Survey says.....

[DLH17]

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

This would be the only line I might have a slight disagreement with. I don't think we should base our actions simply on the less risky approach, but rather what's right. Most of the time what's right is to let other more qualified people handle injuries and situations outside the game itself. But I'm not going to remove myself from a situation simply to avoid risk.

I'm on board with that logic, because what is right is right! Right? The flip side, which you and I often have to consider is - sometimes doing the "right thing" isn't going to be viewed as "the right thing" by certain people. I'm with you, let's be there to facilitate help and healing. Let's also remember that even when we, as officials, do the "right thing", there is still a very real possibility that we will be scorned for it by some. I just want to stay out of trouble.

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

A simple, game-related question: would you base a call on what would provide less risk? Perhaps a call that coaches and players would be less likely to get upset about? Or do you make the right call, even knowing someone may get upset?

We aren't talking about how to handle an injured player any longer, are we? To answer the question, not necessarily (probably never). My approach to officiating any game is guided more by how my partner(s) and I have determined we should manage that particular game. We don't have big pow wows before summer league games, for instance, but there is a general expectation/anticipation towards how we will manage/call those games. Choosing the path of "less risky" calls can get, well, uh, risky.

Originally Posted by M&M Guy

An injury-related story and question - just recently there was an accident on a local highway where a trucker took his eyes off the road and didn't see the traffic stopped in front of him for road construction. He plowed into several vehicles, and one of them caught fire. In an interview with one person who ran up and pulled one of the people out of the burning vehicle, he was surprised at the people who stood there, not helping, because they were afraid of doing something wrong and getting sued. 3 people left in the vehicle ended up dying. Given the Good Samaratin law on the books, how many of those 3 might've lived had people done the right thing, rather than worried about doing the thing that was less risky to them?

Different situation....life and death. I've never been a part of that on a basketball court. I'm sure my "less risk" approach would go right out the window, though, if someone's life was in fact on the line and I knew I could help.