Bringing the ball back in play.
 

Early 4th quarter of what at the time was a close game. Visiting team has the ball and as they cross half court visiting team calls a time out. My partner who was in C called it, I was Trail and after communicating with C that the ball was going to be at mid court went and stood at my respective spot on the block in front of Home team's bench. Our partner who was in Lead, who without either of our knowledge informs Visiting coach that the ball will be inbounded on the baseline. We come out of the time out and I indicate the spot near mid-court where we will be bringing the ball in at and that is when the coach starts to yell "No! He told me it was on the baseline!!!" "I drew up a play...you have to put it baseline or give me 30 more seconds to change my play".

What do you do?

Enjoy the beer your partner buys you after the game.

Well its not coming in endline.
 

Tell the coach sideline it is. You may find a need at this time to go to the table and resolve some table issues, or huddle with other officials. ;)

Ok, so follow up question to this one. How do I go about telling my partner who has been officiating for 20 years plus years but fails to grasp the little things like this, without offending him? I'm the youngest guy on the crew by years, but have worked my tail off and was the R on the crew.

Rocket Ship Diagram ...
 

Include this with his Christmas card:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3582/...70756e11_m.jpg

Did you have one of the crew standing where the ball would be inbounded? That's sometimes a visual confirmation to the coach were play will resume. Also a confirmation to the crew which, if not unanimous, would be when the one guys stands there.

Oddly enough, I pre-gamed this exact issue with my partner last night. (Odd only because it doesn't usually come up in pre-game, but it did last night).

If you're not the administering official and you are asked where the ball is coming in, if you haven't already discussed it as crew (which you should before reporting the TO to the table), you tell the coach, "I'll find out for you", and you hustle over to the administering official and ask.

But if you're not the R, maybe the best you can do is to facilitate that communication before the TO is reported, or immediately afterward. If the reporting official doesn't communicate it to the crew, ask him.

So Far, Nobody Has Stolen The Ball (Not Even Havlicek) ...
 

Good advice. Here in the "Land of Steady Habits", and the "Land of Two Person Games", when both officials need get together to discuss a special situation (last second shot, etc.) we will leave the ball at the spot where the throwin will be administered. May not be in the manual, but it works. If the coach politely asks, just point to the ball.

Also, in my little corner of Connecticut, when the administering official is at the spot, he, or she, will hold the ball in front of them, behind them, or on the left side, or the right side, to confirm, and remind, which way the ball is going after the timeout.

I'd have him buy the hot wings as well...:)

Quite honestly, you can't worry whether it offends him or not. You're the R, you earned it, act like it. Tell him under no uncertain terms that he put the crew in a bad situation.

Honesty
 

"Honesty is such a lonely word
Everyone is so untrue
Honesty is hardly ever heard
And mostly what I need from you"

This would fall under one of the "C's" in any pregame: Communicate. When a TO is granted,the official calling should also look to see where the ball is going to be put into play. Make eye contact with your partner and one of you (or two of you) should signal/point to where the ball will be put in play. When you inform the coach that the TO is Full/30 you can then point to where the ball will be put into play. Of course, in a 3 person crew someone should be standing at the spot, or near it if it is in one of the teams huddles.

Also the procedure in 2 person crews. (Or maybe that's just IAABO)

I'll take your word on it. The powers that be only let me work in 3 person crews. That way there are more people to keep me under control!:D

They just changed it within the last couple of years to something that makes more sense. One official at the spot, the other standing at the division line.