A first I did not want
 

I know this is a part of growing as an official but I had a first last Friday that I really wanted to avoid.

I had my first blarge.

It was during a freshman game while I was at trail. Dribbler drives in from outside the three point arc on my side, secondary defender slips into the paint, and stays rock still. Dribbler gathers, takes a step and levels the defender. Since the play came from my primary, I hit the whistle hard and come out with an offensive foul....just as my partner is signaling block.

$%&@

I didn't even hear his whistle.

I get together with him and confirm we're going double foul...he seems rather...lost but hesitantly agrees. I report the double foul to the table and mass confusion is unleashed. We sort it out and give the ball back to Team A for the throw-in.

At the half, I ask my partner what he saw. He had the defender turning his shoulders at contact. We simply saw it differently. I explained why I made the call, since it came out of my primary.

I screwed up in a couple of ways:

• I didn't pre-game this situation with my partner. I did ask if he had anything to pre-game and instead of taking his answer of "no", I should have persisted and gone over a few things.
• I didn't hear his whistle also and rolled right into the call. Not sure how to deal with this one. Perhaps hesitate a split second to make eye contact with my partner on these types of plays, even if I don't hear a whistle?

Thanks for letting me vent.

Ugh, I need a shower now. :mad:

Did the defender turn his shoulder away from the dribbler to prepare for imminent contact? If so, why did he go with a block? If the defender turned into the dribbler I can see block.

Ugh, your partner also has the rule wrong.

He didn't really say...not wanting to throw him under the bus but he and I did not exactly agree about what a defender with LGP was allowed to do.

For whatever reason, it's harder for L to hold the whistle than it is for T or C to hold the whistle.

Keep this in mind even if you don't have a pre-game.

I'm betting you didn't first raise your fist to indicate you had a foul. You went straight with the punch the other way.

Raising a fist, like you do for any other foul, usually will help you avoid this sitch. It causes you to "hesitate a split second to make eye contact with my partner." :)

Good advice Bob, thanks.

Tony, I know I did raise my fist but it was probably only long enough to roll into the PC foul signal. Good food for thought, thanks.

Why did A get the ball back? Not saying you did it wrong, just wondering. ;)

We went to the arrow... :D

Team A was still in possession when the whistles were blown.

Luckily For Me, No Blarges In Thirty Years, At Least Not Yet ...
 

I hate it when this happens.

Are you sure that is the right answer?

If team A was still in possession, wouldn't they get the ball via point of interruption? Go to the arrow if there was no team control (think shot released).

+1

Yep, and Welpe was joking about using the arrow. He knows better. ;)

You are a better man than I, Billy.

Yes, thank you. :)