

Originally Posted by Snaqwells

"Introduce yourselves. Any questions? Have a good game."

Fixed it for you. Too loquacious.

As the R in a 3-man, just for hell of it I introduced us pre-game at the captains' meeting by saying "My name is Daryl..and this is my brother Daryl...and this is my other brother Daryl." Not one of the captains noticed or said anything. They just stood there like they normally do..vacant-eyed, not listening, watching the stands or the cheerleaders.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

Fixed it for you. Too loquacious.

As the R in a 3-man, just for hell of it I introduced us pre-game at the captains' meeting by saying "My name is Daryl..and this is my brother Daryl...and this is my other brother Daryl." Not one of the captains noticed or said anything. They just stood there like they normally do..vacant-eyed, not listening, watching the stands or the cheerleaders.

I sometimes add, "No fast breaks." For a girls game: "No hanging from the rim."

Gets a laugh about 75% of the time.

[just another ref]

Originally Posted by Jurassic Referee

As the R in a 3-man, just for hell of it I introduced us pre-game at the captains' meeting by saying "My name is Daryl..and this is my brother Daryl...and this is my other brother Daryl." Not one of the captains noticed or said anything. They just stood there like they normally do..vacant-eyed, not listening, watching the stands or the cheerleaders.

They were being polite, since you obviously screwed it up. Everybody knows that your name should have been Larry.